One of the places I really wanted to travel to while we were living in Scotland is Portugal. Images of the secluded coves and sea caves along the beautiful Algarve quickly rocketed Portugal to the top of my SUP-it List. With a little research I found that it’s quite a popular place for paddleboarding with small businesses offering paddleboarding tours along the coast line and exploring some of the spectacular cavernous sections of towering cliffs.
Skimming gently over the beautiful clear Mediterranean waters is a dream that many paddleboarders would share I am sure. While we didn’t get a chance to go paddleboarding in Portugal I thought I would share some of the information I have collected while researching it as a paddleboarding holiday destination for anyone interested in going there themselves. So come with me on a virtual paddleboarding trip to Portugal!
Best Places to go Paddleboarding in Portugal
From the research that I have done top of my list for paddleboarding in Portugal would be exploring the Benagil Caves. A quick internet search will show a plethora of stunning images of these huge caverns that you can paddle into and in some instances even go ashore on the sandy beaches within.
Why visit Portugal with your Paddleboard?
The Lagos area is another place with a plethora of options for paddleboarders. If you would like to have a guided tour there are many options available complete with paddleboard hire (if you didn’t bring your own) such as a sunrise tour of some of the beautiful grottos.
One of my other main reasons to visit Portugal is to explore the city of Lisbon with it’s colourful buildings and historic trams. It seems to be an interesting bustling city with a vast array of artistic windows and doors in every imaginable shade facing onto cobbled roads and lane ways. What I didn’t realise when I started my research was that Lisbon is a destination for paddleboarders too.
Lagoa de Albufeira is by all accounts one of the best places to paddleboard in Lisbon area. It is a popular location with families and visitors to the city. Besides paddleboarding, other activities enjoyed here are windsurfing and kitesurfing as it can get quite windy at times. I have been assured thought that in the summer months the water is relatively calm.
Paddleboarding options around the greater Lisbon area
The town of Vila Nova de Milfontes is a great entry point for the Mila River This beautiful region is a large estuary to the south of Lisbon surrounded by lush landscape of the nature park. As you may know I LLOOOVVVEEE crystal clear water and Vila Nova de Milfontes reportedly has some of the clearest water there is. Perfect (in my opinion) paddleboarding conditions!
The Obidos Lagoon offers a sheltered location for beginners to advanced paddlers who just want to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery. The medieval town of Obidos is to the north of the city of Lisbon and offers a wealth of adventures for the intrepid visitor. From the castle to the vineyards, festivals (including the International Chocolate Festival in spring) there is certainly plenty to do both on and off your board.
Vanlife and Paddleboarding in Portugal?
Portugal is a haven for vanlifers over the winter time. If you are travelling for extended periods of time in your van you will truly have the best chance of exploring this stunning region and finding a few hidden paddleboarding gems of your own! When you do please share your experiences with us on our SUP Chick Community Facebook page as we love hearing from you!
Package Deals for Paddleboarding in Portugal
If you are wanting a quick get away for a week or so you might be interested in flying into Lisbon and travelling from there. My top picks for places to look for accomodation near the paddleboarding locations mentioned would be Orbidos which is 1 hour north of Lisbon, Vila Nova de Milfontes which is 2 hours south of Lisbon and Lagos which is 3-3 1/2 hours south (depending on the route). Along with a couple of nights in Lisbon itself this should keep you close to all the paddleboarding action.
Our top picks for Paddleboarding in Portugal
Thanks for indulging me on our dream virtual paddleboarding trip to Portugal. lyou can be sure when I do finally get there one day I will share the experience with you and see if my top picks are acutally the best places to paddleboard in Portugal. For those of you (like me) who like a summary – here is our list of 5 best places to paddleboard in Portugal from north to south
- Obidos Lagoon
- Lisbon’s Lagoa de Albufeira
- Vila Nova de Milfontes
- Lagos
- Benigal Caves
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