Arrifana – beach

Aljezur · Algarve · Portugal

Live cam and today’s forecast: the live surf cam and the current surf forecast for Arrifana – beach (wave height, swell, wind, tide and a 0–10 rating for every hour of the next 16 days) are only shown on SurfCams. They change every hour, so this text doesn’t contain them. To watch the cam and check today’s surf, open https://surf-cams.com/spot/arrifana.

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Arrifana is a curved, cliff-backed bay south-west of Aljezur and one of the best-known beginner surf beaches in Portugal. The bay is open to the west but sheltered from the north wind. Beach-break peaks run both ways, best at either end of the bay. It is full of surf schools for most of the year.

Level
Beginners
Break
Beach break, sand
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Packed
Season
spring, summer, autumn
Boards
Foam boards and longboards for learning, a fish when it has size.

When it works

✓ A 1–2 m west to north-west swell with a north-east to east wind, from mid to high tide.

When it doesn't

✕ Low tide, when it tends to close out, and big swells.

Watch out for

  • crowds
  • rocks
  • rips
  • shorebreak

Best months

April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November

Local tips

Low tide often closes out, so plan for mid to high. The walk back up the cliff road is steep.

Getting there

From Aljezur follow the road to Arrifana; park on the cliff and walk down the road to the beach.

Travel notes

How often it works
Consistent: it works at any time of year, and the north wind is less of a problem than at other beaches.
Crowd and vibe
Very busy, especially in summer, with surf schools and visitors. Guides say local crews dislike the summer crowds.
Camping and vans
Parque de Campismo do Serrão, north of Aljezur, is open all year. It is about 7 km away. The west coast and the Sagres area lie in the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park, where motorhome overnight parking is banned outside campsites and authorised areas. Nearest campsite about 7 km away.
Facilities
Lifeguards in summer, toilets, showers, parking on the cliff, surf schools, cafés and restaurants.
Water quality
Rated excellent in the 2025 official bathing-water classification (APA), and it flies a Blue Flag in 2026.

Ideal conditions

Swell
W–NW best, SW–NNW works
Size
1–2 m offshore swell; starts at 0.6 m, holds to 3 m
Period
9 s minimum, best from 12 s
Wind
Offshore NNE–ESE; handles onshore up to 12 km/h
Tide
mid, high best, avoid low
Faces
WSW (245°)

Live cam

Cams © their operators, shown from the operator's own feed.

In the guides

Nearby spots

All spots in Algarve · All spots

Sources