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Nazaré to Praia do Norte lighthouse loop (20 km)
View of the gigantic Waves in Nazare. Explore this during Big Waves tour Nazare with Irondeer.
Starts in Nazaré

Nazaré to Praia do Norte lighthouse loop (20 km)

Seafront, the Sítio climb, the deer reserve and the fort above the big-wave beach. 20 km, one climb, mostly downhill home.

Route elevation profile: from -1 m to 125 m, total ascent 210 m.
Tour Difficulty
Easy

About this ride

A 20 km loop from the Nazaré seafront up to Sítio and out through the pines to the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo, the lighthouse above Praia do Norte where the surfing records are set. One paved climb of 110 m, a flat forest path, a long gentle descent back. Easy on any bike and the shortest way to see the wave.

Before you go

The ride

About 1 km along the seafront, then inland and up the Sítio road. The climb is 110 m and paved. At the top is the Sítio plateau and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Nazaré. Keep going past the Cercado dos Veados deer reserve on the flat pine-forest path to the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo. The fort has the lighthouse and the surf museum, and the Praia do Norte viewpoint is right there. Come back the same way through the forest; it is downhill nearly all the way.

Surfaces and bike

Paved seafront, paved climb, flat forest path. Any bike, including urban bikes and kids' bikes on the flat parts.

Water and food

Cafés on the Sítio square. Nothing at the fort, bring a bottle.

When

Year round. Big-wave season is October to March; on a swell day the fort is crowded and the road up is closed to cars, which makes it better by bike. May, June and September are the calm months.

Prefer company?

This is the Praia do Norte big waves e-bike tour. The longer version through Pederneira is the Nazaré town loop.

Along the way

  1. Nazaré

    A picturesque fishing village famous for its giant waves, rich maritime culture, and beautiful beaches.

  2. Nazaré North Beach

    The world-famous big wave surfing spot where record-breaking waves are surfed during winter months, located beneath the iconic Nazaré lighthouse.

  3. Sítio

    The historic clifftop district of Nazaré, offering spectacular panoramic views and home to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Nazaré.

  4. Cercado dos Veados

    A small deer reserve set in the pinewoods of Sítio above Nazaré on the way to Praia do Norte, run jointly by the municipality and the Brotherhood of Our Lady of Nazaré. https://maps.app.goo.gl/Xegbcu2UTz8esYUL9

More routes nearby

São Gião church and Monte de São Bartolomeu loop from Nazaré (25 km).
Starts in Nazaré

São Gião church and Monte de São Bartolomeu loop from Nazaré (25 km)

The oldest things around Nazaré in one short ride: a 7th-century church on a farm track, a 156 m volcanic hill with a chapel on top, and the medieval ridge town of Pederneira.

25 km 200 m 3 h · Paved / Gravel / Trail
Nazaré town loop: seafront, Sítio, Praia do Norte and Pederneira (30 km).
Starts in Nazaré

Nazaré town loop: seafront, Sítio, Praia do Norte and Pederneira (30 km)

The whole of Nazaré in one easy ride: the promenade, the 110 m climb to Sítio, the deer reserve, the lighthouse above Praia do Norte and the Pederneira belvedere.

30 km 200 m 2 h · Paved / Gravel
Salgado hills night loop from Nazaré (30 km).
Starts in Nazaré

Salgado hills night loop from Nazaré (30 km)

Sunset start, the boardwalk above Praia do Salgado, a climb through the pines to a ridge clearing with almost no light pollution, and a road descent home through Famalicão.

30 km 600 m 3 h · Trail