Sailing around Portugal's west coast

Find a centre offering sailing around Portugal's west coast

The western coast of Portugal stretches all the way up from the tranquil Alentejo in the south up the historic silver coast past Lisbon and Porto to the green coast and Spain in the north.

It is a coastline of great variety where not only can you enjoy some of Portugal's most bustling and exciting cities but also pristine beaches, timeless fishing villages and unspoilt countryside.

Highlights include:

• sailing past Lisbon itself,

the capital city was built upon seven hills over the estuary of the river Tejo and from the water you can get an incredible view of its winding cobbled streets, palaces, cathedrals, castles and docks. As you sail under the attractive 25 de Abril bridge keep a look out for the hilltop statue of Christ, based upon Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer

• watching schools of wild dolphins at play around Troia just south of Lisbon,

• relaxing in style on a cruise from Lisbon to Cascais,

Cascais is a charming and historic seaside town where state-ofthe-art yachts and weather-worn fishing boats are equally at home. Have a drink at the elegant marina and refuel at Portugal's most famous ice-cream shop! On the way look out for Belem with its Manueline tower and monastery and striking Monument to the Discoveries that is dedicated to explorers and sailors of days gone by.

• rounding the rugged crags of Cabo de Roca, the most westerly point of mainland Europe.

• admiring the flora and fauna and crystal waters of the Berlengas islands nature reserve near Peniche

• sailing up the Minho and Douro rivers into the lush green heart of northern Portugal

Facilities
There are lots of sailing centres in western Portugal offering cruises, yacht charters, day and half day sightseeing trips and sailing courses including preparation for RYA qualifications. If you're interested in learning to sail but are not sure it's for you why not try a 'sailing baptism'? These trips act as an introduction to sailing where an experienced sailor will take you out for a few hours and show you the basics.

As you're sailing around Portugal's west coast you will find numerous ports situated both on the shore itself and in the estuaries ranging from the modest and traditional to the up-to-the-minute.

Sailing Conditions

The often favourable sailing conditions along the west coast of Portugal are attracting more and more international sailors and the 2007 ISAF Sailing World Champonships were held in Cascais. The Portuguese trade winds blow at 12-18 knots for over 300 days per year. There are semidiurnal tides with a range of about 3m. In summer there is a southerly current, while winter brings a northerly current. Some of Portugal's smaller ports might be closed in heavy swell and extra care may be needed in the far north of Portugal as it can be more susceptible to adverse weather and swells.