Praia do Norte is in Nazaré, in Portugal's Leiria District, on the west coast, directly beneath the Sítio headland and the Fort of São Miguel Arcanjo. It's world-famous for the giant waves that break here, mostly between October and March, driven by a unique piece of underwater geology: the Nazaré Canyon.
The Nazaré Canyon is Europe's largest submarine canyon, roughly 200 km long and reaching depths of up to 5,000 m; its head comes within less than 1 km of the shore. That shape focuses and amplifies incoming Atlantic swell right off the coast, producing a constructive-interference effect that multiplies wave height at Praia do Norte in a way that doesn't happen at neighbouring beaches.
In November 2011, Hawaiian surfer Garrett McNamara rode a 23.8 m wave here, putting Praia do Norte on the big-wave map. Rodrigo Koxa beat that in November 2017 with 24.4 m. Sebastian Steudtner raised it again to 26.21 m in October 2020 — a record recognised by Guinness World Records and ratified by the World Surf League. In February 2024, Steudtner reportedly rode a drone-measured 28.57 m wave, but as of this writing that figure remains officially unratified. In women's surfing, Maya Gabeira holds the record at 22.4 m, set in February 2020. The beach also hosts the TUDOR Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge, a stop on the World Surf League's big-wave tour held during winter, when waves regularly reach 12-15 metres.
Unlike Praia da Nazaré in the town itself, Praia do Norte has no lifeguard, and tourism authorities describe the sea here as dangerous for swimmers. During winter, when the largest waves arrive, visitors are advised to watch from the cliffs rather than approach the water; the sea tends to calm down in summer, though the beach remains unsupervised year-round. It keeps natural dunes with original vegetation, giving it a far wilder feel than the town's developed beaches.
The best vantage point for the giant waves is by the Nazaré Lighthouse at the Fort of São Miguel Arcanjo — built in 1577 and reinforced between 1639 and 1644, with the lighthouse added in 1903. The building also houses a museum open since 2014, with exhibits on the Nazaré Canyon and the German submarine U-963. Entry costs around €2, and the fort is open daily from 10am to 5:30pm. Two alternative viewpoints are Miradouro do Suberco and Miradouro da Pederneira. There's a free car park near Praia do Norte in the Sítio area (parking in the town centre is usually paid), and several restaurants nearby. For anyone who'd rather try surfing in calmer conditions than the winter giants, there are also surf lessons at Praia do Norte.
It's not recommended, especially between October and March when the giant waves arrive. The beach has no lifeguard, unlike Praia da Nazaré in town, and tourism authorities describe the sea as dangerous. Watching from the cliffs is the safer option.
Sebastian Steudtner holds the Guinness World Records-recognised record at 26.21 m (October 2020). A 28.57 m wave he reportedly rode in February 2024 remains, as of this writing, officially unratified.
Yes, entry costs around €2. The fort, which includes the lighthouse and a museum, is open daily from 10am to 5:30pm.
There's a free car park near the beach in the Sítio area. Parking in Nazaré's town centre is usually paid.
Real historical monthly sea temperature averages.