Porto Covo.

Porto Covo is a small fishing town on the Alentejo coast that offers two distinct surf environments within easy reach of each other. North of the village centre, a series of sheltered cove beaches produce playful peaks over a mixed sand and reef bottom, picking up moderate SW to NW swells and staying workable across all tides. South of town, at Ilha do Pessegueiro, a deep-water reef between the island and the mainland generates long, unhurried lefts and rights that can run to 200-500m on a solid swell - one of the more generous wave lengths on this stretch of coast. The spot works on NW swells in particular and carries medium-paced walls that suit surfers building their repertoire. Wave size ranges from knee-high on smaller days up to well overhead on the biggest NW pulses. Crowds are moderate, rising in summer with tourist traffic but rarely overwhelming. Parking is free on site and camping is available nearby, making it a practical base for exploring the broader Alentejo coastline. Rip currents are present, especially on larger swells, so a read of the water before entry is worthwhile. The cove beaches to the north offer a gentler option for beginners while more capable surfers gravitate toward the island reef setup to the south.