Two Days in Nazaré: A Budget-Friendly Itinerary

June 25, 2025
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Nazaré is a quaint little Portguese town between Lisbon and Porto that has become famous in recent years for it’s Big Wave Surfing. The mega waves that arrive in winter are something to behold, however there is a lot more to this beautiful town. Here is how I would spend two days in Nazaré.

I visited Nazaré when I volunteered at a surf camp in Porto. News of record-breaking waves hitting the little town again made the round in October while I was there, and I booked a last-minute bus down to experience the spectacle.

While I did not see the surfing due to high winds, I did experience the mega waves and it is truly an insane experience. It was me and about 500 reporters by the lighthouse of Nazaré at 5am that October morning and I wouldn’t have wanted to miss it for the world. The waves towered over the lighthouse like nothing I had ever seen before.

What I didn’t expect though was to fall in love with this quaint little town along the Portuguese coast. From amazing seafood, local shops with the loveliest owners and the incredible nature, Nazaré is worth a visit whether there are big waves or not.

I would spend two days in Nazaré if you have the time to really enjoy the atmosphere and explore the area. Here is everything you should see while there:

Table of Contents

How to get to Nazare?

Nazare is located between Porto and Lisbon and is well reachable from both cities. If you are planning a roadtrip, renting a car is a great way to see more of the Portuguese coast and some of Europe’s must stunning beaches and nature. Check for car rentals here.

How to get to Nazaré from Porto?

The best way to reach Nazare from Porto is by bus which takes around 2.5 hours. I have written a full guide on this:

Related article: How to get to Nazaré from Porto by Bus

How to get to Nazaré from Lisbon?

Similar to Porto, the best way to reach Nazare from Lisbon is by bus. It takes less than 2 hours and costs under 5€ if booked in advance. Check Flixbus and rede-expresso for tickets.

Where to stay in Nazaré?

Hostels:

Hotels:

$ Nazaré Sweet Dreams
$ Vila Farol
$ Vivenda Valverde
$$ Quinta Amarela
$$ Hotel Magic
$$$ Hotel Mar Bravo

How to spend 2 days in Nazaré

Day 1: Explore Sitio de Nazaré

Head to Nazaré in the morning and grab a delicious brunch

Get the bus to Nazare (or drive if you are roadtripping) in the morning to start your adventure in the small Portuguese village. You may be able to drop off your bags at your accommodation early, most hotels have storage options until check-in later.

I’d recommend to fuel up before further exploring as you will be walking a bit today. Village Brunch & Coffee as well as Aloha Brunch Nazare are great brunch spots with a variety of delicious food at an affordable price!

Hike up to Miradouro do Suberco (or take the funicular)

One of the main areas of Nazare is located up the cliffs. To get there, you can hike up via a path that runs from town along the cliffs and takes around 20 minutes. It is quite a steep hike but has amazing views.

Alternatively you can take the funicular for 4€ for the roundtrip (cash only). It is a short but beautiful ride to the top where you will find the Miradouro do Suberco, a stunning lookout over Nazare.

Explore the Sitio district and Sanctuary of Our Lady of Nazaré

Nazare used to be covered by the sea so until the 18th century, people lived on top of the cliffs in the Sitio district. The area has a lot of local shops, restaurants, incredible views over Portugal’s coastline and the famous church: Sanctuary of Our Lady of Nazaré.

The church is free to enter and beautiful from the inside. There is a lot of history to this place, so it is worth taking a tour if you have the time.

Head down the curved path to Farol da Nazaré, the famous lighthouse

On a big wave day, the lighthouse of Nazaré becomes the centre of the hustle and bustle, with hundreds of spectators and reporters ligning up. You can see just some of the crowd in the above picture when I was in Nazaré during a mega wave alert. For those days, I would recommend bringing lots of snacks, layers and following the guys with the biggest cameras – they usually know some great vantage points.

That being said, the lighthouse is 1000% worth a visit even without the mega waves. The views from here are beautiful and stretch far up the Portuguese coast.

You can even go inside the lighthouse for 2€, where you will find a small surfer museum and a rooftop. It seems to be closed during mega wave alerts for reporters.

Explore the Forno de Orca Cave

Climb down to the beach Forno de Orca Cave for the beautiful
Forno de Orca Cave. It’s a natural cave formed by maritime erosion with beautiful patterns carved out over the years.

Finish the day with a delicious local dinner and sunset over Nazaré

After a long day, enjoy a delicious dinner in the Sitio district. I can recommend Modern Tavern Zé d’Avó and Restaurante Mil & Sabores – both are delicious and fairly affordable.

After dinner, enjoy the stunning sunset and night views from the cliffs over Nazaré.

Day 2: The Fishermen Village

Find breakfast and wander around Mercado Municipal da Nazaré

This is Mercado Municipal da Nazaré’s local market, full of fresh fruit and vegetables, delicious baked goods and seafood. Prices here are super budget-friendly and there are so many local treats to try. Make sure to grab a Pastel de Nata while here!

Enjoy the colourful streets and local shops of Nazaré

Walking around the main town of Nazaré is a sight in itself. The buildings are beautiful and colourful, the streets lively and there are some incredible local shops. I got the hat shown above which is handmade for just 10€.

Stroll along the beautiful main beach of Nazaré

The Praia da Nazaré runs along the entire length of the city of Nazaré. It’s a lovely sandy beach that gets quite busy in summer. There are a lot of shops and restaurants along the beach too.

Check out the Mercado de Peixe Seco

While walking along Nazaré beach, make sure to stop at the Dried Fish Market/Museum. Fish drying is an integral part of Nazaré’s history and culture. It is an amazing way to preserve fish in times of scarcity. You can try the dried fish here as well as read about its history and buy your own batch.

Give surfing a go

This may not be for everyone, but outside the winter months that bring the huge waves, Nazaré is actually a great place to learn to surf. There are a lot of great surf schools right by the beach with group lessons starting at just around 35€.

Enjoy some fresh seafood for an early dinner

Make the most of this coastal town and treat yourself to some more delicious seafood. There are a ton of amazing and well-priced restaurants along the beach, such as Restaurante dá cá os remos.

Finish your Nazaré trip at Farol Nazaré Pontão Norte

At the far end of the beach lies a small lighthouse from which you have beautiful views. The waves smash against the rocks and over the lighthouse, making for a fascinating sight and great photos. There is something serene about this place and it is the perfect end to a lovely trip!

Are Nazaré's waves always big?

No, the waves aren’t always big in Nazaré. Outside peak wave season (October – March), the waves in Nazaré are hardly bigger than normal. This means they are perfect for us “normal” surfers though, should you be looking to be the surfer, not the watcher.

So when are the biggest waves in Nazaré?

Big wave season is from roughly October to March each year in Nazaré. It’s impossible to predict the exact days that you will be able to see giant waves, so you’d need to stay longer to ensure this.

You can subscribe to email alerts for mega waves and possible world record attempts for tallest wave surfed on the Nazaré big wave page here.

Is Nazaré worth a day trip?

You can subscribe to email alerts for mega waves and possible world record attempts for tallest wave surfed on the Nazaré big wave page here.

Can beginners surf at Nazaré?

Yes, Nazare gets much smaller waves outside of winter, with May to September being great months for beginner surfers in Nazare. There are many surf schools here with great reviews.