Praia do Zavial

Zavial is the south-facing surf beach east of Sagres, and it changes character with the season. On small summer swells it is a gentle beach break that surf camps use for beginners and improvers; in winter, when big north-west swells wrap round into the bay, the right-hander off the cliffs becomes one of the heaviest waves in the Algarve and is for advanced surfers only [5][6]. On flat summer days there may be no surf at all [4].

Getting there. By car only: about 15 minutes from Sagres and 10 from Vila do Bispo, signposted from the village of Raposeira. There is parking right behind the beach and a boardwalk down to the sand [4].

Facilities and safety. Zavial is a lifeguarded bathing beach for the 2026 season, 1 June to 30 September [1], and holds a Blue Flag for 2026 [2]. The APA registry lists a lifeguard, parking and a restaurant, but it is not certified as accessible [7]. There is a restaurant overlooking the beach and parasols for rent in season [4].

Who it suits. Surfers first: if the west coast is too big, this is where the Sagres surf schools head [5]. Families can use it on calm days — the eastern side, to the left when you face the sea, is more sheltered from the wind — but keep away from the cliff foot, where there is a rockfall risk, and know that this end is also where naturists tend to sit [4]. APA lists the usual wind as north/north-west [3].

Check before you go: restaurant opening outside summer; whether the parking fills in August.