Aljezur works year-round. There's no dead season on the Costa Vicentina — just different seasons with different strengths. The real question isn't can you surf, it's what kind of trip you're after: warm-water learning in July, empty winter lineups with real power in February, or the autumn sweet spot where the swell has turned on but the water hasn't cooled off yet. We surf these beaches every month of the year, and this guide walks through each one.
The two forces that shape every Aljezur month
Before the month-by-month, two forces dominate everything.
The Nortada is a thermal north wind that blows every summer along the Portuguese coast. It builds mid-morning, peaks in the afternoon, and drops in the evening. It's the reason dawn patrols between June and August are non-negotiable — and it's also why summer here has its own rhythm. The Nortada fades through autumn and disappears by winter.
The Atlantic swell rhythm runs big-and-frequent from October through March (storm season) and small-and-consistent from May through September. Autumn — September into October — sits in the sweet spot where the storms are firing but the water hasn't fully cooled.
Every month below is a function of those two rhythms.
January
Swell: 6-12ft, powerful NW and W from Atlantic lows. Storm-driven, with big pulses every few days and 2-3-day calm windows in between.
Water temp: 14-15°C.
Wetsuit: 4/3mm or 5/3mm plus boots. Gloves welcome for morning sessions.
Crowds: Empty. You'll often surf a whole beach alone.
Best for: Experienced surfers who can read storm cycles and don't mind cold water. The calm windows between storms produce world-class waves with nobody around.
Unique to January: Accommodation is at its cheapest — a villa that runs €1,500/week in August might be €400-600 in January. It's the best value of the year for surfers willing to wear thick rubber. See our winter surfing deep dive for the cold-water logistics.
February
Swell: Similar to January, 6-12ft. Often the biggest swells of the year land in February.
Water temp: 14-15°C — technically the coldest month, because the water lags behind the air.
Wetsuit: 4/3mm or 5/3mm plus boots.
Crowds: Empty. February is still true winter — you're sharing beaches with a handful of locals.
Best for: Advanced surfers chasing powerful waves. Late February starts hinting at the turn — days get longer, low pressure loosens its grip.
Unique to February: The calmest, clearest days of the year often fall in late February — high-pressure ridges settle over Iberia and give you cold-but-glass conditions. When it lines up, it's magical.
March
Swell: 4-8ft, still consistent but starting to mellow off the winter peak. Occasional larger pulses roll through.
Water temp: 15-16°C.
Wetsuit: 4/3mm. Boots optional by late March.
Crowds: Very low. Spring is the underrated pocket — swell is still there, water is warming, visitors haven't arrived.
Best for: Intermediates ready to push their limits and advanced surfers who prefer slightly cleaner, smaller conditions than January. Also fine for confident beginners on smaller days.
Unique to March: Wildflowers start appearing across the natural park. If you're not surfing, hiking the Rota Vicentina is at its best — green landscape, mild days, no heat.
April
Swell: 4-8ft. Shoulder-season pattern. Consistent but variable — some weeks you'll get four solid swell days, others two.
Water temp: 16°C.
Wetsuit: 4/3mm. Boots gone by late April.
Crowds: Low, except during Easter week when Portuguese families take the coast for the holiday. Even Easter, though, is nothing like August.
Best for: Intermediates and advanced surfers. Manageable for beginners on smaller days, but the water is still cool enough that most first-timers prefer to wait.
Unique to April: Easter accommodation prices spike briefly and then fall back. If you're targeting April, avoid Easter week — the value comes back the day after.
May
Swell: 3-6ft, transitioning to summer patterns. Direction is consistent (NW to WNW). Less power than March-April but more predictable.
Water temp: 16-18°C.
Wetsuit: Early May 4/3mm, late May 3/2mm.
Crowds: Low outside weekends. The pre-summer window before Portuguese school holidays. Weekdays feel almost empty.
Best for: All levels. This is where beginners can join in comfortably — small waves, warmer water, forgiving beaches. Intermediates get consistent-enough surf without the crowds. Advanced surfers who like clean, small waves will enjoy it too.
Unique to May: The last quiet month before the summer wave of visitors. If you want the summer experience — warm water, small swell, long days — without the peak-season logistics, May is the answer.
June
Swell: 3-6ft, small and clean. NW dominant. Occasional flat days but usually brief.
Water temp: 18°C.
Wetsuit: 3/2mm.
Crowds: Building through the month. Early June is still quiet. By late June the schools break and Portuguese families arrive.
Best for: All levels, with a strong bias toward beginners. Small waves, warm water, forgiving conditions.
Unique to June: The Nortada is established but not yet at peak strength. Dawn patrols are magical — glassy, small, uncrowded. This is when to plan your first surf trip if you want the summer feel without the full August crush. If it's your first surf holiday, our first-time guide covers the essentials.
July
Swell: 2-4ft, small and consistent. Occasional flat spells (2-3 days) are possible.
Water temp: 19-20°C.
Wetsuit: 3/2mm.
Crowds: Peak summer arrives. Arrifana's car park fills by 10am on weekends. Monte Clérigo gets busy with families by midday.
Best for: Beginners and families. The waves are the most forgiving of the year. Water is warmest. Conditions are predictable.
Unique to July: The Nortada peaks. Dawn patrol (before 9am) or evening session (after 6pm) become essential — the midday window is choppy onshore chaos. Plan your day around 6am and 7pm, and use the middle for beach, siesta, or exploration.
August
Swell: 2-4ft summer pattern early. Late August often sees the first autumn swell pulse — 4-5ft, cleaner NW.
Water temp: 19-21°C. Warmest of the year.
Wetsuit: 3/2mm. Board shorts and a vest are possible on the warmest days.
Crowds: Peak. The whole of Europe is on holiday. Portuguese families use the local feriados (holidays) — August 15 (Assumption Day) is a full-week peak. Book accommodation months ahead.
Best for: Beginners, families, anyone happy with warm water and small waves. Advanced surfers will find it frustrating unless they surf dawn only.
Unique to August: Late August is quietly excellent — the water is warmest, but Portuguese schools go back the third week and the first autumn swells arrive. If you want warm water plus slightly bigger waves, target August 20-31 and roll into September.
September
Swell: 4-8ft. This is the sweet-spot month. Autumn NW swell fires up while the water is still warm from summer.
Water temp: 19-20°C.
Wetsuit: 3/2mm.
Crowds: Thinning fast after the first week. Portuguese kids are back in school. September is the locals' favourite month.
Best for: Intermediate and advanced surfers. Also excellent for improving beginners — the water is still warm and the swell has size without being heavy yet.
Unique to September: The Nortada weakens, giving glassy mornings without needing dawn patrols. Offshore mornings become frequent and glorious. If you can only come once, this is the single best month to book.
October
Swell: 4-8ft. Autumn peak. First proper storm swells arrive by late October.
Water temp: 18°C early, 16-17°C late.
Wetsuit: 3/2mm through mid-October, then 4/3mm.
Crowds: Very low. October is where the coast fully returns to locals plus a handful of dedicated surf travellers. Our full take on it lives in the off-season deep dive.
Best for: Intermediate and advanced surfers. Not the best for pure beginners — swell is bigger and the water is cooling.
Unique to October: First rains of the season arrive. The dirt tracks out to Vale Figueiras and Bordeira turn muddy — a 4WD or careful driving helps. The landscape turns green after summer's dry brown.
November
Swell: 6-10ft. First proper winter swells. NW and W, storm-driven.
Water temp: 16-15°C, dropping.
Wetsuit: 4/3mm; 5/3mm by late November. Boots from mid-month.
Crowds: Very low. Local surfers only.
Best for: Experienced surfers. The swell is big but the water hasn't fully cooled — often the best cost-to-reward month of winter.
Unique to November: The Aljezur Sweet Potato Festival takes over the town in late November. Food stalls, music, local culture — worth timing your trip around. Hiking weather is excellent too.
December
Swell: 6-12ft, full winter pattern.
Water temp: 15°C.
Wetsuit: 5/3mm plus boots.
Crowds: Empty.
Best for: Experienced surfers who don't mind cold. December swell is generally the mildest of the three deep-winter months — a good entry point if you're new to winter surfing.
Unique to December: The Christmas / New Year window brings a small bump of European visitors (mostly non-surfing), but the beaches stay quiet. Accommodation opens up again after the first week of January.
Quick reference table
| Month | Swell | Water | Wetsuit | Crowds | Best level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6-12ft | 14-15°C | 4/3 or 5/3 + boots | Empty | Advanced |
| Feb | 6-12ft | 14-15°C | 4/3 or 5/3 + boots | Empty | Advanced |
| Mar | 4-8ft | 15-16°C | 4/3 | Very low | Intermediate+ |
| Apr | 4-8ft | 16°C | 4/3 | Low (peak Easter week) | Intermediate+ |
| May | 3-6ft | 16-18°C | 3/2 late month | Low | All levels |
| Jun | 3-6ft | 18°C | 3/2 | Building | All levels |
| Jul | 2-4ft | 19-20°C | 3/2 | Peak | Beginner |
| Aug | 2-4ft | 19-21°C | 3/2 | Peak | Beginner |
| Sep | 4-8ft | 19-20°C | 3/2 | Thinning | Intermediate+ |
| Oct | 4-8ft | 16-18°C | 3/2 → 4/3 | Low | Intermediate+ |
| Nov | 6-10ft | 15-16°C | 4/3 or 5/3 + boots | Very low | Advanced |
| Dec | 6-12ft | 15°C | 5/3 + boots | Empty | Advanced |
Pick your month by what you want
- First time surfing: June or September. Warm water, gentle waves, and smaller crowds than July-August.
- Cheap accommodation, still surfable: March, April, November.
- Best combination overall: September and early October. Warm, powerful, uncrowded.
- Guaranteed warm water: July, August.
- Guaranteed big waves: December, January, February.
- Best value-to-quality ratio: November. Big waves, water still tolerable, cheap.
- Avoid if you want quiet: August — peak crowds even by Aljezur standards.
Bottom line: if you can only pick one week, aim for September. If you want a plan for every month, it's mostly a matter of matching your ambition to the wetsuit thickness.
For the seasonal deep dives: summer, winter, and the shoulder-season pocket get their own guides.
A note on gear
Water temperature drives wetsuit choice — and wetsuit choice matters more than most first-timers realise. Turning up in a 3/2mm in November is a short session. We match wetsuit thickness to your dates automatically, so you don't have to think about it. See our pricing for what's included.
Frequently asked questions
What's the single best month to surf Aljezur if I can only come once?
September or early October. The water is still warm, autumn swell is firing, and the crowds are mostly gone. Add the weakening Nortada and offshore mornings become frequent — it's the closest thing Aljezur has to a "just show up and it'll be good" month.
Is Aljezur good for beginners in winter?
No. Winter swell (December-February) is powerful and the water is cold. Beginners are much better off in June, September, or early October, when the waves are forgiving and the wetsuit is thin.
Are there flat days in summer?
Complete flat days are rare — maybe 2-3 per month. More often, the swell drops to 1-2ft, which is still surfable on a big board but slow. A week-long summer trip almost always includes several good days.
When does the Nortada calm down?
Late September through early October. By mid-October it's gone. From then until April, the wind is variable rather than dominated by a single pattern.
What's the coldest month?
February in the water, technically. Water temperature lags 4-6 weeks behind air temperature, so the coast keeps cooling long after the shortest day.
Can I surf with just board shorts in August?
The water reaches 20-21°C in August, so technically yes for short sessions. Most surfers still wear at least a spring suit or a thin full suit — after 45 minutes the water starts feeling cool even at those temperatures, and you get board-rash and sun protection as a bonus.
How do school holidays affect crowds?
Portuguese school summer holiday runs late June to mid-September. Peak crowds fall in the last two weeks of July through mid-August. Weekdays outside this window feel dramatically calmer than weekends.
Whatever month you're planning, we'll have the right gear waiting at your accommodation — the right wetsuit thickness, the right board for your level and the day's conditions. All you need to bring is yourself. Get in touch and tell us your dates.