Baleal: best place to surf in Portugal?
If someone were to ask a Portuguese “Where is the best place to surf in Portugal?” nine times out of ten they should say Baleal and Peniche (they are next to each other). Not only does it have several beaches and waves all year around, it also has a nightlife and lots of great cafés and bar: great place if you want to surf and party in the evening! Read more below to learn where to stay and where to eat in Baleal.
Why choose Baleal for your surf trip?
The reason why it is such a recognized place for surfing is the many beaches facing different directions towards the ocean. Moreover, the unique seabeds allow for the formation of different waves, for beginners and more experienced, throughout the year.
While an experienced surfer might have his preferences and say other places in Portugal, Baleal is built around surf. From the grocery stores offering Stick sunscreen, to the many shops selling surf gear, to the hostels having their own surfboards to rent, Baleal is a surfer’s paradise.
Moreover, considering that it’s mostly the younger crowd that surfs, the town has a myriad of bars and cafés to hang out with your travel mates or if you are looking for to make new friends.
Some days might not be great to surf, either due to bad weather or because you need a break. Baleal is close to many sites that are worth to visit. Read more below on what I would recommend to see.
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Baleal or Peniche: which to choose?
Peniche and Baleal are different as Baleal is more of a “village”-vibe and Peniche a feeling of “town”. However, they are located so close to each other that you should not feel that you would exclude one or the other should you book your accommodation in one of the places.
Peniche is a bigger town that offers a wider variety of food and accommodation
Baleal is small and everyone lives close to the beach. It is easy to walk from the surf session, to the hostel for a shower, and then a drink in one of the bars.
In between Baleal and Peniche is a long and beautiful beach that you can walk for 45 min to reach the other town. Otherwise, there are plenty of taxi that are very affordable unless you have your own car.
People often mistakes Baleal for Ferrel: Baleal is the small peninsula of land that is only accessible by a road crossing the sand. Ferrel is on the mainland you could say.
Where to rent surf boards and wetsuits in Baleal? Where to take classes?
As mentioned above, Baleal (as well as Peniche) have plenty of possibilities when renting gear for surfing. Prices on surfboards and wetsuits changes according to the season. Moreover, classes are usually given by the same shops/hostels that rent out the gear: these vary in price too with the months. You can also get group discounts if you are a group or if you book several classes for the week.
My advice is to only book or pay once you are in Baleal. The reason being that the weather can change from one day to the other: if the weather is bad that day, skip the surf and explore Peniche instead.
Peniche Surfcamp, are located both in Baleal on the Ferrel-side and in Peniche. They have both rentals and also classes.
Waterlost, is located in Peniche and like most have both classes and just rentals. They have good ratings.
Where to stay in Baleal?
If you are a large group, I would consider renting a whole apartment. Otherwise, if you don’t mind a lively atmosphere there is a plethora of hostels in Baleal with great vibes. Below are a few of my favorite hostels as well as one hotel:
H2O, is probably the cheapest accommodation that you could get. One night can be as cheap as €20 per night.
Selina Peniche, is a hotel with also shared dorms. It is located in Ferrel and not in Peniche as the name suggest. This is probably the most luxurious hostel I have seen. Prices start at €19 on Booking.com, but they can rise very fast and high during summer
Link to Booking.com for Selina
RIDE Surf Resort & Spa, is a proper hotel with private rooms located in between Peniche and Baleal on the southern Baleal beach. They also have a spa! One night can be had at €66 on low season.
Where to eat in Baleal?
For such a small town, Baleal has a lot to offer. They have everything from traditional food, fresh fish and seafood, to more snack food like burgers and fries. Below are my favorites:
Taberna do Ganhão, is a typical Portuguese restaurant located on the Baleal peninsula. It serves grilled fish caught in the area, grilled meat, killer salads and prawns. You can’t book, and it is very popular, so I recommend going there early to make sure you have a table.
Instagram of Taberna do Ganhão
Prainha Restaurant & Wine Bar, is more like a family restaurant located on the beach. They probably have the mist variety of fresh fish and seafood to offer of all the restaurants in town. You can book in advance and the prices are modest.
For food like burgers and pizzas you can have them at the Bar do Bruno which I write more on below.
Where to have a drink in Baleal?
Bar do Bruno, is probably one of the most lively places in town. They have a DJ playing most evenings, serve crazy cocktails, and have tasty finger food to accompany your drinks.
The Base, if you are in the mood to dance, party and meet new friends this is the place for you. It is a bar located on the Baleal southern beach (on the way to Peniche). Killer cocktails and great vibes.
Most hostels also have bars and events some evenings. I would try to know more about what events they in the week when you arrive: usually it is cheaper to drink and eat.
What to explore around Baleal and Peniche?
If you are staying in Baleal or Peniche for a week, chances are some days won’t be great to surf (either too much or too little waves). Here are my recommendations to what you could do during your “day of rest”:
Visit the fortress in Peniche, an old political prison during the dictatorship. When Salazar’s authoritarian regime ruled during most of the 20th century, many Portuguese who fought against the dictatorship or even just openly criticized it were sent to the Peniche fortress. There they were tortured and forgotten: however there are some stories of brave escapes and resistance in the population of Peniche. Today it is a museum I would definitely recommend.
If you have access to a car or can spare some money for a taxi or bus, go to the medieval city of Óbidos. There you have probably one of the most well-preserved medieval towns in Europe with the castle and its walls still standing. The center itself is incredibly quaint and photogenic for Instagram lovers.
A last note…
Baleal is amazing as it is a unique place in Portugal that lives and breathes “surf”. There are of course many other places worth to visit for a surf trip (like Ericeira or Arrifana). Baleal is a great place both for beginners discovering the sport for the first, as there are also a lot of other activities apart from the surf. But it is also a good place for the more experienced as there are waves throughout the year. I would recommend staying for 5–7 days to truly get a chance to know Baleal and to have time to explore the history and culture of the surroundings.