What's on in Costa da Caparica (Caparica), Portugal through the year

Busy — Christmas holidays in Portugal, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in January.

Still on: Autumn swell (15 Sep – 31 Mar), Winter storms and erosion (1 Nov – 15 Mar)

Busy — Carnival holidays in Portugal, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in February.

Still on: Autumn swell (15 Sep – 31 Mar), Winter storms and erosion (1 Nov – 15 Mar)

Busy — Easter holidays in Portugal, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in March.

Still on: Autumn swell (15 Sep – 31 Mar), Winter storms and erosion (1 Nov – 15 Mar)

Busy — Easter holidays in Portugal, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in April.

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Season

  Nortada afternoons

  1 May – 30 SepWind seasonRisk

  The summer north wind fills in after midday and blows sand down the whole strand. Morning is the still half of the day here; by three the windbreaks are up and the umbrellas are down. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Beach season, Lisbon weekend crush

• Season

  Beach season

  15 Jun – 15 Sep · usuallySummer season opensCrowded

  The bar-restaurants strung down the dune line only open for the declared bathing season, when the beaches are flagged and staffed. Out of it the sand is yours and there is nowhere to buy lunch. Source ↗

• Season

  Lisbon weekend crush

  15 Jun – 15 SepDay-tripper crushCrowded

  This is the capital's nearest ocean beach and on a hot Saturday the bridge and the Ponte 25 de Abril approaches back up from mid-morning. Weekdays, or the far southern beaches, are the way round it. Source ↗

Still on: Nortada afternoons (1 May – 30 Sep)

Peak crowds — Beach season, Lisbon weekend crush

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: Nortada afternoons (1 May – 30 Sep), Beach season (15 Jun – 15 Sep (usually)), Lisbon weekend crush (15 Jun – 15 Sep)

Peak crowds — Beach season, Lisbon weekend crush

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: Nortada afternoons (1 May – 30 Sep), Beach season (15 Jun – 15 Sep (usually)), Lisbon weekend crush (15 Jun – 15 Sep)

Peak crowds — Beach season, Lisbon weekend crush

• Season

  Autumn swell

  15 Sep – 31 MarSurf season

  The beach breaks along the Caparica sandbanks work best when the summer wind drops and the Atlantic lows start tracking in. The surf schools stay open through it with wetsuits. Source ↗

Still on: Nortada afternoons (1 May – 30 Sep), Beach season (15 Jun – 15 Sep (usually)), Lisbon weekend crush (15 Jun – 15 Sep)

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: Autumn swell (15 Sep – 31 Mar)

Quiet — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

• Hazard

  Winter storms and erosion

  1 Nov – 15 MarStorm seasonClosures

  Atlantic depressions push straight onto this coast and take the sand with them; sections of the boardwalk and the beach access stairs are regularly closed for repair after a bad week. Source ↗

Still on: Autumn swell (15 Sep – 31 Mar)

Busy — Christmas holidays in Portugal, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Autumn swell (15 Sep – 31 Mar), Winter storms and erosion (1 Nov – 15 Mar)