Portugal · Atlantic Europe
Each location is refreshed once every three hours. The hourly view, 7-day forecast, luck factor and packing notes come from the same stored update.
We compare the 7-day forecast with the version-matched historical observations available for the same time of year at Carcavelos. The delta shows whether conditions look better, worse or about the same as a typical late July.
We score each day of the 7-day forecast using the same algorithm as the leaderboard, and highlight the highest scorer.
Open-Meteo's Marine API (swell height, period, water temperature) and Weather API (wind and conditions).
Flat as a lake. Save your energy for another day. Short-period chop. The waves lack any real push. Light offshore grooming the faces nicely. Best conditions early morning before the sea breeze arrives. Not enough swell to get this spot firing properly.
PeakWave scores are planning signals, not safety clearance. Check local authorities, official bulletins and on-site conditions before you go. Read our editorial policy.
Carcavelos is a highly regarded, expansive beach break located on the Estoril coast, just west of Lisbon, Portugal. The seafloor is composed of compacted sand that forms numerous shifting sandbars across a wide bay. Because the beach faces south, it is naturally protected from the dominant, frequently overwhelming north-westerly Atlantic winter storms. Instead, it relies on powerful south-westerly groundswells, or massive north-westerly swells that refract heavily around the Cabo da Roca headland. A northerly wind blows directly offshore here, holding up the peaks and creating intensely hollow, cylindrical barrel sections on the best banks. The break produces punchy, fast A-frames that provide both left and right-hand options. Due to the high velocity of the wave and the frequent occurrence of steep, plunging lips, Carcavelos is primarily suited for intermediate to advanced surfers. It serves as an excellent proving ground for tube-riding and rapid, vertical manoeuvres in a highly accessible urban setting.
Heads up: jellyfish: peak season.
Indicators derived from forecast data, not official warnings. Always check local lifeguard or official advice.
The air here is 61% cleaner than the average comparison city right now.
Noticeably cleaner air than a typical city. Good conditions for prolonged outdoor activity.
Not a pollutant. Ozone is naturally higher at altitude and near the coast, and lower in cities where traffic exhaust breaks it down. High readings here typically indicate clean air. Can cause short-term airway irritation during intense exercise but is not linked to the long-term health risks of particulate pollution.
Additive health score: each pollutant contributes points relative to its WHO 2021 guideline and long-term health impact (PM2.5 9, NO₂ 5, O₃ 3, PM10 2, SO₂ 1 at WHO limits). Data via Open-Meteo. City markers show live readings. Red line marks the WHO guideline. Updated 15:24
Moderate water clarity: ~3m visibility
Daily scores over the last 12 months at Carcavelos
Historical quality only. Safety is not reconstructed for this view.
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Create Profile →Partly. The model uses stored spot geometry, swell ranges and tide preferences where configured. It cannot see changing banks, crowds, access, closures or everything visible on a local cam, so treat it as a starting point.
The best week for surf at Carcavelos is the week of 16 November (score 3/5) with low crowds.
This guide was generated from conditions data. Know this spot? Submit your own tips below.
Carcavelos is Lisbon's closest quality surf beach, a wide stretch of sand facing south-southwest on the north bank of the Tagus estuary mouth. It produces consistent, fun waves and is easily accessible by train from the city. The beach is popular year-round with a lively atmosphere. When bigger swells hit, Carcavelos produces powerful, hollow waves that surprise for an urban beach.
Picks up south-westerly and westerly Atlantic swell wrapping around the coast. A northerly wind is offshore. Works on all tides. Consistent year-round but best October through March for size. The 2-6ft range is ideal. Summer has smaller but rideable waves.
Multiple peaks across the wide beach. The section near the fort (eastern end) tends to have more defined banks. The western section is slightly more exposed. Watch from the promenade to identify the best peaks.
Rip currents on bigger days. The beach can get powerful on solid swells (head-high+). Rocky groynes at intervals along the beach. Crowds are intense. Water quality can be affected after heavy rain due to urban runoff.
Train from Lisbon (Cais do Sodre line) to Carcavelos station, then walk (10 minutes). Or drive and use the pay car parks. Direct beach access. Full urban facilities.
Extremely crowded. Carcavelos serves Lisbon's entire surfing population. Good days see 50-100+ people across the beach. Competition for waves is real. Dawn patrol or evening sessions offer slightly fewer numbers. Midweek is marginally better.
Carcavelos is the easy option from Lisbon but the crowd can be brutal. For a better experience, drive 30 minutes north to Ericeira or Peniche. If you must surf close to the city, go at dawn. The beach bars and restaurants are excellent for post-surf. The train makes it alcohol-friendly for a sunset session.
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Combining historical conditions with school holiday crowd pressure to find the sweet spot.
The timing score combines two signals: historical conditions quality (how good the skiing or surfing typically is in a given week, based on 5 years of weather data) and crowd pressure (how many of this destination's feeder markets have school holidays that week).
Crowd pressure is weighted by each feeder country's share of visitors. If 40% of a resort's visitors come from France and France is on holiday, that contributes 0.40 to the crowd pressure score. Crowds can reduce the timing score by up to 35%, ensuring conditions still matter most.
Scores: 5 = great conditions with low crowds (the sweet spot). 4 = great conditions with moderate crowds, or good conditions with low crowds. 3 = average. 2 = below average conditions or very crowded. 1 = poor conditions or peak holiday chaos.
Last 30 days of logged conditions.
Based on historical weekly averages
Conditions at Carcavelos tend to be best between 07:00 to 10:00 in July.
Average score during this window: 27/100
See timing scores, school holiday busyness, and lift pass pricing to find the best time to book.
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