Pinhal, Portugal
Also within 20 km of Vila do Conde
- praia do rock Surf spot · 1 km from Vila do Conde
- Rock Surf spot · 1.1 km from Vila do Conde
- Azurara Surf spot · 1.7 km from Vila do Conde
- Furca Surf spot · 1.7 km from Vila do Conde
- Póvoa de Varzim Surf spot · 3.7 km from Vila do Conde
- Mindelo Surf spot · 5.2 km from Vila do Conde
- A-ver-o-mar Surf spot · 6.5 km from Vila do Conde
- Aguçadoura Surf spot · 9.5 km from Vila do Conde
Watch this spot We email you when Pinhal is worth the trip.
About Pinhal
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces W (257°), so it takes swell from the W. The wind blows offshore from the E (77°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–8 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 250 m out (1 in 25). 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). For intermediate surfers the best month is usually January, with about 2 good days in 7; in July, about 0. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Vila do Conde, 5.6 km away (about 10 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.
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 20 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. 30 min from the airport to Pinhal.
Accommodation.
Stay in Vila do CondeAd
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 Vila do Conde (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Vila do Conde 10 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 32 places to stay · where Pinhal stays
Places to stay in Vila do Conde · Booking.com AdPóvoa de Varzim 15 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 35 places to stay
Places to stay in Póvoa de Varzim · Booking.com AdMatosinhos 25 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 45 places to stay
Places to stay in Matosinhos · Booking.com AdApúlia 35 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 11 places to stay
Places to stay in Apúlia · Booking.com AdFão 41 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 13 places to stay
Places to stay in Fão · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Vila do Conde · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Vila do Conde · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Pinhal 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 experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for experts | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 20, too small | 4 ft8 smushy | 197kJ | offshorewind from the north-east, 11 knots, offshore | 18°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 15, too small | 3 ft14 shollow | 257kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 8 knots | 16°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 18, too small | 5 ft11 scrumbling | 457kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 13 knots | 15°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 30, poor | 6 ft8 scrumbling | 453kJ | wind from the north, 10 knots | 15°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 43, fair | 7 ft9 scrumbling | 701kJ | wind from the south-east, 5 knots | 15°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 0, too big | 10 ft9 scrumbling | 1,400kJ | wind from the north, 11 knots | 15°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 55, good | 7 ft9 scrumbling | 642kJ | wind from the north-west, 4 knots | 14°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 29, poor | 7 ft8 smushy | 707kJ | wind from the south, 11 knots | 16°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 42, fair | 6 ft8 smushy | 449kJ | wind from the south-west, 6 knots | 16°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 16, poor | 8 ft8 smushy | 749kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 14 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 30 min by road. About 16h 20 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 5 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctSurf Furca
Best 13:00 to 16:00 local time: 7 ft at 8 s, wind 12 kn (21 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctSurf Pinhal
Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 7 ft at 9 s, wind 5 kn (9 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctSurf Azurara
Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 9 ft at 9 s, wind 11 kn (20 km/h).
- Sat 24 OctSurf Furca
Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 8 ft at 9 s, wind 4 kn (8 km/h).
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to OPO, changing at JFK, then 30 min by road. About 16h 20 door to door
The plan picks the best of 6 spots near Vila do Conde each day: Azurara, Furca, Mindelo, Pinhal, praia do rock, Rock.
Rough cost
About £825–£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 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–£25 |
| 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–£1,565 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Vila do Conde
- Adega do TestasPortuguese · 0.1 km from the centre
- BifeirosSteakhouse · 0.1 km from the centre
- PortuguesiaPortuguese · 0.2 km from the centre
- Dona Maria PregariaBurger · 0.3 km from the centre
- NOSHI Vila - Coffee & Healthy FoodHealth food · 0.3 km from the centre
- Praça VelhaAsian · 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.