Nazaré is globally recognised among the surfing community for it’s big waves, which can reach 20–30m in height. Just offshore here is one end of the largest submarine trench in Europe, at ~230km long & ~5km deep. The Nazaré Canyon funnels Atlantic swells towards the shore, where the abrupt change in depth compresses wave energy, refracting & amplifying it. Our visit to Nazaré coincided with a coastal wind warning (gusts up to 55 km/h) so we saw no 🏄 surfing, but we did see 🌊 surf! Praia da Nazaré is the city’s main golden-sand beach, viewed here from the rocky headland at the north end of the beach (📷1). On the tip of the headland is Farol de Nazaré, a lighthouse atop a fort, providing a vantage point from which to watch the breakers roll in to adjacent Praia do Norte (📷2). We watched long waves crest & collapse, all the while the wind whipping off the tops in sheets of spray (📷3). Other waves broke apart thunderously on the rocks directly below the lighthouse (📷4).

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