Situated on the far west of Europe, bracing against the mighty Atlantic Ocean, it’s little surprise that Portugal is home to some big swells and strong winds that make the surfing here incredible. However, you might not know that it is also home to some world-class wakeboarding destinations. But if you want to experience the best places to wakeboard in Portugal, you need to know where to go.
Luckily, there are plenty of top destinations to choose from. You can wakeboard in Portugal in or near the two main cities of Porto and Lisbon, the capital. Plus the Algarve, Portugal’s main tourist hotspot, isn’t just about sandy beaches and sunshine, there are also some top spots for wakeboarding.
Just fifteen short minutes from the city you’ll find Chaves Waterski, where you can ski and wakeboard on a stunning lake. The location is really key here, with the opportunity to shower off and head into the city to sample the buzzing nightlife.
There’s a school offering wakeboarding tuition for beginners, and with 30-years of experience, it’s safe to say that they know what they’re doing.
Found just 45-minutes from the city and located in a 1,500 hectare farm is the Ski Club Quinta Grande. It’s five-minutes from the picturesque town of Coruche and offers some top wakeboarding on a man-made lake. With good weather conditions all year round and the lake designed to provide great wakeboarding, this is a top place to come if you’re staying in nearby Lisbon.
Situated just north of the capital and lying on the Zezere River is the Castelo de Bode dam. Not only is the dam an impressive feat of engineering, it has also created a lake with some pretty spectacular wakeboarding conditions. Who said man should never interfere with nature?
If dams are your thing, then you’ve come to the right place because a little further south you’ll also find the Montagril dam, which also has some excellent open water if you want to wakeboard in Portugal.
Famous for being a major tourist area, there is also another side to the Algarve. With over 300 days per year of sunshine, you can bet the conditions are going to be just right for some serious wakeboarding.
With a number of companies like Algarve Watersport offering to pick you up and rent you the necessary kit, it’s a great place to come for wakeboarding. They also offer accommodation at their Kitehouse and have the area’s first permanent wakeboarding camp.
Based in Lagos, on the south coast of the Algarve, Airboost offer boat hire, both self drive and skippered for those looking for a wakeboarding thrill by the day or half day. Also in Lagos is Nomadsurfers, who can help you to organise watersports, including wakeboarding, and have wakeboarding camps and kitesurfing holidays throughout the year.
The bottom line is that if you really want to wakeboard in Portugal, you won’t be short of places to do it. So, what are you waiting for?