This is a short guide to the best Surf Spots in Sagres accessible by foot or bike, no car.

This surf guide is for anyone wondering whether to rent a car for their next surf trip to Sagres, or for those who have already decided to go without one. It’s a question we’ve often struggled with ourselves when planning surf holidays, so we thought it would be useful to share our experience. In this article, we’ll outline all the surf spots you can reach directly from Sagres by foot or bike, no car needed. For each spot, we’ll explain when it works best, how far it is from the town center, and what you can expect, so you can plan your next surf trip to Sagres with ease.

 

Sagres, one of few surfing destinations in Europe where a car is not strictly needed

As surfers, there’s nothing more frustrating than going on a surf holiday and getting stuck at a single spot that just doesn’t work. This happens a lot in places like France or even in Ericeira, Portugal. You can stay right in front of the ocean, but if the forecast isn’t great, you end up paddling out in poor conditions, while the nearest good wave is a 20-minute drive away. And if you don’t have a car, you’re out of luck.

The beauty of Sagres is that this doesn’t happen here. One of the best things about this magical little corner of Portugal is its location: right on the tip of land, surrounded by ocean on three sides. The village itself has four different surf spots facing different directions, which means you’re almost always within walking distance of a wave that works.

From the center of town and just 200 meters from our Lemontree Eco Surfhouse, you’ll find Mareta Beach, facing south. Just 250 meters the other way, Tonel Beach greets you with west-facing waves. If you’re up for a slightly longer walk or a short bike ride, you’ll reach Martinhal Beach (2 km), which faces southeast and the famous Beliche (2.8 km), looking southwest.

 

Thinking of renting a Car or Surfing by Public Transports?

Renting a Car
Let’s be honest, renting a car on a surf trip is always useful. It gives you the freedom to go wherever you want, whenever you want. For advanced surfers who want to make the most of the Algarve’s wide variety of surf spots and who need to be at very specific places at very specific times, a car definitely makes sense.

But renting a car also comes with its downsides. First, there’s the environmental impact, if we want to travel green, a car is far from necessary, especially here at Lemontree where you can walk to the surf spots and easily get to Sagres by public transport. Then there’s the cost: car rentals are expensive, especially if you need a larger vehicle to fit your surfboards. And finally, let’s not forget the hassle, insurance, pick-ups, drop-offs… not exactly the stress-free surf trip you dream of.

At the end of the day, there’s nothing that beats the feeling of simply waking up, grabbing your board, and walking straight to the beach for a morning surf, no car loading, no driving, just surfing.

Public Transport
Public transport to Sagres works pretty well, but once you’re here it won’t take you directly to the surf. The only exception is Beliche, which is served by a bus during the summer high season. Otherwise, getting to the beaches by bus isn’t really an option.

Walking and Cycling
The good news? Lemontree is perfectly located. From our surfhouse, you can easily walk to most of the surf spots in town. For the slightly further beaches, we encourage our guests to “travel green.” That’s why we offer free bikes, perfect for reaching spots like Beliche or Martinhal without needing to rely on a car.

 

The best surf spots in Sagres accessible by Foot and Bike

Praia do Tonel

Tonel, located right in the heart of Sagres, is by far the most consistent surf spot in town. Depending on the conditions, it can suit both beginners and advanced surfers. Facing west, Tonel is perfectly exposed to year-round swells. The ideal setup here is a West or Northwest swell combined with East winds. Tonel is a beach break and waves will shape according to the sand banks: you might have lefts, rights or A-frames. However the best wave is normally a left hander coming from the left side of the beach.

Summer
In summer, Tonel offers consistent waves and works best at mid and low tide. If you’re a beginner, we strongly recommend surfing at low tide, you’ll be able to spot the occasional rocks more easily and you’re guaranteed to catch waves. At high tide in summer, the spot can sometimes go completely flat. Another advantage of Tonel in summer is that it’s fairly well sheltered from the prevailing Northwest winds, which dominate this season. That means that in the mornings and evenings, you can often score beautiful glassy sessions.

Spring, Fall & Winter
During these seasons, Tonel really comes alive with some of the best waves in the Algarve. On the right day, advanced surfers can score serious, powerful waves. But beginners shouldn’t be discouraged, despite the bigger swells, Tonel still offers plenty of manageable days where the waves are softer and more forgiving.

(Surf Forecast for Tonel here)

 

Praia da Mareta

Mareta Beach is the other surf spot located right in the town of Sagres. The beauty of Mareta is that it faces in a completely different direction than Tonel, making it the go-to spot when swells come from the south. Mareta works best with a south swell, or with big west swells combined with a north offshore wind. As for tides, aim for low tide, especially when the waves are under 1 meter or smaller. Since Mareta is a beach break, you’ll find a variety of waves, but generally, south swells bring more lefts, while big west swells produce mostly rights.

Summer
In summer, Mareta is usually flat and not very consistent, which makes it a perfect spot for sunbathing, swimming, or even fishing. However, when the occasional south swell hits, Mareta comes alive, offering fun, beginner-friendly waves (always best at low tide). Out of the 90 days of summer, you can expect to surf Mareta roughly 18 days.

Spring, Fall & Winter
During these seasons, Mareta becomes much more consistent. This is when south swells are more frequent, and strong west swells are big enough to wrap around the cliffs, creating fun, clean little waves inside the bay.

(Surf Forecast for Mareta here)

 

Praia do Beliche

Beliche is located 2.8 kilometres west of Sagres, on the road to the famous Cabo de São Vicente lighthouse. From town, it’s about a 40-minute walk or a 10-minute bike ride. Beliche is one of the most iconic beaches in the area, loved not only by surfers but also by photographers and travelers for its cliffs and clear waters. Facing southwest, it works best with north or northeast winds and west to northwest swells. It’s a classic beach break, and depending on the sandbanks, it can produce some of the most fun and punchy waves around. On the right day, Beliche offers amazing A-frames, with the left-hander usually being of higher quality than the right.

Summer
In summer, Beliche shines because the prevailing northwest winds blow offshore here, keeping conditions clean. That said, summer swells are often too small to make Beliche truly work, so waves are usually no bigger than waist-high….perfect for beginners. On the rare occasions when a solid swell hits in summer, Beliche comes alive, offering some of the best waves in Sagres. Expect crowds though, as everyone flocks to the lineup when it’s bigger than shoulder-high.

Spring, Fall & Winter
Outside of summer, Beliche transforms into a very different wave. With the right swell, it delivers hollow, powerful peaks that attract advanced surfers from all over the Algarve. In winter especially, Beliche can become heavy and challenging, with steep takeoffs and punishing shorebreaks, not a spot for beginners on those days. Still, between big swells, the beach offers plenty of fun, manageable sessions. The best part? Crowds thin out in the off-season and with a bit of luck, you might score Beliche firing with just a handful of people in the water (this happened to us before a few times).

(Surf Forecast for Beliche here)

 

Praia do Martinhal

Martinhal  beach is located just outside Sagres, to the southeast. By car, it takes a while to reach since you have to drive around town, but on foot or by bike you can get there quickly through a shortcut near the Memmo Baleira Hotel. Martinhal is the least consistent of Sagres’ main surf beaches, but when it works, it offers a completely different experience. Facing southeast, it’s sheltered from most swells and only comes alive with strong east swells or when massive west swells wrap around the headlands. The waves here are usually mellow, making it an excellent spot for longboarding or for beginners on smaller days. One of Martinhal’s biggest advantages is that when everywhere else is too big, during storms or heavy swells, you can almost always find a surfable wave here.

Summer
In summer, Martinhal is often flat, but on the rare occasions when an east swell arrives, it turns into a fun, beginner-friendly wave. The conditions are usually soft and forgiving, perfect for those looking for an easygoing session.

Spring, Fall & Winter

For most of the year, Martinhal stays quiet unless powerful west swells or rare east swells appear. When they do, the beach becomes a unique playground with long, peeling rides and a more relaxed vibe compared to other Sagres breaks. Crowds here are usually lighter too, which makes it a hidden gem on the right day.

(Surf Forecast for Martinhal here)

 

Lemontree Eco Surfhouse, walking distance to all the best surf beaches in Sagres

Surfing Mareta and Tonel by Foot

One thing we still can’t quite believe is how perfect the location of our surfhouse actually is. To be honest, this was the number one reason we decided to start Lemontree five years ago.For us, the dream surf trip has always been about simplicity: waking up, grabbing a coffee, walking to the beach and paddling out….no hassle, no car, no stress. And that’s exactly what life looks like here.

Lemontree is literally located between Mareta and Tonel, right in front of the Italian ice cream shop Alice. This means you can stop for a quick coffee on your way to check the waves. From our door, it’s just a 2-minute walk west to Tonel, or 200 meters south to Mareta. Two world-class surf spots at your feet, doesn’t get much better than that!

Surfing Beliche and Martinhal by Bike 

Beliche and Martinhal are a little further out, but still super easy to reach without a car. At Lemontree, we provide bikes free of charge for all our guests, so you can ride to either spot in around 10 minutes.

One important tip: if it’s really windy, be careful when cycling with a surfboard. The board can act like a kite and make things tricky (and even dangerous). On calmer days though, biking is not only safe but also the most eco-friendly way to get to the waves.

 

Surf Lessons as an alternative to having a car 

Surf lessons are also a great way to get around the “no car” question. If you’re planning to book a beginner course or even looking for coaching as an intermediate or advanced surfer, transport to and from the beach is always included. This means you don’t have to worry about logistics at all, we will take care of everything. In other words, when it comes to surfing, having a car in Sagres can be completely unnecessary.

 

When is the best time to surf in Sagres if you do not have a car

After everything we’ve shared, the answer is simple: no, you don’t need a car to surf in Sagres. Especially if you’re staying with us at Lemontree, the location of our surfhouse makes it easy to surf by foot or by bike.

Of course, if you’re an advanced surfer who wants to explore the entire Algarve and chase very specific conditions, then yes, a car will make your life easier. But for most surfers, staying car-free isn’t just convenient, it’s also the more eco-friendly choice. Less driving means less pollution and here in Sagres you can truly enjoy the waves while keeping your footprint light.

For those planning to come without a car and still want to score great waves, we recommend visiting in spring, fall, or winter (September to May) when swells are bigger and Sagres’ spots are all firing. On the other hand, if you’re more of a beginner, enjoy smaller waves, or want to join our surf lessons, then summer (June to August) is perfect for you.

(If you want to know more about the waves and the weather is Sagres during the year you can find more about it here, while if you specifically thinking about Winter, here is our guide to Winter in Sagres).