Baia das Quatro Ribeiras, Portugal
Also within 20 km of Praia da Vitória (Santa Cruz)
- Praia da Vitoria Surf spot · 0.5 km from Praia da Vitória (Santa Cruz)
- Santa Catarina Surf spot · 3 km from Praia da Vitória (Santa Cruz)
- Porto Martins Surf spot · 5.3 km from Praia da Vitória (Santa Cruz)
- Baixa da Vila Nova Surf spot · 8.7 km from Praia da Vitória (Santa Cruz)
- Contendas Surf spot · 9.6 km from Praia da Vitória (Santa Cruz)
Watch this spot We email you when Baia das Quatro Ribeiras is worth the trip.
About Baia das Quatro Ribeiras
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces N (5°), so it takes swell from the N. The wind blows offshore from the S (185°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up, because of a steep sea floor. It works in 3–10 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very steeply: 10 m deep about 100 m out (1 in 10). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 16°C in February, its coldest month (3/2 wetsuit), and 24°C in August, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually May, June, July and August, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Praia da Vitória (Santa Cruz).
Water about 21°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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From Chicago: about 18 h 20 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to TER, changing at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS). About 4 flights a week that month.
See flights ORD → TER · Skyscanner from about £330 returnAdGetting there. 35 min from the airport to Baia das Quatro Ribeiras.
Accommodation.
Nearest beds: Praia da Vitória (Santa Cruz), 16 km (about 30 min by car)Ad
No town with beds to book is nearer Baia das Quatro Ribeiras: plan on the drive each day you surf.
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Praia da Vitória (Santa Cruz), 16 km away (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Praia da Vitória (Santa Cruz) 28 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 14 places to stay · where Baia das Quatro Ribeiras stays
Places to stay in Praia da Vitória (Santa Cruz) · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Praia da Vitória (Santa Cruz) · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Praia da Vitória (Santa Cruz) · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Baia das Quatro Ribeiras on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for intermediates | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 18, poor | 4 ft13 shollow | 472kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 3 knots | 21°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 24, poor | 5 ft9 shollow | 422kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 4 knots | 20°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 37, fair | 4 ft8 shollow | 205kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 7 knots | 19°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 0, too big | 6 ft8 shollow | 413kJ | wind from the east, 2 knots | 19°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 47, fair | 6 ft9 shollow | 484kJ | wind from the west, 6 knots | 20°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 56, good | 4 ft9 shollow | 232kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 2 knots | 21°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 67, good | 4 ft9 shollow | 190kJ | offshorewind from the south-west, 7 knots, offshore | 20°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 59, good | 4 ft7 shollow | 123kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-west, 9 knots, offshore | 21°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 37, fair | 4 ft7 shollow | 169kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 6 knots | 21°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 30, poor | 4 ft9 shollow | 291kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 6 knots | 17°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to TER, changing at LIS, then 35 min by road. About 18h 20 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Baia das Quatro Ribeiras
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 7 kn (14 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Thu 22 OctSurf Baia das Quatro Ribeiras
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 6 ft at 9 s, wind 6 kn (11 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctSurf Baia das Quatro Ribeiras
Best 12:00 to 15:00 local time: 4 ft at 9 s, wind 2 kn (4 km/h).
- Sat 24 OctSurf Baia das Quatro Ribeiras
Best 18:00 to 21:00 local time: 4 ft at 9 s, offshore wind.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to TER, changing at LIS, then 35 min by road. About 18h 20 door to door
The trip from Praia da Vitória (Santa Cruz), with every spot near it
Rough cost
About £765–£1,445 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to TER, estimated from distance and season, changing at LIS, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £330–£685 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | £20–£35 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £160–£265 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £150–£280 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £70–£115 |
| Total | £765–£1,445 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Praia da Vitória (Santa Cruz)
- GinsuSushi · 0.2 km from the centre
- Restaurante O PescadorPortuguese · 0.6 km from the centre
- Sabores Caseiros da LiPortuguese · 0.7 km from the centre
- Adega do FadoPortuguese · 0.8 km from the centre
- Restaurante Cervejaria Tropical PointPortuguese · 0.8 km from the centre
- Make Me Nuts0.3 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
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