Costa da Caparica

Across the Tagus from Lisbon, the coastline of the Almada municipality runs south in an almost unbroken line of sand, and Costa da Caparica is its beating heart. What began as a fishing settlement at the edge of the dunes is now the capital’s favourite stretch of Atlantic coast, where the city empties onto the beach on summer weekends and the surf works all year.

From dune hamlet to surf coast

The town grew up on fishing, and traces of that life survive in the seafood restaurants and the boats that still work from the sand. But the sea has a different pull now: steady Atlantic swells and a chain of beaches running south towards Cabo Espichel have made the coast a centre of the Lisbon surf scene, with schools and boards for every level. Behind the beach, the town of Almada carries the ferry landing and the Christ the King viewpoint over the river, and the tile-faced country estate of the Quinta da Bacalhôa in Azeitão lies a short drive inland.

What to see

• The long, wide Atlantic beaches
• The surf schools and the waves of the open coast
• The fishing boats and seafood restaurants
• The dunes and pinewoods along the coast road
• The view back towards Lisbon across the Tagus

Practical information

Costa da Caparica stands on the coast of the Almada municipality, south of the Tagus and across the river from Lisbon, reached by road or by ferry to Almada. The Atlantic is cool and often has a strong shore break: swim where the conditions are safe, bring sun protection, and expect heavy traffic on fine summer days.

Image credit: Caparica December 2012-4 by Alvesgaspar — CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.