Your health is our first priority. We are considered a safe and clean establishment by Turismo de Portugal, the official Tourism Office in Portugal. This means we follow all the health and safety protocols recommended by the DGS (Portuguese Health Authority) to protect our guests and our employees.
Yes, we´re open! Our surf school is open and we are opening the surf camp on 4th July as the borders seem to be opening on 15th June and flights are also starting flying in June. We feel 4th July is a safe bet and guarantees that you can join us for a fantastic summer.
Your health is our priority! We have put in place a number of health and safety measures in accordance with the official Portuguese Health authority (DGS) and Turismo de Portugal which enabled us to have the official "Clean & Safe" seal.
It is, therefore, safe to surf with us and join our surf camp!
Check our Covid info page here for all the details.
We have put in place a long list of health and safety measures in order to keep our guests and crew safe during the health crisis, this goes from respiratory etiquette, measuring crew temperature, washing hands and sanitizing with alcohol, etc.
You can find the full list and all measures on our Covid-19 info page here.
At Azurara beach, we are by the big wedding venue called Set Lounge at the north end of the beach, before the long pier.
You can see our exact location on I surf Portugal Azurara Google maps here.
Azurara beach is one of the best beaches for surfing north of Porto. It´s great for all levels from beginners to advanced. It´s a beach break with a sandy bottom, and several peaks along the beach.
The best tide to surf Azurara is between low to mid and mid to low on most conditions. When it starts pumping it works better towards high tide, but don´t go there on a normal or small day at high tide as it could be flat.
We have surf lessons for all levels but also rent surf and SUP gear.
We have soft top boards, hardtop surfboards, different sizes, SUP boards, paddle, wetsuits all sizes, etc. You´ll find what you´re looking for!
Just get in touch before meeting us just to make sure we are there to welcome you!
For surf lessons from Porto, we meet in front of the Town Hall on the left when you look at the Town Hall itself. You can see the official Tourism office on the other side of the road. The closest metro station is Trindade.
Check our Porto meeting point location here.
As we provide all the surf gear, all you need to bring is a swimsuit (small shorts for men or speedos are even better), a towel, sunscreen, water & flip flops.
The beach is not far from Porto, it´s a bit further north. Depending on the time and traffic it could take anywhere from 20 mins to 40 mins to get to the beach. There are closer beaches but they are not as good for surfing and some are quite polluted. We take you to a beautiful beach with sand dunes and no crowds (outside the summer).
No!
The surfcamp and surf school are separate, The surfcamp is based on the beach of Estela and the surf school in Azurara.
Our surf camp is based in the north of Portugal, on a little beach village called Estela in the municipality of Póvoa de Varzim about 30km north of Porto. Click here for Google maps link
Our surf camp is inside the camping park of Orbitur Rio Alto, a 4-star campsite certified and recognized by the quality of its services and its facilities. It is located right in front of the beach with direct and private access to the beach. It has free wifi, shower blocks with continuous hot water, a mini-market, restaurant, bar, self-service, social halls, free swimming-pool for users, and a playground for kids. Check the camping park website here.
The beach is a quiet beach due to its private access and only customers of the surf camp and the camping park can access it, this means we are the only surfers there. You can surf with no crowds.
Public transport from Porto Airport or Porto center: If you want to travel from Porto or the airport by public transport, you’ll find some helpful links below. You can take the metro to Póvoa de Varzim (line B) and get a free shuttle to the camp from there. If you want to use this service, please let us know your arrival time in Póvoa de Varzim. More information on https://www.porto.fr/metro.
Taxi from Porto Airport: If you would like to be picked up from Porto airport (OPO) and taken directly to the surf camp, you can either get a taxi for about 40€ (there are always taxis waiting when exiting the airport) or you can get an uber. If you would like to book a bigger taxi (up to 8 people) please get in touch with us via [email protected] we would be happy to help.
The use of masks is now compulsory on public transports, taxis, uber and our free shuttle, please remember to bring yours or you will have to buy one.
Arriving by car: If you arrive by car, enter the following address into your navigation system: Camping Orbitur Rio Alto, EN 13 - Km 13, Lugar do Rio Alto, 4570-275 Estela - Póvoa de Varzim. You can park your car on the external car park of the campsite or inside the campsite, both come with additional costs payable upon arrival directly to the camping park. Click here for Google maps link.
Once you arrive at the campsite Orbitur Rio Alto, go to the reception and let them know that you’re staying with I Surf Portugal, they will guide you to the surf camp. In the evening, you will meet with the rest of the crew and the other guests to enjoy a welcome meal together!
Just get in touch with us via our contact page and tell us which options you would like to book. We’ll get back to you with an individual package.
For single travellers we recommend a stay in one of our shared tipi tents. They are very spacious and give you enough room to store your stuff and meet other globe trotters!
If you really want a private tipi for you, get in touch for a quote.
The beach is a 2-minute walk from the camp. Put on your wetsuit, grab your board, and get in the water!
You will obviously get busy with surfing during the lessons, but you can also use the equipment to practice outside the surf lessons. We have a yoga package you can choose, to relax your muscles, mind and be in touch with nature. Relax in the hammock for a nap or practice your balance in our slacklines.
Grab a drink in the evening from our little bar and enjoy a card or board game with the other surfers, or just chill by the campfire at night with a guitar and good company. We organise a few activities during the week such as cocktail night.
In our family camp, the kids won’t get bored easily! Outside the surf lessons, they can play in a safe environment. They can climb on the pine trees, grab a skateboard, play in the swimming pool, play different card and board games, use the slacklines, or join our weekly camp activities like the Olympic beach games or the kids' movie night.
Our family surf camp can accommodate your family including babies and kids of all ages. In the camp, you will find high chairs and baby beds, in the sanitary block there is a baby bath and a changing table. You can access the open guest kitchen in case you need to prepare any special meals for your little one.
On the surf camp, you’ll find a fully equipped kitchen, a chill-out area with loungers and hammocks, some slack-lines, a campfire and a little bar.
As a guest of our surf camp, you can use all facilities of the campsite. You’ll find a swimming pool, a sports court, a restaurant, a bar/café, a little supermarket, a games room, laundry machines, sanitary blocks with toilets and showers with 24 hours hot water.
We do not have guest wifi at the surf camp but there is free wifi at the reception of the campsite and around.
The surf camp is situated directly on the beach, approximately 3 kilometers away from the little village Estela. We’re offering free shuttles from Póvoa de Varzim (the main town) for all guests. Taxi companies are fairly cheap in the North of Portugal, so there are many ways of getting around without needing a rental car. In short, if you intend to stay at the camp you don´t really need a car, and if you decide to visit the area you could always rent a car just for the day.
We have more specific FAQ´s under each of our surf camp offers, you can check them below:
If you can´t find what you´re looking for, please get in touch with us through our contact page.
The surf groups for adults have a maximum capacity of 8 students per instructor but we usually make the groups with 6 students when we can. We’ll divide the groups according to your experience level to ensure you have the best learning progress. The kids are taught in groups of 4 kids per instructor, usually divided by level and age.
We surf on the beach right in front of the surf camp, no need to take a car or walk for ages, just a couple of minutes from your tent to the beach!
The beach is called Estela, it´s an open beach with plenty of waves for all levels and with no crowds! Access to the beach is only through the campsite via private access. This means we´re the only surfers there and can surf with no crowds!
You can use the surf equipment (wetsuits and surfboard) throughout your whole stay outside of the surf lessons. As we’re based on a beach without lifeguards, we strongly advise you to check the conditions with your surf instructor before you go surfing by yourself.
Our surf lessons usually take place in English, but our surf instructors also speak German, French and Dutch. If you don’t feel confident enough in your English, please let us know while booking so we can guarantee your surf instructor giving you individual feedback in the right language.
In the kids groups, we’re trying to group kids with the same language together, so the lessons can be held in German, French or Dutch.
Each tipi tent comes with storage space for your clothes, electricity and light. The beds are fully set up with comfortable mattresses, bedding and cotton linen.
We’ll provide bedding, but please don’t forget to bring towels to shower and for the beach. As the nights in the North of Portugal are usually rather cool, don’t forget to bring warm clothes for the evenings!
Our family tipis are set up with four beds, so if you need more sleeping places, you can book an additional mini tipi for your family. The mini tipi will be located close to your main tent and comes with two extra beds with mattresses, bedding and linen.
Breakfast is the most important meal on a surf camp, therefore you’ll find a big selection of food in the mornings. A typical breakfast buffet includes coffee, tea, different juices, milk, oats, cornflakes, yogurt, fruit, cheese, ham, butter, jams, peanut butter, and fresh bread.
Our professional kitchen team caters to vegan and vegetarian diets, too. Just let us know your food preference or allergies while booking and we’ll make sure to have the right kind of food for you.
Our chef cooks international meals throughout the week, like Mexican wraps, Italian pasta, Indian curry or a Portuguese BBQ. If your children prefer plainer food, please check with our kitchen staff, so they know to put something on the side for you!
For lunch you can sign up for our home-made lunch packages including sandwiches, fruit and a drink of your choice. If you prefer to cook yourself, you can use our fully equipped kitchen. If you want to try the Portuguese cuisine, you can visit the campsite restaurant and enjoy a non- expensive meal there, too.
The tap water on the campsite is of drinking water quality, so you can use it for drinking, cooking and washing all the same. On the surf camp you can buy re-usable & plastic free drinking bottles to take water with you, wherever you go!
Drinks are not included at dinners. We have a selection of drinks available on camp at the bar or the supermarket.
We offer different customised packages for school groups, college or university trips, sports teams, associations, corporate events, team building or bigger groups of friends.
All group offers for our surfcamp include breakfast, dinner, surf lessons and surf equipment for the whole stay. On top you can decide to include lunch packages, yoga lessons or other extra activities, transport or trips into your package.
If you are just looking for surf lessons for your group, we can offer transfers from your accommodation in Porto and area to the surfing beach and back.
Of course we’re also happy to support you in creating the framework for your travel and assist you in all questions concerning transportation, budget planning or guidance.
Get in touch via email on [email protected] or call/WhatsApp us on +351 933 740 932 to receive more information and a customised offer.