Fort of São Miguel Arcanjo, Nazaré, Portugal

© Richard A Lock/Getty Image

Info. Nazaré, Portugal

Today we’re visiting the beach town of Nazaré on the western central coast of Portugal. Nazaré is a very popular surfing destination as it is home to the biggest surfable waves in the world. The waves are formed by Nazaré Canyon – the largest underwater canyon in Europe, which has a maximum depth of about 5,000 metres. Brazilian surfer Rodrigo Koxa broke the world record for the largest wave ever surfed at this location in 2017, riding a 24.4-metre wave, which beat the previous record also set here.

Those who prefer dry land can join the crowd watching the surfers from Nazaré's Fort of São Miguel Arcanjo, a lighthouse-topped fortress on a cliff. A fort was initially built here in 1577, with a lighthouse installed in 1903. The fort also now functions as a museum, which is devoted in part to surfing.