Praia do Martinhal is a long sweep of sand just east of Sagres, inside the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina, with the limestone islets of the Ilhotes do Martinhal sitting out in the bay. The Martinhal resort looks over it, and the Iberian Windsurf Cup gives the beach as its address.
Windsurf Magazine calls it a speed sailing and freestyle nirvana, and the wave beaches of Tonel and Mareta are on the far side of the town, within 3 km.
In each of those months more than half the days clear 12 knots for three daylight hours or more, and August is the pick, at about two in three.
ERA5 puts the share of rideable days 17 points higher here, and no weather station has settled it, so treat these figures as a guide.
At a glance
Is it for you?
Skill levelBring your A-game
WaterBit of chop
Wind · JulUsually turns up
Crowds · JulHeavy in season
Local vibeFriendly enough
Water qualityClean
NightlifeA bar or two
CostMid
Geek analysis
July in the record
65% of days clear 12 kt for three daylight hours or more.
In July the wind most often sits at 12 to 15 kt (36% of daylight hours) and is over 12 kt from 12pm to 6pm on at least half the days. See both charts in the full report
No weather station near enough to check these figures against.
July on the record
The month's own figures, not the year's average.
Rideable days20 of 31Four Julys in the record
Wind, rideable hours15 ktMean over daylight hours at 12 kt+
Air19.4°CMaximum
Take it with you
The full Martinhal, Sagres report
Seven sections over six pages, built from the same record as this page. A PDF you can read on the plane.
01Hour-by-hour & month-by-month wind02The month's own records03Stays, the school and where the kit is04Per-launch tide notes05Offshore wind, rocks & the rules06Getting there, packing & best months07Sources, and their limits
WindChaser spot reportMartinhal, SagresAlgarve, Portugal · July65% of days clear 12 kt for three daylight hours or more.
When it gets busy
Crowds
Aug · High
Kite Insider rates the crowds medium, and busy from June to September. Windsurf Magazine and Surf Magazin say the sand fills with swimmers and sunbathers in high season until the wind drives them off. The Iberian Windsurf Cup holds its Sagres stop here in June.
On the water
What July usually does
Wind directionN to NW, offshoreN/NW in the APA’s bathing-water profile, offshore at Martinhal per Windsurf Magazine and Surf Magazin. A south-easterly stays sailable for a couple of days, Windsurf Magazine says.
Wind strengthAbout 15 ktThe mean over rideable daylight hours, May to August, in the record, a 7 km model with no station check yet.
When it blowsBuilds to eveningIn July the share of windy days rises from about 40 per cent at 8am to about two in three by 6pm.
Your playground
Launches & safety
Conditions change. Check local rules and conditions before you ride.
Launch
Hazard
Parking
School
Stay
Webcam
Approximate
Local intel
Getting there & on the ground
Nearest airportFaro (FAO)About 122 km by road, around 1 hour 55 minutes.
On the groundMay to AugustThe windiest months in the record. August is the pick.
Getting aroundPaved road, car parkA paved road leaves the N268 about 100 m from the entrance to Sagres; an unpaved car park takes about 78 cars, then a path and boardwalks to the sand (council). Tonel is about 3 km by road, Mareta about 2.3 km.
Stay, schools & kit
Who works this beach
SchoolWind4AllSchool$$$MidWindsurf · SUP · KayakWindsurf centre on Praia do Martinhal, open 1 March to 31 October: courses from a try-out to advanced, with published prices.Website
