Ribeira da Janela, Portugal
Also within 20 km of Porto Moniz
- Porto Moniz Surf spot · 0 km from Porto Moniz
- Contreira Surf spot · 3.7 km from Porto Moniz
- Achadas da Cruz Surf spot · 6 km from Porto Moniz
- Ponta do Pargo Surf spot · 10.8 km from Porto Moniz
- Paul do Mar Surf spot · 13.4 km from Porto Moniz
- São Vicente Surf spot · 13.9 km from Porto Moniz
- Faja da Areia Surf spot · 14.3 km from Porto Moniz
- Ponta Pequina Surf spot · 14.3 km from Porto Moniz
Watch this spot We email you when Ribeira da Janela is worth the trip.
About Ribeira da Janela
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces NE (42°), so it takes swell from the NE. The wind blows offshore from the SW (222°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up, because of a steep sea floor. It works in 3–12 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very steeply: 10 m deep about 50 m out (1 in 5). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hard and thick, like a slab. 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 Porto Moniz, 2.5 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.
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 18 h 05 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. 1 h from the airport to Ribeira da Janela.
Accommodation.
Stay in Porto MonizAd
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 Porto Moniz (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Porto Moniz 4 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 16 places to stay · where Ribeira da Janela stays
Places to stay in Porto Moniz · Booking.com AdSão Vicente 20 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 20 places to stay
Places to stay in São Vicente · Booking.com AdJardim do Mar 23 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 26 places to stay
Places to stay in Jardim do Mar · Booking.com AdCalheta 25 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 29 places to stay
Places to stay in Calheta · Booking.com AdFaial 51 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 5 places to stay
Places to stay in Faial · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Porto Moniz · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Porto Moniz · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Ribeira da Janela on Google Maps · Directions
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Live webcam
PORTO MONIZ NATURAL POOLS WEBCAM, 3 km away
Porto Moniz Cam, Madeira, 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 | 9, too small | 4 ft9 smushy | 324kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 11 knots | 19°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 43, fair | 7 ft8 shollow | 575kJ | wind from the north-east, 8 knots | 19°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 23, too small | 5 ft8 shollow | 294kJ | wind from the north-east, 9 knots | 20°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 4, too small | 3 ft9 smushy | 161kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 15 knots | 20°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 16, too small | 5 ft9 shollow | 411kJ | wind from the east, 11 knots | 20°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 11, too small | 6 ft9 smushy | 543kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 15 knots | 19°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 12, too small | 6 ft9 smushy | 459kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 14 knots | 20°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 10, too small | 5 ft9 smushy | 392kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 14 knots | 19°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 18, too small | 4 ft9 shollow | 314kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 9 knots | 20°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 9, too small | 4 ft9 smushy | 281kJ | wind from the north-east, 13 knots | 20°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 1h by road. About 18h 05 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Achadas da Cruz
Best 16:00 to 19:00 local time: 5 ft at 8 s, wind 8 kn (15 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 3 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctSurf Achadas da Cruz
Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 5 ft at 9 s, wind 11 kn (20 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 32 of 80.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 30 of 80.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to FNC, changing at LIS, then 1h by road. About 18h 05 door to door
The plan picks the best of 4 spots near Porto Moniz each day: Achadas da Cruz, Contreira, Porto Moniz, Ribeira da Janela.
Rough cost
About £875–£1,660 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 |
| 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 | £875–£1,660 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Porto Moniz
- CachaloteEuropean · 0.1 km from the centre
- SalgueiroPortuguese · 0.4 km from the centre
- Sea View RestaurantSeafood · 0.4 km from the centre
- Resturante Perola do NortePortuguese · in the centre
- Café AtlanticoTheme · 0.1 km from the centre
- Lapa Bay Restaurante0.1 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.