Viana do Castelo

Viana do Castelo is the northernmost city on this coast, a handsome old port at the mouth of the Lima river. For watersports, the action is across the water on the south bank, at Cabedelo, one of the best-known kite and windsurf beaches in Portugal.

The wind

Summer is wind season. The north wind, the nortada, gets a boost from a thermal effect over the mountains inland and regularly blows around 25 knots, usually filling in after midday. Inside the river-mouth wall the water stays flat and glassy, some of the best foiling conditions on this coast. The GKA Kite World Tour has held events here, and a kite centre works from the beach. Kiting runs from March to October.

The waves

Surf here is an autumn and winter thing. A W or NW swell of around 2 metres, with an easterly or a light cross-offshore wind, gives good waves over hard sand, and the jetty can produce some sheltered, hollower ones. Praia do Rodanho, a few hundred metres south, picks up more swell. Big swells close it out.

Who it is for

Kiters and windsurfers of every level, and surfers who can read a swell chart. Summer afternoons are busy on the water.

Water and gear

The north has the coldest water on the Portuguese coast. Bring a 4/3 wetsuit year round, and boots in winter.

Getting there

Trains on the Minho line run from Porto Campanhã to Viana do Castelo in about an hour and a quarter on the direct services, and coaches cover the same route. From the town side, a small ferry crosses the Lima to Cabedelo in a few minutes, mainly in the warmer months, so check the times locally. By car, cross the river bridge and follow the signs to the beach.