Carcavelos Surf School ATL

Carcavelos is the long sandy beach between Lisbon and Cascais, and one of the busiest surf beaches near the city. Carcavelos Surf School has taught there since 2001 and says it was the first surf school on the beach. In the school holidays it runs an ATL, the Portuguese name for a supervised holiday programme (atividades de tempos livres), which mixes surf lessons with beach games and sport.

The school says it has 24 years of experience running surf ATLs. Its managers hold a postgraduate qualification in surfing from the Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Lisbon’s sports science faculty, and its instructors are accredited by the Portuguese Surfing Federation. The school is certified by the federation, Turismo de Portugal and the Portuguese Sports Institute, and holds a licence from the harbour authority for Lisbon and Cascais.

Children arrive at 09:00. The first surf session runs from 10:00 to 12:00, then there’s lunch at 12:30 and a proper rest from 14:00 to 15:00. The second surf session runs from 15:00 to 16:30, and the day ends at 17:00. Over a five-day week that adds up to ten lessons.

Between sessions there’s time on the beach, with games, football and volleyball. The school’s base has a football pitch and a volleyball court on its concession area, along with a bar with a room for activities, a first-aid post, toilets and thatched sunshades for shade.

The school sets out what happens in each ATL lesson, and it’s a useful checklist for a nervous child who wants to know what’s coming:

• putting on the wetsuit, which keeps them warm in the Atlantic
• carrying the board down to the water’s edge
• warming up with exercises and games
• learning the take-off, the move from lying to standing on the board
• learning the safety rules
• paddling on the board
• catching the foam (whitewater) and small waves
• riding a wave standing up
• stretching at the end

Beginners use soft boards made for learning, and children who can already surf get boards to match. Wetsuits come in a range of sizes. The group is split so that each instructor has five children, and the children rotate between activities.

This is a drop-off camp: you leave your child at 09:00 and collect at 17:00. The minimum age is six. The school’s page doesn’t mention a swimming test, so ask what they expect before you book, especially for a nervous or weak swimmer.

In 2026 the camp ran over two Easter weeks (30 March to 2 April, and 6 to 10 April) and every week in summer from 15 June to 18 September. The school also lists Christmas and Carnival among its ATL holidays, so check the website for the next dates.

When checked in September 2026, a week cost €250. That covers two surf lessons a day, all the kit, the instructors and sports insurance. You book with an online form and pay a €75 deposit by bank transfer. The form asks for the child’s date of birth and ID number, a guardian’s contact details, what sport the child already does, and a short medical history (recent injuries, heart problems, recent illness), and you sign a declaration that the child is fit for sport. You can also opt out of photos and video. Missed days are not refunded or made up, and the school says it may change the programme for safety reasons.

Lunch isn’t included. Send a packed lunch, or use the restaurant next to the school, which serves à la carte. The school’s packing list is swimwear, flip-flops, a towel, sun cream, drinks and a snack. Children spend most of the day in the sun and wind, so a hat and a warm layer for the late afternoon help too. There’s an outdoor shower and a safe place to leave belongings.

Praia de Carcavelos is 1.25 km of sand, and Cascais council says you can walk to it from Carcavelos station on the Cascais train line. It is lifeguarded in the bathing season, which the APA lists as 1 May to 30 September in 2026, and it holds a Blue Flag for 2026. For a family beach day there, see our page on Praia de Carcavelos. The ATL runs on weekdays only.

The school runs kids’ surf lessons for ages 6 to 11, lasting 90 minutes, from €41.95 a session when checked, with multi-lesson packs from €125.85. Private lessons start at €100 for two hours from age 5. The school opens all year, including weekends and holidays, with lesson times set by the tides. A single lesson is a cheap way to find out whether your child enjoys it before you commit to a week.

Along the coast towards Lisbon, Praia de Santo Amaro de Oeiras is Oeiras’s main beach, between the marina wall and a fort, and the Piscina Oceânica de Oeiras is a big saltwater lido with a 40 cm children’s pool, for children who prefer water without waves.

What age can children start the Carcavelos surf camp?

From six. Kids’ lessons are for ages 6 to 11, and older children join the same ATL.

Do I stay with my child?

No. It’s a supervised holiday camp: children arrive at 09:00 and are collected at 17:00.

Is lunch included?

No. Pack lunch or pay at the restaurant next door. Bring drinks and a snack too.

How many children per instructor?

Five, according to the school.

Can we get there without a car?

Yes. Take the Cascais-line train to Carcavelos and walk down to the beach.