Matosinhos, Portugal
Also within 20 km of Matosinhos
- Leça Surf spot · 1.9 km from Matosinhos
- Luz Surf spot · 3.1 km from Matosinhos
- Ourigo Surf spot · 3.4 km from Matosinhos
- Bezerro Surf spot · 3.9 km from Matosinhos
- Sacor Surf spot · 4.2 km from Matosinhos
- Praia do aterro Surf spot · 4.3 km from Matosinhos
- Cabedelo do douro Surf spot · 4.7 km from Matosinhos
- Ilha Surf spot · 6.8 km from Matosinhos
Watch this spot We email you when Matosinhos is worth the trip.
About Matosinhos
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (207°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (27°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 5–20 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 400 m out (1 in 40). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would crumble. The sea is about 14°C in January, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 17°C in June, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). The town to stay in is Matosinhos, 1 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 7 surf spots and 1 wind sports spot.
Water about 16°C: 3/2 wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 16 h 25 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO), changing at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
See flights ORD → OPO · Skyscanner from about £395 returnAdGetting there. 35 min from the airport to Matosinhos, 11 km.
Accommodation.
Stay in MatosinhosAd
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 Matosinhos (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Matosinhos 2 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 45 places to stay · where Matosinhos stays
Places to stay in Matosinhos · Booking.com AdEspinho 34 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 25 places to stay
Places to stay in Espinho · Booking.com AdVila do Conde 36 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 32 places to stay
Places to stay in Vila do Conde · Booking.com AdPóvoa de Varzim 41 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 35 places to stay
Places to stay in Póvoa de Varzim · Booking.com AdEsmoriz 43 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 5 places to stay
Places to stay in Esmoriz · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Matosinhos · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Matosinhos · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
Matosinhos on Google Maps · Directions
The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.
One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Forecast
Matosinhos does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for experts, so you can see what it does.
The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Scorefor Expert | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 21, too small | 4 ft8 ssoft | 176kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 12 knots, offshore | 18°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 16, too small | 2 ft15 shollow | 241kJ | offshorewind from the north, 5 knots, offshore | 17°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 26, too small | 4 ft11 scrumbling | 422kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-west, 11 knots, offshore | 15°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 33, too small | 5 ft8 smushy | 325kJ | offshorewind from the north, 13 knots, offshore | 15°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 33, poor | 6 ft9 ssoft | 579kJ | wind from the south-east, 4 knots | 15°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 48, good | 9 ft9 ssoft | 1,107kJ | offshorewind from the north, 11 knots, offshore | 15°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 46, fair | 7 ft9 ssoft | 620kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-east, 4 knots, offshore | 15°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 45, fair | 7 ft8 ssoft | 603kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 6 knots | 15°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 48, good | 7 ft8 ssoft | 694kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 3 knots | 15°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 37, fair | 7 ft8 ssoft | 543kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 10 knots | 16°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 OPO, changing at JFK, then 35 min by road. About 16h 25 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 5 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctSurf Praia da Sereia
Best 13:00 to 16:00 local time: 7 ft at 8 s, wind 7 kn (14 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctSurf Funtão
Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 7 ft at 9 s, wind 4 kn (8 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctSurf Matosinhos
Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 9 ft at 9 s, offshore wind.
- Sat 24 OctSurf Leça
Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 7 ft at 9 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to OPO, changing at JFK, then 35 min by road. About 16h 25 door to door
The plan picks the best of 12 spots near Matosinhos each day: Bezerro, Cabedelo do douro, Funtão, Ilha, Leça, Luz, Matosinhos, Ourigo, Praia da Sereia, Praia do aterro, Sacor, Salgueiros.
Rough cost
About £825–£1,570 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 OPO, estimated from distance and season, changing at JFK, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £395–£815 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | £15–£30 |
| 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 | £825–£1,570 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Matosinhos
- Empanadas MalvónEmpanada · 0.1 km from the centre
- LareiraPortuguese · 0.1 km from the centre
- TelepizzaPizza · 0.2 km from the centre
- daTerraVegan · 0.3 km from the centre
- Memórias da SerraVegetarian · 0.3 km from the centre
- Restaurante Luso BrasileiroPortuguese · 0.3 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
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.
