Mafra & the Surf Coast

The palace and its library, the surf town and a world-championship wave.

A vast palace in the morning and the sea in the afternoon: first, Mafra Palace and its baroque library; then Ericeira, a town of fishermen and surfers, and the bay of Ribeira d'Ilhas, to watch the waves up close. Everything is close together and the day runs at an easy pace, for lovers of surfing and palaces.

The day, stop by stop

1. 

   1

   Palácio Nacional de Mafra

   The National Palace of Mafra was commissioned by King João V and combines a palace, a basilica and a convent in one building, now a World Heritage Site. The highlight is the library, a baroque hall with more than 36,000 leather-bound volumes, where bats still live and help protect the books from insects. You also see the basilica and its carillons. Entry is paid separately. The visit is long and entirely on foot, so wear comfortable shoes.

2. 

   2

   Ericeira

   Ericeira is a fishing town of white houses trimmed in blue, set on low cliffs, at the heart of a coastline named a World Surfing Reserve in 2011, the first in Europe. You stroll through the streets and small squares of the centre and out to the viewpoints above the fishermen's beach. This is a place for shellfish and fresh fish, and at lunch it is worth trying whatever came in that day, paid separately. Your driver drops you in the centre and collects you by the sea.

3. 

   3

   Ribeira d'Ilhas

   Ribeira d'Ilhas is a bay just north of Ericeira, framed by green slopes, with a long right-hand wave breaking over a rocky bottom that has hosted world surfing tour events. Even if you do not surf, it is good to walk down to the sand or watch the surfers from the top. Surf schools offer lessons for beginners, paid separately. Come when there is a good swell, ideally in the morning, and bring a jacket, as the breeze by the sea is cool.

The essentials

Duration

5 h · Day

Pick-up

At your hotel. The final price depends on where you are staying; we confirm it when you tell us.

Included

The car and the driver, only for your group, tolls and water.

Not included

Entrance tickets and meals.

Who it is for

Surf and palace lovers.

The route