Caldeira, Portugal
Also within 20 km of Calheta
- Faja dos Cubres Surf spot · 6 km from Calheta
- Punta da Caldeira Surf spot · 8.2 km from Calheta
Watch this spot We email you when Caldeira is worth the trip.
About Caldeira
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces NE (30°), so it takes swell from the NE. The wind blows offshore from the SW (210°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up, because of a steep sea floor. It works in 3–14 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very steeply: 10 m deep about 50 m out (1 in 3). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hard and thick, like a slab. 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 January, February, March and April, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Calheta, 8.2 km away (about 15 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.
Water about 22°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 19 h 05 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to PIX, changing at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS).
See flights ORD → PIX · Skyscanner from about £325 returnAdGetting there. 1 h 05 from the airport to Caldeira.
Accommodation.
Stay in CalhetaAd
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 Calheta (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Calheta 14 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 7 places to stay · where Caldeira stays
Places to stay in Calheta · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Calheta · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Calheta · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Caldeira on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Caldeira does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Scorefor Intermediate | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 27, poor | 4 ft12 shollow | 375kJ | wind from the east, 4 knots | 21°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 46, fair | 4 ft9 shollow | 269kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 8 knots | 19°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 14, poor | 3 ft7 smushy | 105kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 14 knots | 20°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 54, good | 4 ft9 shollow | 226kJ | offshorewind from the south, 7 knots, offshore | 19°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 54, good | 4 ft9 shollow | 226kJ | wind from the west, 7 knots | 21°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 56, good | 4 ft8 shollow | 148kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-west, 5 knots, offshore | 20°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 44, fair | 3 ft8 shollow | 119kJ | offshorewind from the south-west, 10 knots, offshore | 21°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 26, too small | 2 ft7 shollow | 53kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-west, 16 knots, offshore | 21°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 14, too small | 2 ft7 shollow | 42kJ | wind from the north-west, 5 knots | 21°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 24, poor | 4 ft8 shollow | 246kJ | wind from the north-east, 10 knots | 18°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 PIX, changing at LIS, then 1h 05 by road. About 19h 05 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 17 of 80.
- Wed 21 OctSurf Caldeira
Best 18:00 to 21:00 local time: 4 ft at 9 s, offshore wind.
- Thu 22 OctSurf Caldeira
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 9 s, wind 7 kn (12 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctSurf Caldeira
Best 12:00 to 15:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, offshore wind.
- Sat 24 OctSurf Caldeira
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 3 ft at 8 s, offshore wind.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to PIX, changing at LIS, then 1h 05 by road. About 19h 05 door to door
The plan picks the best of 3 spots near Calheta each day: Caldeira, Faja dos Cubres, Punta da Caldeira.
Rough cost
About £815–£1,530 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 PIX, estimated from distance and season, changing at LIS, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £325–£675 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £75–£130 |
| 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 | £815–£1,530 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Calheta
- Restaurante Os AmigosSeafood · 0.7 km from the centre
- Portinho dos SaboresBurger · 1.3 km from the centre
- Restaurante O Camponês0.3 km from the centre
- Alcatra Rústica0.8 km from the centre
- Ribeira Seca Sao Jorge Acores0.9 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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Where to stayAd
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