Photo: Vitor Oliveira from Torres Vedras, PORTUGAL · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Praia das Maçãs
A small bay a couple of kilometres north of Praia Grande, with rock on both sides and sand through the middle. It is the gentler of the two main Sintra beaches and the default classroom for the local schools. Low tide is when it works: the bay opens out, the banks shape up, and a wedging left runs off the cliffs at the southern end. Mid to high tide it turns dumpy and short.
Surf outlook
We don't have a forecast outlook for Praia das Maçãs yet. The seasonal guidance below is based on long-run averages, not on this week.
Live conditions
We don't have a current forecast for Praia das Maçãs. The seasonal guidance below is based on long-run averages, not on today.
Surf Snapshot
Estimated seasonal guidance — not a live forecast.
When to surf Praia das Maçãs, month by month
Estimated from our authored seasonality — not a live forecast.
Peak season: Nov, Dec (All-time).
| Month | Surf consistency | Wetsuit |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | High | 4/3 fullsuit |
| Feb | High | 4/3 fullsuit |
| Mar | High | 3/2 fullsuit |
| Apr | Moderate | 3/2 fullsuit |
| May | Inconsistent | Spring suit |
| Jun | Inconsistent | Spring suit |
| July | Inconsistent | Boardshorts |
| Aug | Inconsistent | Boardshorts |
| Sept | Moderate | Spring suit |
| Oct | High | 3/2 fullsuit |
| Novpeak | All-time | 3/2 fullsuit |
| Decpeak | All-time | 4/3 fullsuit |
Does this wave fit your level?
Rated for Levels 1-5 · Best at Level 3.
Take the 2-minute quiz to see if Praia das Maçãs fits you today.
Find my Level →Beginner notes
The best first-week wave on this coast — the sand in the middle of the bay is where every Colares school puts beginners, and on a small clean day it is as friendly as Portugal gets. Two things to respect: the rocks at either end of the bay are not decorative, so stay in the middle, and the bay is small enough that it feels crowded in July and August.
Hazards
- rocks
- rip currents
- crowd
Camps near Praia das Maçãs
Nearby spots
The closest graded spots to Praia das Maçãs, straight-line distance.
- Praia Grande~2 km · Levels 2-6
- Praia da Adraga~3 km · Levels 3-6
- Foz do Lizandro~14 km · Levels 1-5
- Praia do Sul~16 km · Levels 1-4
- Praia dos Pescadores~16 km · Levels 1-4
Best months to surf here
In-season months for Portugal, from our editors’ season calendar.