Ericeira & the surf coast Day Trip from Lisbon
A World Surfing Reserve and a fishing town that still feels like one
Lisbon from Lisbon: 100 km round trip, about 1h 41m behind the wheel, planned hour by hour.
A World Surfing Reserve and a fishing town that still feels like one. It's a day out of Lisbon: 100 km of driving in total, about 1h 41m behind the wheel, and the rest of the day on your feet.
The plan below is paced so the driving doesn't eat the day: leave after breakfast, be back for the evening. Every stop can be swapped for one of three alternatives if it isn't your kind of thing.
Your days
You trade Lisbon for cliffs and coves, tracing Ericeira's shoreline from beach to lighthouse before heading home by dusk.
Park near the old town and walk straight down to the cliffs above this beach.
From the beach, it's a flat five-minute walk up into the town center.
A short drive north along the coast road brings you to this quieter cove.
Head back toward town for lunch by the water before the drive home.
From lunch, a quick drive south along the shore reaches this lighthouse viewpoint.
Nothing stops you at the road, so this is on you to settle. Some motorways are electronic-only with no booths. A foreign plate has to be registered (Easytoll) before driving them.
Buy at www.portugaltolls.comPrice checked 2026-07-30. Confirm on the official site.
- A21 is toll-free and the fastest route both ways — no need for the coastal N247.
- Ericeira's old town has limited parking; use the public lot near Praça da República.
- No low-emission zone restrictions in Ericeira, unlike central Lisbon.
- Return before evening rush to avoid Lisbon's A5/A21 merge congestion.
- Praia de Ribeira d'Ilhas+4 km
A world-famous surf break and one of Portugal's most scenic beaches, just north of town.
- Convento dos Capuchos (Sintra)+25 km
A hauntingly simple 16th-century hermitage carved into rock, tucked in the hills toward Sintra.
- Cabo da Roca+22 km
The westernmost point of continental Europe, a windswept cliff with a lighthouse and sweeping ocean views.
This route was drafted with AI. Please double-check roads, opening hours and local conditions before you go.
Questions, answered
- Is Sintra better by train or car?
- By train, for most people. The line from Rossio runs every 20–30 minutes and takes about 40; driving means a congested mountain road, car parks that fill by nine in summer, and a centre where traffic is restricted. Take the car only if you're combining Sintra with Cabo da Roca and the coast road afterwards.
- How do Portuguese motorway tolls work with a hire car?
- Most motorways are electronic-only: cameras read a transponder or your registered plate, and there is no barrier to pay at. Arrange it when you collect the car: otherwise the charges arrive later with an administration fee on top, and some routes have no cash alternative at all.
- Can you do Évora as a day trip from Lisbon?
- Yes: about ninety minutes each way on the A6, which makes for a comfortable day with time for the Roman temple, the cathedral and lunch. It is one of the few Alentejo towns close enough to do properly without staying over.
- Which day trip is best for beaches?
- The Arrábida coast for calm, clear water and dramatic cliffs, or Ericeira and the Ericeira–Guincho stretch for surf and wind. Arrábida's beach access roads are narrow and sometimes closed to cars in peak summer, with a shuttle instead: check before you set off.
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