Faial, Portugal
Also within 20 km of Faial
- Porto da cruz Surf spot · 3.2 km from Faial
- Machico Surf spot · 11.6 km from Faial
- Ponta Delgada Surf spot · 12.6 km from Faial
- Faja da Areia Surf spot · 16.6 km from Faial
- Cais do funchal Surf spot · 16.8 km from Faial
- São Vicente Surf spot · 17.9 km from Faial
- Praia Formosa Surf spot · 19.2 km from Faial
- Pizo Surf spot · 19.7 km from Faial
Watch this spot We email you when Faial is worth the trip.
About Faial
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces NE (37°), so it takes swell from the NE. The wind blows offshore from the SW (217°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up, because of a steep sea floor. It works in 3–11 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very steeply: 10 m deep about 100 m out (1 in 9). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 18°C in March, its coldest month (2 mm shorty), and 24°C in September, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually April, May, June and July, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Faial, 0.8 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.
Water about 23°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 17 h 35 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to FNC, changing at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS). About 4 flights a week that month.
See flights ORD → FNC · Skyscanner from about £385 returnAdGetting there. 30 min from the airport to Faial.
Accommodation.
Stay in FaialAd
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 Faial (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Faial 1 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 5 places to stay · where Faial stays
Places to stay in Faial · Booking.com AdPorto da Cruz 4 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 6 places to stay
Places to stay in Porto da Cruz · Booking.com AdMachico 18 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 15 places to stay
Places to stay in Machico · Booking.com AdFunchal 28 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 175 places to stay
Places to stay in Funchal · Booking.com AdSão Vicente 33 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 20 places to stay
Places to stay in São Vicente · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Faial · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Faial · GetYourGuideAd
Budget 
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Where it is
Faial on Google Maps · Directions
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Live webcam
LIVE CAM PRAIA DA ALAGOA BEACH PORTO DA CRUZ, 2 km away
LIVE CAM PORTO DA CRUZ SWIMMING POOLS, 2 km away
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Forecast
The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for experts | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 13, too small | 6 ft6 shollow | 234kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 11 knots | 19°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 47, fair | 8 ft8 shollow | 642kJ | wind from the north, 6 knots | 18°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 37, fair | 6 ft8 shollow | 327kJ | wind from the north-east, 3 knots | 19°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 13, too small | 3 ft7 shollow | 86kJ | wind from the east, 8 knots | 18°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 31, too small | 5 ft8 shollow | 337kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 6 knots | 19°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 30, too small | 6 ft9 shollow | 479kJ | wind from the north-east, 7 knots | 18°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 29, too small | 5 ft9 shollow | 443kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 5 knots | 18°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 23, too small | 5 ft10 shollow | 361kJ | wind from the north-east, 7 knots | 18°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 23, too small | 4 ft9 shollow | 264kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 5 knots | 19°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 26, too small | 4 ft10 shollow | 281kJ | wind from the east, 4 knots | 19°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 expert surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to FNC, changing at LIS, then 30 min by road. About 17h 35 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Faial
Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 6 ft at 8 s, wind 3 kn (6 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 3 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 33 of 80.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 34 of 80.
- Sat 24 OctSurf Faial
Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 5 ft at 9 s, wind 5 kn (9 km/h).
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to FNC, changing at LIS, then 30 min by road. About 17h 35 door to door
Rough cost
About £820–£1,565 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 FNC, estimated from distance and season, changing at LIS, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £385–£805 |
| 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 | £820–£1,565 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Faial
- Restaurante Casa de Chá do FaialPortuguese · 0.8 km from the centre
- Casa de CháPortuguese · 1.7 km from the centre
- Grutas do FaialPortuguese · 0.5 km from the centre
- Ponte VelhaPortuguese · 0.5 km from the centre
- Restaurant Marisquera GaléSeafood · 0.5 km from the centre
- O CurtadoPortuguese · 1.5 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
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.