Ericeira

Ericeira was a working fishing port for centuries before it became, almost by accident, one of Europe's premier surf destinations. The turning point was 2011, when the Save The Waves Coalition named the stretch of coast around Ericeira a World Surfing Reserve — one of only a handful in the world at the time, and one of just two such reserves in Europe — in recognition of the density and consistency of quality waves packed into a short span of coastline. Ribeira d'Ilhas, a couple of kilometres north of the village, anchors that reputation: a world-class right-hand point break that has hosted rounds of professional surfing's world tour and works on almost any swell, which is part of why the whole area draws surfers of every level rather than just experts. Coxos, further along the same stretch, is the serious wave — fast, hollow, and firmly not for beginners — while the beaches closer to the village centre, including Praia dos Pescadores right below the old town, are gentler and better suited to first-timers and swimmers with no interest in surfing at all. The village itself retains a low, whitewashed, distinctly un-touristy fishing-town character along its clifftop streets, a contrast to the surf schools and board rental shops that have multiplied along the approach roads. Ericeira has no direct train from Lisbon, which is the one mark against it on a list otherwise dominated by rail connections, but the direct bus is straightforward and comparable in door-to-door time to several higher-ranked entries. Surf conditions are strongest in the cooler months from autumn through spring, when Atlantic groundswell is more reliable, while summer favours swimming, sunbathing and a noticeably livelier atmosphere in the village's bars and restaurants.