The sea 🌊
Being born and raised in the Alps, I’ve always longed for the sea. All our holidays were spent by the Italian or French coast and for me there never was (and it’s still true) a more relaxing sounds as the stones being moved around by the rip roaring waves.
On our last #tkabroad trip to Portugal we were lucky enough to visit Nazaré, the place where one can admire the biggest waves on earth.
Many places I have seen in my life have inspired me deeply. This one, though, was still different from anything else I’ve experienced so far. Not only there was the beauty and the vastness, there was also the power. Such immense power to literally leave with without breath (because of the strong wind).
In that moment I felt very small, very grateful and deeply at peace.
To throw some numbers out there, we are talking about 20+ meters (70+ feet) waves.
Because of the incredibly strong wind, follow these steps:
- Leave your glasses, scarf, hat and even jewelries behind
- Choose comfortable, non slippery shoes
- Tie your camera the best you can around your neck of wrist (neck might be a better idea still as you might need your hands to keep the balance)
The place where you can admire this wonder of nature is the lighthouse, Farol de Nazaré. From there you can admire both the city and the beach of Nazaré. You will have to leave the car about 1 km away from the lighthouse and already during that stroll you will have amazing views. To reach the best observation point you will have to circumnavigate the lighthouse and go in front of it. If you feel your balance is not the best, then I suggest not to go further than the lighthouse. Yes, there is a banister, but it is slippery and there are steps.
Of course, in order to see great waves you have to wish for windy weather. Here and here you can check the wave forecast. Also, in the official Nazare Waves website you can find all the latest news and surf competitions.