One of the popular days trips from Lisbon is to Nazare to see the world class waves. We spent a full afternoon one day just watching surfers ride the monstrous waves in Nazare and it was amazing. 

One thing we love about Portugal is how easy it is to get around the country – whether that be via public transport or privately. So even if you’re staying in the capital you can easily do a day trip from Lisbon to Nazare. 

Or if you’re just looking for the most convenient way to get there then you can look at the options below and see what works best for you.

We hope you make the best of your trip from Lisbon to Nazare!

Pin for Pinterest from Lisbon to Nazare.

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4 best ways to get from Lisbon to Nazare

Tons of people travel up the Silver Coast of Portugal and eventually end up in Nazare. But this trip can also be done as a day trip from Lisbon if you want to quickly see the beautiful coastal city. 

If you have the chance though, definitely try to stay at least one night in Nazare because there’s a lot to see there and you definitely want to spend some time by the waves! The Funicular trail in Nazare is awesome to do plus the other fun things to do in Nazaré really make it worth spending a few days there.

In this post, you will find the different options on how to get between Lisbon and Nazare. You will also be able to find ticket prices, links to sites where you can book from, and reasons why we recommend each option.

Let’s get right into all the different options!

A map of the directions between Lisbon and Nazaré Portugal
A map of the directions between Lisbon and Nazaré

Lisbon to Nazare by bus

Average price: €8-12 one way
Average time: Just under 2 hours.
Convenience: 4.5/5
Where to book: Omio

The bus is definitely the best option if you’re looking at taking public transportation to Nazare. The convenient thing about the bus is that it leaves from Sete Rios bus terminal which is one of the stops on the blue metro line in Lisbon. So it’s easy to get to the bus from anywhere in Lisbon basically.

Once you get dropped off, you’ll be within walking distance to everything in Nazare.

The buses leave every few hours from Lisbon to Nazare so you don’t have to book it too far in advance. The prices are reasonable for the distance since it is roughly a 2-hour trip. 

It doesn’t get more convenient than that if you want to explore Nazare. If we weren’t travelling Portugal by Van then this would be our first choice.

Photo to book your ticket from Lisbon to Nazare.

Lisbon to Nazare by rental car

Average price: Anywhere from €10-50 a day + gas + toll fees on the highway (can be avoided)
Average time: 1.5 hours
Convenience: 4/5
Where to book: Discover Cars

The price of public transport is quite cheap in Portugal. For that reason, we really favour the bus and train over rental cars. Especially if you’re just going for a day trip. However, for longer periods of time renting a car is totally worth it.  

We also want to mention that depending on which way you take to Nazare you may end up paying toll fees for using the highway. It’s quite normal in Portugal.

Thankfully, Google Maps has different route options based on whether you want to pay for the toll fees or not. You can change your settings to “avoid tolls” and you’ll end up saving some $$ on your drive.

During our road trip in Portugal when we cruised around our Portugal By Van we avoided them at all times and it was easy peasy. Sometimes it would take a little longer because we’d be driving through villages and smaller roads but to us, it was worth not paying the toll fees which can be quite steep.

If you do rent a car though we recommend Discover Cars. Picking the car up from Lisbon Airport if you want the cheapest option. We like using Discover Cars because it compares the different rental companies and shows you the cheapest and best options! The further you book the car rental in advance the more likely you are to get a better rate!

One last thing to know is that most rental calls in Portugal will be manual. So make sure to practice that if you haven’t already.

Book your rental car from Lisbon Airport here.

Picture of a car rental from Lisbon to Lagos, Portugal.

Lisbon to Nazare by Campervan rental

Average price: Depends on the season (price guide here)
Average time: 1.5 hours
Convenience: 4.5/5
Where to book: Portugal by Van

If you get the opportunity to travel Portugal by Van then do it! It’s a great way to see the country and a convenient way to stay in one spot for multiple days at a time. Portugal is also super camping-friendly and there are tons of great campsites along the Silver Coast of Portugal and in Nazaré.

If you pick up your campervan in Lisbon you can drive directly to Nazaré, or you can make some stops along the way up the coast before you make your way to this coastal city. 

This option, of course, doesn’t work if you’re just planning just the day trip but for a longer trip, the campervan works perfectly. If you plan to explore the country and explore the coast then definitely consider booking a van from PortugalByVan.

We had the best time in our little house on wheels and loved travelling around the country this way. If there is a way to travel around Portugal the campervan is an incredible way to do it.

Book your PortugalByVan here.

Lisbon to Nazare on a guided tour

Average price: €60 to 75
Average time: 9 hours
Convenience: 5/5
Where to book: GetYourGuide

Last but not least, there is always the option of going to Nazare from Lisbon on a guided tour! This is a great option if you like to just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

Now, there are no tours that only go to Nazare from Lisbon. The majority of them will also stop in Fatima, Batalha, and Obidos. All places are super beautiful so if you’re looking for a packed day visiting lots of UNESCO sites, and learning about Portuguese culture and history, while still catching some epic waves from Nazare, then this is a great option!

Book your guided tour to Nazare here.

Other related questions about Nazare

Is Nazare worth visiting?

Nazare is absolutely worth visiting if you want to see some of the biggest waves in the world. Nazare is a coastal town along Portugal’s Silver Coast and is famous for its big wave surf competitions and the huge waves you can at Praia do Norte.

Is Nazare the biggest wave?

Nazare is known to have the biggest waves ever surfed. Back in 2011 Garrett McNamara rode one of the biggest waves ever documented and from there on Nazare has been known as the biggest wave ever ridden.

Can you swim in Nazare?

Nazere isn’t the best place to swim as the waves are quite big – and you for sure won’t be swimming at Praia do Norte! But at Praia da Nazare it’s possible to dip into the water. However, it’s still not the best place to swim.

What time of year are big waves in Nazare?

There are big waves all year around but from November to February is when you can expect the really big waves that Nazaré is famously known for.

Is it easy to get from Lisbon to Nazare?

Yes, public transport and driving is relatively easy in Portugal so getting from Lisbon to Nazaré isn’t too challenging thanks to the good bus network within the country.

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Recap of how to get from Lisbon to Nazaré

We hope you have the best time exploring Nazare. Maybe if you’re lucky you’ll be there on a day when they have some crazy big waves. Otherwise, there are plenty of other things to do in Nazare and it has an awesome vibe so it should be a lot of fun!

If you have any questions about getting from Lisbon to Nazare or about Nazare in general, feel free to DM us on Instagram or leave a comment down below and we’ll get back to you right away. 

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