Ericeira is the cutest little beach town well located on the west coast of Portugal. There are a ton of things to do in Ericeira but there are so many day trips from Ericeira that are worth checking out as well!

All of these day trips from Ericeira are either drivable or available by guided tours but all 9 of these day trips are unique and fun in their own way. It just depends if you’re wanting to see some huge waves or enjoy a nice relaxing wine tour. 

Ericeira is located on the Silver Coast which is one of the most beautiful parts of Portugal. This partially has to do with the coastline, the amazing weather, and the beautiful little coastal towns that are scattered up and down the Silver Coast. 

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9 day trips from Ericeira you’re going to love

Thankfully Ericeira is located quite central up the Silver Coast so a lot of these day trips from Ericeira aren’t that far. There’s a few that are a bit further of a drive like Nazare but totally worth visiting so all these day trips made it on the list for a reason!

Below you will find 9 day trips from Ericeira. There’s a bunch of cute coastal towns, historic cities, and surf spots that are all worth checking out. We love Ericeira and know there are tons of things to do in Ericeira but it’s always nice to get out and explore too. 

Please note that the distance and time vary depending on your mode of transportation and whether you take the toll roads or the regular roads. To avoid toll roads, simply just go into your Google Maps settings. Click the three dots in the top-right corner after you’ve put in your route, and then click “route options”. Turn on the setting “Avoid Tolls” and that’s it!

#1 Sintra day trip

Distance: 24 kilometers
Time: 35-50 minutes
Best way to get there: Car or bus
More information: Visiting Pena Palace in Sintra

Ericeira is located next to one of the most beautiful national parks in the country: Sintra. This is one of our favourite day trips from Ericeira. Sintra is this beautiful city located in the Sintra National Park which has some absolutely incredible castles and monuments to check out. 

If you like hiking then hike up from Sintra to the Castle of Moors. We did this one and loved it. Sintra can get busy and most people take a bus or shuttle up to Pena Palace and the other castles. The hike up to Castle of Moors gets you away from most of the tourists for a good chunk of the day which is one of many reasons why we like it so much.

The nice thing about Sintra is that it’s easy to explore on your own. You can find your way on all the trails since they’re well marked. But you can also easily book a guided tour and experience this beautiful area with a local guide. If you like learning more about the places you visit, then booking a guided tour of Sintra is the way to go!

#2 Cabo da Roca

Distance: 35 kilometers
Time: 50 minutes
Best way to get there: Car
More information: The Best Sunset in Portugal – Cabo da Roca

Cabo da Roca is south of Ericeira along the same coast and it’s a must-visit when you’re in Portugal. It’s a very iconic place because it’s the most western point in mainland Europe. The sunset from Cabo da Roca is absolutely incredible and worth all the hype!

One thing you can’t miss out on while you’re at Cabo da Roca is the Praia da Ursa trail that starts right next to Cabo da Roca. It’s one of the most beautiful hiking trails we’ve ever been on and it’s not that known.

Most people come for Cabo da Roca, the lighthouse, and the sunset but you have to add the hike to Praia da Ursa as well. It’s a beautiful trail that starts across the street from the lighthouse and then goes by the coast before going down to Ursa beach.

We actually had the beach to ourselves when we went which surprised us since it’s so beautiful. Hopefully now, after reading this you’ll find the trail and end up exploring Praia da Ursa along with everything else at Cabo da Roca!

#3 Mafra Portugal

Beautiful building in Mafra.

Distance: 10 kilometers
Time: 15 minutes
Best way to get there: Car or bus
More information: Can be found here

Mafra is one of the closest cities and easier day trips from Ericeira you can do. Mafra is worth checking out if you’re into history and wine. The Mafra region has been producing wine for years. A wine tour in Mafra may not be such a bad idea! 😉 

Mafra is a small historic city and even though there’s not an abundance of things to do and see it’s still worth visiting. There’s the famous Mafra National Palace (Palácio Nacional de Mafra) which is one of the biggest edifices (buildings) in Portugal. It shows just how historical Mafra is. 

Since Mafra is only a short drive or wine tour away you can easily go for an afternoon or just a short day trip. Mafra is a nice place to visit if you want to get out of Ericeira for a few hours and see something new. It’s definitely worth the trip, especially for wine lovers! 😉

#4 Nazare

Distance: 117 to 158 kilometers
Time: 1:15 to 1:45
Best way to get there: Car

If you’ve spent some time in Ericeira you know the surf is amazing there. Especially for beginners and intermediate surfers. That’s why surf schools like LaPoint thrive in a place like Ericeira.

Nazare on the other hand also has some absolutely incredible surf but in a quite different way because what Nazare is famous for is Big Wave Surf!

It’s a bit of a drive to Nazare but it can easily be done as a day trip from Ericeira and we can totally recommend it. Watching people surf the HUGE waves in Nazare is something out of this world (even if you’re not super into surfing). 

The largest wave ever surfed (101.4 feet / 30.9 meters) was actually surfed right off the coast in Nazare back in 2020. So make your way to the lighthouse and check out the crazy daredevils who surf these insanely big waves. 

If you want to do something that’s not all about surfing then hike the funicular trail where you’ll find a cute baloiços (swing) that overlooks all of Nazare. If you don’t feel like hiking back up you can always take the Nazare Funicular back up.

Nazare is not a big city but it’s similar to Ericeira where most people come for the beaches and the awesome surfing. It’s a fun day trip from Ericeira.

#5 Peniche

Distance: 59 to 98 kilometers
Time: 1:05 to 1:15
Best way to get there: Car
Best tour: Berlengas Island Trip, Hiking and Cave Tour

Peniche is another coastal town that’s along the Silver Coast. This little town isn’t the most interesting or beautiful town but what drives people to Peniche is the Forte de Sao Joao Baptista on the island of Berlengas, a short boat ride off the coast of Peniche. 

Peniche itself is alright and has a nice beach and a few good places to eat. But if you make a day trip from Ericeira to Peniche then you definitely have to visit the island of Berlenga. It’s the highlight of Peniche for sure. 

You can’t get to the island yourself but you can book a boat tour and they will take you there and you’ll have some time to explore and walk around Berlenga Island and see the little fortress that was built on it.

#6 Lisbon

Distance: 49 kilometers
Time: 50 minutes
Best way to get there: Car or rideshare
More information: Best Things to Do in Lisbon in 2 Days

If you haven’t been to Lisbon already then it’s a city you must visit! Home to some of the best Pastel de Natas, the famous tram 28, and so much more. 

Lisbon has some incredible viewpoints that overlook the city. Lots of them are accessible by taking the 28 tram around the city. 

If you only have one full day in Lisbon then it’s best to just buy a full-day public transport ticket and ride the famous tram to all the touristy and iconic spots. 

It’s a lively city with a lot of energy but also of a lot of historical importance. There’s a reason why so many conventions and events are held in Lisbon each year. It’s a city everyone wants to visit and even if it’s just for a day you can see so much in this beautiful city! 

#7 Cascais

Distance: 38 kilometers
Time: 55 minutes
Best way to get there: Car
More information: A Day Trip to Cascais

Ericeira to Cascais is one of our personal favourite day trips! Cascais itself is one of the most beautiful coastal cities in Portugal and that’s saying a lot since there are plenty of them. 

But Cascais has it all and that’s why we love it so much! From delicious food to great beaches and dolphins, there are so many things to do in Cascais! We’ve gone to Cascais before just to eat at House of Wonder. It’s one of the best (if not the best) vegetarian restaurants we’ve ever been to. 

Talking about things to do, here’s a good list of other fun things to do in Cascais. You can easily spend a full day exploring Cascais and its coast. 

You can spend some time exploring the center of the city and its old town but lots of the fun is around on the outskirts of the city. Our favourite place is a little hidden beach next to the Miradouro Casa de Santa Maria (see the picture above with the lighthouse). It’s quite easy to spot since it’s off the main sidewalk but it’s really beautiful and the water is very clear. 

Little spots like that are the reason why we love Cascais and there’s plenty of those in and around the city. Cascais isn’t that big of a city so you can walk almost everywhere and see everything!

#8 Mira de Aire Caves

Distance: 139 to 160 kilometers
Time: 1:30 to 1:45
Best way to get there: Car
More information: Grutas de Mira de Aire

The Mira de Aire Caves are one of the most famous cave systems in Portugal and also one of the most famous attractions in the country. Quite inland you can find a fascinating tour that takes you down the caves and in between stalagmites and stalactites. This day trip from Ericeira will consist of a lot of driving but there are some beautiful viewpoints along the way where you can stop. 

The tour itself is roughly an hour and a half long and costs around 7.50€ and will bring you down deep into the cave system. It’s quite fascinating seeing how deep the caves go and being that far underground. 

The tour is in Portuguese but they have a little pamphlet that has all the information in English. Since you’re already in Ericeira and less than two hours away from the Mira de Aire caves it’s worth making the drive out and seeing this natural wonder!

#9 Óbidos

Distance: 81 to 95 kilometers
Time: 1:00 to 1:20
Best way to get there: Car

Obidos is one of the only non-coastal cities we visited in Portugal, which means there’s no surfing or beaches in Obidos. What there is in Obidos though is the most beautiful castle and one of the most unique experiences you’ll ever have. 

We spent a full day in Obidos and actually stayed the night at this super cool “campsite” right outside Obidos. From the campsite, you see the castle walls on one side and the famous arches on the other. It’s something straight out of a movie. 

So what is there to do in Obidos? Honestly, the best thing to do is just walk through the castle gates and into the castle and just get lost in all the streets, shops, and restaurants that are there. This isn’t your ordinary castle!

If you get a chance to walk by Capinha d‘Óbidos (bakery) make sure to grab a few treats! They have the WIDEST selection of local and authentic Portuguese pastries baked right in front of your eyes including a lot of very unique pastries that you can only get at this bakery!

Another thing which is a little dangerous but fun is walking along the castle wall. There isn’t a railing or anything so there are big drop-offs but it’s still relatively safe. If you don’t like heights then maybe stick to the streets and explore Obidos Castle from the ground! But if you’re up for a little adventure, then DO IT!

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Recap of the best day trips from Ericeira

There are so many fun day trips you can do from Ericeira and the ones mentioned above are just a handful of our personal favourites. Whether it’s the beaches, castles, waves, or wine, Portugal has it all. 

No matter where you go in Portugal, you can find so many cute little cities and cool villages. Enjoy exploring all these different day trips from Ericeira and let us know which one is your favourite!

Have fun!

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