The Costa Verde

Home of the Goodtimes Surfcamp

The Costa Verde in Portugal is a beautiful coastal region in the northwest of the country, bordered by the Douro River in the south and the Minho River in the north. With green forests, large eucalyptus trees, picturesque vineyard terraces and Hottentot figs that conjure up colorful dots in the green with their flowers, the region lives up to its name.

Our camp is located in Gelfa, a village near the small town of Ancora, right on the Atlantic coast. On a walk through the dunes, you can smell the salty sea air and when the wind is good, you get a whiff of eucalyptus in your nose. When the wind is good, however, the focus here is on something else for many: the surfers quickly slip into their neos and plunge into the waves.

Vila Praia de Ancora

The bay of Vila Praia de Âncora is located at the mouth of the Rio Âncora river, in the very north of the Costa Verde. Due to the exposed location of our bay and its crescent-shaped orientation, which favors different wind directions, there are constant waves here all year round, which are great fun for surfers and also offer ideal conditions for surfing courses. You can often choose between several spots to get into the water, which means that the waves are well distributed and the line-ups are rarely full. Nevertheless, there are always plenty of pros (and semi-pros) to learn a thing or two from.

You can sit down comfortably on the beach with a coffee, watch and (hopefully) learn something. The locals know their bay inside out and surf for all they’re worth. It doesn’t take long before you’re grabbing a board yourself and plunging into the waves. The first wave is just a few minutes’ walk from our camp. The so-called pier, right on the Ancora promenade, is about 10-15 minutes away. You can choose between the path in the sand right by the water or the wooden walkway through the green dunes with a view of the sea – it could be worse, couldn’t it?

On the footbridge, you often meet hikers or cyclists on the Camino (Way of St. James) who enjoy the beauty of nature. Sometimes you can even see pearl lizards (the largest lizards in Europe!) scurrying between the bushes or sunbathing on the wood. And every now and then you are lucky enough to see dolphins in the bay, having fun in the waves alongside the surfers.

The Camino – hiking on the Costa Verde

The section of the Way of St. James that runs in front of our camp is one of the most popular in Portugal. And not without reason: in addition to the impressive cliffs and landscapes that you see along the way, the path is also well signposted, with few differences in altitude and therefore a low level of difficulty. What’s more, the Camino runs almost entirely along the coast, which makes the climate very pleasant for hiking. It is therefore ideal to walk in one direction from the camp and follow the Camino for a while. The alternation between the sea, lush green nature and small villages with fishing boats is really beautiful to look at and the pilgrims from all over the world usually have interesting stories to tell.

Moledo and Caminha

If you drive or walk further north along the coast, you will first pass the small town of Moledo. There are cafés and restaurants serving Portuguese specialties such as Francesinha and Porto Tonico right by the sea. On the promenade by the sea, you can often watch kitesurfers making wild maneuvers on the waves. Further north is Caminha, the beautiful town on the border river with Spain, the Rio Mino. You can cross the border from here by boat, which adds the icing on the cake of charm to the fishing village. The weekly market there, which we like to visit on Wednesdays, is also particularly beautiful. From delicacies such as olives and lupins to clothes, tools and handicrafts, you can get your hands on everything here – and at bargain prices.

The towns around our camp are all small. Nevertheless, each one has its own charm and the people of Portugal are totally helpful and friendly. They are always happy to have a cold “Super Bock” and they can also party – exceptionally well. There are numerous events in the area, such as the beer festival in Caminha. Yes, it is just as it sounds – an ode to beer. Countless types of beer from all over the world can be tasted there and the mood is accordingly high. No effort is spared at the medieval festival or smaller electro festivals either and it’s always worth stopping by.

But if you want something a little quieter, you should head inland from our camp to the beautiful national park:

The Serra d’Arga – National Park on the Costa Verde

The Serra d’Arga is a national park to the east of the Goodtimes surf camp with many surprises worth seeing. This mountain range with a maximum height of 825m offers opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, climbing or canyoning. And all this with a view of the sea, flower meadows all around and, with a bit of luck, a herd of sheep or wild horses, known as garranos, next door. The Serra d’Arga is truly magical: around 4,500 hectares of crystal-clear waterfalls, ancient ruins and small villages with stone houses and herds of goats. It feels like you’ve been transported back in time, as some of the water mills are still in use here and the traditional corn bread is still baked.

The national park is also something special for climbing. The rock is mostly granite and the protection for sport climbing is excellent, not to mention the view you can enjoy from the top. It almost feels as if the Serra d’Arga is an insider tip that hardly anyone knows about. It is easy to reach and the best thing to do is simply take the next best path into the countryside and see where it leads – you’ll be surprised!

The Costa Verde – more than just beaches and the coast

The Portuguese north really has a lot to offer and it is worth exploring this region away from the surf camp. Not only the unspoiled nature, but also the small fishing villages make the Costa Verde unique. Old cultural customs are still practiced here and thanks to the openness of the Portuguese, you can often learn about new dishes or customs. My ode ends here, although I have only described the places in the immediate vicinity of Goodtimes Surfcamp. There is much more to discover…