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Manta Rota, Portugal

Stay in Altura: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Altura

Watch this spot We email you when Manta Rota is worth the trip.

Praia da Manta Rota 2
Manta Rota. Photo: Manuel Correia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons

About Manta Rota

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.

The spot faces S (161°), so it takes swell from the S. The wind blows offshore from the N (341°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 1–6 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 1.5 km out (1 in 147). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 16°C in January, its coldest month (3/2 wetsuit), and 22°C in July, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For beginners the best months are usually January, February and December, with about 3 good days in 7; in June, July and August, about 1. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Altura, 2.1 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.

Water about 21°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 10 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Faro - Gago Coutinho International Airport (FAO), changing at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS). About 4 flights a week that month.

    See flights ORD → FAO · Skyscanner from about £410 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 1 h 05 from the airport to Manta Rota.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in AlturaAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Surf lessons in Altura · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Altura · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Manta Rota on Google Maps · Directions

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One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct71 ft3 smushy3kJ20°C
Mon 19Oct2under 1 ft4 s1kJ21°C
Tue 20Oct41 ft2 s0kJ21°C
Wed 21Oct3under 1 ft3 s0kJ21°C
Thu 22Oct21 ft2 s0kJ20°C
Fri 23Oct21 ft2 smushy0kJ22°C
Sat 24Oct31 ft3 s1kJ21°C
Sun 25Oct31 ft2 s0kJ21°C
Mon 26Oct2under 1 ft3 s0kJ21°C
Tue 27Oct2under 1 ft2 s0kJ21°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

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Fly ORD to FAO, changing at LIS, then 1h 05 by road. About 17h 10 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 1 ft at best.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: under 1 ft at best.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 1 ft at best.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 1 ft at best.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 1 ft at best.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly ORD to FAO, changing at LIS, then 1h 05 by road. About 17h 10 door to door

The plan picks the best of 2 spots near Altura each day: Manta Rota, Praia de Altura.

The trip from Altura, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £900–£1,705 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.

WhatHow we worked it outEach
Flightsreturn ORD to FAO, estimated from distance and season, changing at LIS, full-service airlines, with a hold bag£410–£850
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Hire car6 days, shared£75–£130
Stay6 nights, a mid-range double, shared£160–£265
Food7 days eating out£150–£280
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about £85 to fly your own£70–£115
Total£900–£1,705

Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.

Places to eat near Altura

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

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.