Ericeira is located on the west coast of Portugal, 35 km northeast of Lisbon. Ericeira is a popular destination for residents and tourists from all over the world. The climatic characteristics (high concentration of iodine), recreational and competitive surfing have made Ericeira popular. Every year, the number of visitors to the city increases.

Ericeira is a small region, its surface area is about 13 km2. Ericeira is also known as a seaside resort and attracts a large number of surfers with its ideal for this sporting beach: there are about ten of them and it is easy to do a surfing course in Ericeira. This is where Europe’s largest surfing centre is located, which has opened a school and started teaching this kind of sport to all newcomers, including holidaymakers. The most famous surfing beach where championships are held is Ribeira d’Ilhas beach.

The name of this small village, also known as the fishing area, comes from « Ouriceir », which derives from the word « Ourico » which means « urchin » (the sea urchins were drawn on the coat of arms of the region). There is a legend that Ericeira was a sea urchin land because of the large number of sea urchins that lived along the coastal beaches. However, recent studies do not confirm this fact. It is also believed that the name of the village has Phoenician roots and is associated with the goddess of love Astarta.

Among Ericeira’s attractions is the local philharmonic society, which has existed since 1849. You can also visit the 15th century Santa Maria d’Ericeira chapel.

 

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