Things to do in Costa da Caparica

Costa da Caparica is Lisbon's beach, across the Tagus. A ferry and a bus get you there in under an hour. The sand runs on for kilometres past the town itself.

The beach and the town

• The town beach. A wide stretch of sand right below the clifftop town, numbered in sections and backed by a promenade of cafés and surf shops.
• South toward Fonte da Telha. The sand continues for several kilometres south to the fishing hamlet of Fonte da Telha, with quieter, less developed beaches along the way.
• The beach train. A seasonal narrow-gauge line has run along this stretch since the 1960s; check whether it operates before planning around it.
• Fonte da Telha itself. A small fishing settlement at the southern end, with a scatter of naturist beaches on its outskirts.

Why people surf here

• The break. A beach break that works across a range of swell sizes, which is why Lisbon's surf schools use it more than any other nearby beach.
• The season. Autumn and winter swells run bigger and more powerful; summer softens into something closer to a beginner's wave.
• On the water otherwise. Sailing and sunset boat trips on the Tagus itself run from the river side of the peninsula, a different stretch of water from the ocean beach.

Practical

• Weather. Summer runs near 27C with the Atlantic around 19C; afternoons are windier than central Lisbon, so bring a layer.
• Getting there. The ferry from Cais do Sodré to Cacilhas takes about ten minutes; a connecting bus covers the rest in around forty.
• Rip currents. Flagged lifeguard beaches are the safer swim; the open Atlantic here is rougher than it looks from the promenade.
• Getting around. Buses run the length of the beach road in summer; a bike covers the same ground at your own pace.