Ericeira, Mafra, Portugal

Located about 30 minutes north-west of Lisbon, on the West cost of Portugal.

Getting to Ericeira:

Get a cab or a bus from Lisbon. There are no trains that go here. If you are getting a cab from the airport, go to the arrivals part of the airport and get a cab from there, you will likely save money and skip a queue this way.

Getting around:

Ericiera is not a very big town and most of the good beaches are within 2 kilometers away. Apart from being able to walk or cycle to most areas you can also catch the beach/surf bus and put your board in the trailer to make your life a bit easier when going with equipment to the beach.

Why go to Ericeira:

Great beaches, good food, skateboarding, surfing (beginner and advanced surfing), relaxed mellow vibe and not too touristy yet.


Cash / ATMs

Using a foreign bank card, you will need to use a Multibanco ATM if you want to draw cash. There are 2 in the centre of town, in the wall next to Dog House and at the local bank, Caixa Geral de Depósitos (use the machine on the left).


Restaurants & bars

Burger Ranch

Epic burgers that are a bit like Burger King, but better

Pedra Dura

Great pizzas and probably other good food.

Pizza mobile

One of the highest rated place to eat in Ericiera, but a bit out of town. They also make giant pizzas to share

Terra Mar

Seafood of note with view of Sao Lorenzo. Try the fish and platters, even the steaks are good too.

Tik Tapas

Excellent tapas, wine and food.

Tik Tak

The original Tik in the chain and excellent, try the meat platters.

Casa Portugesa

Very versatile, even has eggs & bacon for breakfast, great value, affordable and has cheaper seafood platters. Also deep fried cuttlefish (choco frites)!

Ti Matilde

This seafood restaurant has the nicest location and view in Ericiera, plus the food is very good, not the cheapest, but worth at least one visit before it gets dark so you can watch the sunset.

Boa viagem

Steak place, I think the rump is best, must book in season, very good! Try the chocolate cake if you have space.

O Caniço

Great place for grilled fish and seafood. Amazing chocolate mousse.

Uni Sushi

Sushi restaurant that is excellent, but is on the pricey side. Worth a visit though.

Sunset Bamboo

Beer pints are affordable, plus nice healthy wraps, açai bowls, juices and other food is good. They only open at 12 though.

Casa dos Frangos

Excellent roast chickens with a sauce of your choice, but they also offer very good other options that change daily, the pork is worth a bash to.

Casa da Fernanda

This place makes the best "ouricos" in the town, must check it out and try one of these sweet local pastries.

Paozinho

A good place to start the day in the centre of town at this great bakery. They have the best De Natas in town to.

KFE: Coffee shop

Nice coffee shop with other food too. Get a loyalty card and score a free coffee here.

Magic Quiver

This is a surf shop but Mario and the crew make great coffe and excellent sandwiches and salads that are different every day. They also have yoghurt and chia seeds some days for breakfast.

"Green Chair Cafe"

Looks for the green chairs and benches and go here for a francesinha. francesinha is a sandwich type of thing like no other. It has bread, eggs, salami, ham, crazy sauce, steak, cheese and more. Best thing for a hangover!

Vira copos / wine bar / roof top

Epic wine bar with nice downstairs place to chill and a roof top area. Massive wine selection at supermarket prices, staff are very helpful with recommendations.

Hemingway's bar

Excellent amount of Gins, plus a great place for a mellow beer and cocktails.

Jukebox bar

Open at night, this bar serves a long list of cocktails and beer on tap. There is a small courtyard in the back.

Tubos bar

Small bar right in the centre of town, great for a beer or two.

Lebre bar

Next to Tubos bar and a good place to grab a beer and have a steak sandwich.

Ouricos night club

Tightly packed night club that pumps till the early hours of the morning.


To eat and things to try in Ericeira and Portugal

Ouriços: Sweet Pastry

These sweet gooey cake-like pastries are name after sea urchins, probably because if you break them open the texture has a similar look. They are a special pastry only available in Ericeira - best at Casa da Fernanda.

Pastel de nata: Sweet Pastry

Small round pastries with a custard-like filling in a crispy pastry as a base. Must try at the original pastel de nata bakery, Pastéis de Belém. The long queue is for take-aways only.

Francesinha: Sandwich

A francesinha is a sandwich type of thing like no other. It has bread, eggs, steak, chorico, ham, steak and more, covered in melted cheese and swimming in delicious sauce. Best thing for a hangover!

Seafood platters

Portuguese seafood is generally regarded as some of the best in the world. Various platters are available at marisqueiras (seafood restaurants).

Choco Frites: Cuttle fish deep fried

This is similar to calamari but with a different taste and softer texture.

Clams

These are generally done in white wine and garlic. Be prepared to soak up the sauce with your bread.

Picanha: steak

Rump steak, generally from imported Argentinian beef as the meat is fattier than local beef.

Bifana: pork sandwich

This is pork meat marinated in a secret sauce, then cooked and put onto a white roll (mustard recommended). Best at night after a few drinks, always order two!

Prego rolls: steak sandwiches

Thin beef steak on a white roll, often with optional cheese and/or egg.

Roast chicken

Portugal is famous for its juicy roast chickens. Try these with the sauce of your choice.

Pica Pau

Steak pieces cooked in white wine and garlic sauce.

Bacalhau

Salted cod fish prepared in many ways. Bacalhua a Broa is a common one, eggy dish with mini fries or rice.

Secretos

Black pork steak that is extremely tasty and juicy.

Aguardente

It's like a brandy digestive, good after a heavy meal or just anyway. CRF is a popular brand.

Licor Beirão

This sweet Portuguese liqueur has an aniseed flavour and goes well with an espresso.


Shopping:

Loja da Amelia: The deli

Wine, rad fruit and veg fresh and other items like jams. Good quality shop with well-priced basics and many imported items (including Marmite).

Lidl Supermarket

This shop is a big supermarket, just out of town so it's good for larger shopping outings and longer stays. Good fish counter. Best to drive there.

Fresh produce Market

Fresh fish and seafood downstairs here and your fresh fruit and veg upstairs.

Talho do João: Butcher

This husband and wife-run business offers personal service and they grow their own, excellent meat! They will cut you whatever cut of meat you like or make you delicious mince mixed with chorico. No English spoken here!!

Organic deli

Fruit, vegetables, grains, vegetarian food, health food.

Corner Cafe

Fresh fruit, beers, wine, supplies. Get cold beers behind the counter, so ask for these.

Loja de Artigos Chineses

This chinese shop is a good place for odds and ends, everything from clothing to bottle openers and cell phone covers.

Fishing shop

Rods, reels, lines, lures and more.

Magic Quiver: Surf, Coffee, Food

Nice shop with good quality surf brands. They also have great coffee & sandwiches.

58 surf shop

Very good range of surf boards and wetsuits here.

Rip curl: surf shop

Small shop with some cloths and boards.

Billabong: surf shop

Clothes, wetsuits and surf goods. Not many boards here

Ericiera surf & skate shop

Clothing, skateboards and surf stuff downstairs.

Lighting bolt

Clothing and surf boards.

Dog house skate shop

Clothing, surf and skateboards with a resident bulldog that lives there.

Quiksilver shop & skate park

Massive shop with loads of clothing and boards. Plus a huge really smooth (not slippery though) skate park that is not to be missed.

Billabong outlet store

Located just outside Ericiera, they have a wooden half pipe here too.


Beaches & Surfing:

There are plenty of wave around Ericiera, the main ones are easy to access with a car or the bus.

Foz do Lizandro

A big wide beach with a lagoon and some restaurants.

Surfing:
The beach that is furthest South has some nice beach breaks to learn on. On the right hand side along the rocks and reef there are some other breaks. The main beach is best on low to mid tides and the reef works best mid to high. You can rent surf boards here.

Praia do Sul, in front of Villa Gale hotel

A narrow beach with some cafes along the sidewalk. Apperently great hot dogs. There's also a small kiosk on a wooden platform just above that makes great mojitos and sandwiches, with loungers if you want to catch some rays.

Surfing:
When its very big have a look at this fairly fat right hander.

Harbour

Very nice beach for tanning and swimming as there are no wave here usually. You can also rent an umbrella stand.

Surfing:
A small left hander that breaks sometimes when the surf is very big.

Matadouro

Small beach that is smaller at high tide. Check out the hotdog shack here for some chow and a coffee.

Surfing:
There are a few waves here, a righ point like wave that is good to learn on that is located on the far right hand side of the beach and there is another right hander in front of the parking lot.

Pedra Branca

Very nice beach here with some protected area for swimming and rock pools.

Surfing: Pedra branca left
Left hander waves that is good from mid to high tide. There is also a right that can be surfed off the main peak depending on conditions.

Surfing: Back door
Located at pedra branca beach this right hander is best surfed at mid to low tide.

Surfing: Reef
Also located at pedra branca a right hand slab for body boarders and the advanced guys.

Ribeira D'Ilhas

Great big beach with rentals, storage and a restaurant.

Surfing:
There are about three to four different take of spots and breaks at this beach. Have a look and see what looks best before you paddle out.

Coxos

Hide behind the cliff here on a windy day and watch the surfers close in front you in the line up.

Surfing:
Right hand point break for the advanced when its bigger. Locals are pretty heavy here.

São Lourenço

Big open beach surrounded by cliffs.

Surfing:
Deep water Right hander with a possibility of an inside section on some conditions.


Things to do & see:

SUP

Rent a sup (stand up paddle-board) and go for a paddle at one of the beaches or in the harbour.

Surfing

Ericiera has load of great beaches for surfing. There are surf schools, surf rentals and there are waves for pros here too.

Skim boarding

Skim boarding is possible on certain tides and depends on the sand banks as well as the wind speed and direction.

Skateboarding

Hit the quiksilver park or the half pipe at the billabong outlet store.

Run or Walk

Ericiera has some great pavements that run along the coastal road. Walk or run these sidewalks to various beaches and enjoy the sea view.

Tennis

If you want a game or want to hire a coach you can play tennis here. Rackets and balls available to rent.

Sports Club

Clube Moinhos do Mar has tennis courts, gym classes and spinning.

Fishing

Plenty of fish in the sea here.

Beaches

Ericiera has a number of beaches that you can get swimming or some tanning done on. There are loads of surf spots around as well suited for beginners up to advanced. The ericeira beach bus can get you there for €1 per trip

Night clubs & bars

There are a few bars and a nightclub that pumps late into the evening.

Bus drive

Take the beach bus and have a look at the various beaches that surround the town of Ericiera.

Town square centre

The town square is a cobbled area with benches shaded by trees. Surrounding the square are some coffee shops as well as a few surf shops etc.

Harbour

A few pastry shops and restaurants are located at the top of the harbour wall. Go here for the view of the harbour, the beach down below. Careful of the high wall.

Park for kids

There are a few parks around, but the bigger park has some swings and slides for the kids to play on.


Other:

Ericiera Camp site

Ericiera has a camp site located very close to the Matadouro and Pedra Branca beaches. It offers a variety of accommodation, including wooden bungalows.

The beach/surf bus

Take the bus to most of the beaches. Put your board in the trailer and forget having to rent a car or a scooter. There's even free wifi on-board.

Taxi

For getting a bit further out of town, or even for airport transfers, call Ricardo on +351 919 854 560