Where in Europe is good for body boarding?

[twosoups1972]

Trying to find a good holiday destination for body boarding in Europe, any suggestions please? Preferably somewhere where there are other things to do beside watersports.

The Algarve is great, we had a few holidays in Alvor when DC were of an age to enjoy body boarding. It's the Atlantic coast so seas much rougher than the Med.

Thank you @WandaOff Alvor looks really nice! Is there much to do there, sightseeing etc?

It's a lovely resort, quaint cobbled streets and lovely restaurants. The beach is fabulous and goes on for miles. DC were around 10/12 years old. We never did sightseeing with children, they just wanted pool or body boarding all day. There are water parks along the coast.

Sounds lovely! I've just had a look at it seems to be quite a long way from the airport - 2 hours?? Is that right?

Thats not right. Id have thought 45mins?

That sounds better!

Baleal is good, anywhere along the silver coast in Portugal really

Just Google mapped it: 50mins.

Baleal. Silver coast of Portugal. Or for more activities and bigger town: Nazare. About 60mins from lisbon

Still on Portugal.

I also recently flew to Porto and the beaches there are quite surfy. Try Foz near Porto or Vila do Conde 25 mins north. Plenty of other things to do including day trips to Guimares (medieval town) and Braga (see sanctuary of Bom Jesus very pretty).

Nazare would be my top pick.

Sagres on the Algarve is excellent for surfy fun but 80mins drive from faro airport. Love that area as you have calmer beaches at Burgau, Salema, Ingrina and Zavial on South coast. Or surf beaches on west coast.

Peniche also good. magicseaweed.com/Supertubos-Surf-Report/196/

You can go to Obidos that is an interesting town for sightseeing. It really depends how good you are at boarding. Nazare is a lovely town

West coast of France is another option. We've surfed there a few times as part of a camping holiday. Loads to do as well as surfing.

We also had a surf holiday in Sagres but found there was a lot of driving involved to get to the beaches.

West coast of Ireland. Beautiful and other things to do. (Sun not guaranteed.)

Alvor is about 40 mins from Faro airport if you take the A22 motorway which is a toll road. Much slower on the N125 which is the old Algarve road that goes through all the resorts.

The sea can be rough on the Algarve but it depends on which way the wind is blowing. I have been in that part of the world many times and there are sometimes very calm seas for days on end. Also just to warn you the sea the sea is cold in the Algarve especially if calm- even in blistering heat! Strangely always seems much warmer when the wind comes off the sea making the waves rougher.