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There are 3 main sections of Nazare
1. Nazare de Norte- surfing
2. Nazare de Sul- shopping, swimming, center, eating
3. Nazare Lighthouse/ fort area- sightseeing, church, shopping
Center= Shopping and walking-Park in Nazaré South to walk and visit the shops. This is a great place to sit at the beach all day and relax. Swimming is limited. If the red flag is flying, you cannot swim. The beach is long and perfect for lots of walking and pictures. The waves are loud and batter the coastline. It can be a challenge swimming unless you are strong and fit. There is a guarded parking lot for a fee on Avendido do Municipio. Free parking is around the corner and is park at your own risk. In the winter, there is a lot more parking available. In the summer, there is a feira (outdoor market) mostly selling clothing in this spot. This is the traditional section of the city. You will want to take plenty of pictures of the woman dressed in layers of skirts and scarves, painted wooden boats, and narrow streets. The women sell dried fish to the locals and the tourist. Women also are on the sides of the streets holding signs to rent rooms to the tourist. The rooms for rent are reasonably priced. The Turismo is on Avenida Vieira Guimaraes. The only paperwork they have is a map of Nazare. The staff was not very helpful. The narrow streets and brightly painted houses are common in Nazare. Picture opts are everywhere in the city.
FORT AREA - On the large mountain
This area is ideal for a relaxing snack or a stroll around the streets. Walk down to the Fort and take some spectacular photos of homes built into the cliffs, XXL waves breaking and pounding the beach or some boats in the distance. The Santuario N. Sr. da Nazare church is worth a visit but hours are limited. There are a few food trucks with sandwiches and alcohol. The stores in this section have handmade goods and traditional Portuguese clothing. The prices in these shops are reasonable. You can purchase nuts and handmade cookies from street vendors. The views are spectacular but the winds can be chilly. Bring a sweater. We allow for approximately one hour for this area.
PRAIA DO NORTE - NORTH BEACH- XXL WAVES- TOW-IN SURFING AREA
This area is no-frills with cliffs and parking everywhere. There is a small farm with crops and livestock. Park and walk downhill to the beach. Swimming is extremely limited. Most people in the water are professional surfers. During peak season (October- March), Guards are on the beach keeping visitors away from the edge of the water. We stop on the way in at the Continente to purchase lunch (chicken, sandwiches, bread, and cheese). We like to eat on the beach and relax. This is not a tourist area and there is no shopping here. Stop on the way out of town to see deer with 8 or 9 points and female deer running the fenced-in area called The Cercada dos Veados (The Enclosure of the Deer). This is on the left on your way out of the beach area. On the left is ample parking for trailers, RVs, and large cars. Bring a picnic lunch, blanket, flip flops, hat, and sunglasses. We usually stay here for about 3-4 hours. It depends on the amount of time you have available and how much you enjoy the sun.
Nazare tee shirts men/ women various sizes in 5 different colors
book by Garrett McNamara
"Hound of the Sea"
In this thrilling and candid memoir, world record-holding and controversial Big Wave surfer Garrett McNamara--star and subject of the HBO mini-series, 100 Foot Wave--chronicles his emotional quest to ride the most formidable waves on earth.
Garrett McNamara set the world record for the sport, surfing a seventy-eight-foot wave in Nazaré, Portugal in 2011, a record he smashed two years later at the same break.
should I return to Nazare?
yes
The town is worth the trip
The Rough Guide to Portugal (Travel Guide with Free eBook) Paperback – January 1, 2020
informational website with updates on the size of waves
Nazare tank shirt
PORTUGAL Nazare Big Wave Surfing Vintage Tank Top
https://nazarewaves.com/en/Home/NazareWavesHistory
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