Ericeira is a favourite destination for seaside holidays. This coastal town, founded eight centuries ago, is 35 kilometres north of Lisbon and offers a perfect atmosphere for visitors to relax and enjoy themselves. With clear water, rich in mineral salts and an iodine-rich climate, the area of Ericeira has beaches of excellent quality such as Praia da Foz do Lizandro, Praia de São Lourenço, Praia de São Sebastião or Praia da Ribeira d`Ilhas, which are internationally renowned for surfing, bodyboard and skimming. If you like smaller, more intimate beaches, visit the Praia da Orelheira. With a long fishing tradition, Ericeira also has the Praia do Peixe and the large Praia do Sul. The importance of the fishing in the area makes it a perfect place to eat marvellous fish and shellfish.
Ericeira is also a beautiful town for you to discover. It is a peaceful and charming town that offers pleasant walks, numerous shops and interesting crafts. The Ericeira World Surfing Reserve is a world-class surf zone encompassing approximately 8 km of coastline. It contains a high density of outstanding surf breaks, including iconic breaks such as Ribeira d’Ilhas and Coxos, among others. The coastline of Ericeira is dominated by rocky cliffs, and these are what give the area its character, along with its famous beaches located in small bays. The ancient population of Ericeira was inhabited by an ethnic group called ‘Jagoz’, different from the neighboring villages because this group lived almost exclusively from the sea. Ericeira was visited by members of the royal family, monarchist and republican aristocrats, that built their vacation homes, and were regarded as the first sunbathers of this village.
Surfing first came to the beaches of Ericeira in the mid-1970s, and has since become the focal point for Portuguese surfing. ASP World Tour professional surfer Tiago Pires was born and raised in Ericeira, and a number of surfing-related businesses have sprouted up in the area to support the influx of both local and visiting surfers. The diversity of waves in the area, along with their various degrees of difficulty, enables good surfing conditions for all levels of surfers, from beginners to professionals. Also, Ericeira is home to numerous surf schools, in addition to regional and international surf competitions.