Surf camp Porto, Portugal

Surf camp Porto is located in the Costa Verde region in the northernmost part of Portugal. Costa Verde can be translated as “the green coast” and is loved by the locals for its lush green mountains with profound river valleys sloping down to huge golden beaches, perfect for surfing. This is the perfect place if you want to combine surfing with urban tourism since it is a beautiful city with a high pulse and several sights to visit.

The surf camp is situated at the very centre of the city of Porto, close to the metro that can quickly take you out to the beach for some great surfing. The area receives consistent Atlantic swells and provides great surfing all year round for both beginners and more experienced surfer.

After an amazing day of surfing you can watch the sunset and try the local shellfish, washed down with a good Portuguese wine. Porto has an active nightlife with lots of bars where surfers hang out after a great day in the waves. If you are in the mood for some more serious clubbing there is also plenty to choose from.

Summers in the Costa Verde region tend to be sunny, dry and clear, with an average temperature of 25ºC, and the warm weather conditions last well into September. The winter is colder (around 13 ºC) and it sometimes rains a bit, but it rarely persists for longer periods. On the other hand winter and early spring is when the biggest swells occur.

The surf school is based at Matosinhos beach a 10 min drive from the accommodation. Lessons are planned daily by the surf instructors, taking into consideration the participants surf level and the meteorological conditions. The instructors speak Portuguese, English and Spanish.

We guarantee that after one week of surf school the complete beginner will be able to surf and the experienced surfer will have improved greatly.

The following is included for students attending the surf school:

• Accommodation at the surf camp
• At least 2 h surf school, five days per week
• Transport between the surf house and Matosinhos beach
• All surf equipment needed
• Breakfast
• Pick up/ drop off at Porto Airport/ train station/ bus station

If you have arranged your own acommodation, you can also book surfschool only. This includes 2 hours of surflessons, all equipment needed and pick up from your hotel in the Porto area.

Surfari is a great option for more experienced surfers. Every day there is a different swell, a different wind etc. This doesn't matter if you book a surfari. Every day you will be accompanied by a professional local surf guide who will show you the best breaks of the region, places that just the locals know, taking you to discover new surf spots where you can enjoy perfect waves surrounded by beautiful untouched nature.

There are lots of different surf spots where you can end up surfing if you book a surfari. For example you can end up surfing the powerful waves of “Espinho” ripping the long mellow waves of “Matosinhos” or getting barreled at the left hand river break of “DOURO’s cabedelo”.

The following is included in the surfari:

• Accommodation at the surf camp
• Surfaris with a local guide, five days per week (material not included)
• Transport to the best wave of the day (an additional fee of 0,30 EUR/ km is shared by the Surfari participants)
• Breakfast
• Pick up/ drop off at Porto Airport/ train station/ bus station

Surfaris are available all year round. The best swells come in late winter and early spring, but there are good waves to be explored the rest of the year as well.

The accommodation we offer is a great deal. The accommodation is a hostel in the very centre of Porto, located a 10 min drive from Matosinhos beach (20 min by metro).

The house consists of dorm rooms (standard accommodation) and it is completely furnished and has a fully equiped kitchen, a total of 5 bathrooms with hot water showers, and a communal lounge with free Wi-Fi, cabel TV, books and music.

Since the hostel is located in the centre of the city, you will have a lot of restaurants, shops, supermarkets and a metro station close by. At night you will also only need a short stroll to get to the nightclubs and bars.

Arrival at the Costa Verde region is easily done by air. The regional capital, Porto (Oporto in Portuguese), has airline links with all major European cities. You can usually find a cheap flight with Ryanair or with some of the regular companies.

The international airport of Porto is called Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (airport code: OPO) and is located just 10 km southeast of the surf camp. When you arrive at the airport a staff members will meet you and give you a ride to the surf camp. Upon departure you will get a ride back to the airport.

It is also possible to fly to Lisbon and then catch a train or a bus to Porto (3,5 hours). For detailed prices and schedules for buses, check out www.eva-bus.com and www.rede-expressos.pt. For information about trains check out www.cp.pt and www.refer.pt.