Praia do Tonel is where Europe ends—a dramatic beach break beneath the historic Sagres Fortress at the southwestern tip of the continent where Prince Henry the Navigator once plotted explorations. The wave offers a fun left point and beach break peaks in a setting of incomparable beauty and historical weight. Less crowded than Portugal's more famous northern breaks, Tonel rewards those who venture to the Algarve's wild west coast with quality waves and the sense of surfing at the edge of the known world. The sunsets here, as the Atlantic stretches toward America, are unforgettable.
Water temp
17°C
Wetsuit
3/2mm fullsuit
Difficulty
5/10
Crowd level
4/10
Access: 75min from Faro airport. 35min from Lagos.
Peak: Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar
Secondary: Apr, May, Sep
Best in winter. Atlantic swells.
Verified by Algarve surf community
How well swell angle matches the spot
Wave height in the ideal range
Each spot has different period requirements. Points and reefs can handle longer periods than beaches.
Offshore/glassy conditions