A SALTY fitness retreat in Portugal is a surf and training week at a surf camp in Costa da Caparica, about 15 minutes from Lisbon. You train every day and take surf lessons for all levels, then spend a big night in Lisbon during Santos Populares. The group is small, 25 to 30 guests, and plenty of them come solo.
Why Portugal
June is when Lisbon throws its biggest party. For Santos Populares, the old neighbourhoods fill with streamers and street parties, and the smell of grilled fish follows you around every corner. We planned this week right in the middle of it.
The rest of the week belongs to the coast, with a beach minutes from your bed and Lisbon just across the river. On Day 3 we head to the turquoise water at Praia da Ribeira do Cavalo.
What You'll Actually Do
- Daily workouts, yoga and Pilates with SALTY coaches, scaled for every level
- 3 surf lessons for all levels, with a board and wetsuit for the whole week
- A day trip to Praia da Ribeira do Cavalo on the Arrábida coast
- Wine tasting and karaoke at the Surf House
- A choose-your-own-adventure day, with options like Sintra, Ericeira or a hike (extra cost)
- A night out in Lisbon on Portugal Day, with a shuttle there and back
Who It's For
Solo travellers who want surf and a social week. Friends looking for an active summer trip. Surfers of all levels, including people who have never stood on a board.
Where It Happens
Home base is Gota D'Água Surf Camp in Costa da Caparica: side-by-side villas 3 minutes by bike from the beach, with open outdoor space for training and yoga. Every guest gets a bike, and the whole group stays together on one property.
Fly into Lisbon (LIS). The group shuttle leaves the airport at 12:00 PM on arrival day, so land by 11:30 AM. Landing later or coming in early? We can book you a car, or you can grab a taxi, for about €35 each way.
Best time to go to Portugal
SALTY runs Portugal June 5-12, 2027. The days are warm, and Lisbon is deep into Santos Populares. The biggest night of the festival is June 12, the evening you fly out, so stay one more night if you want to see it.
Is Portugal safe for travelers?
You travel as a group on this trip. The group shuttle leaves Lisbon airport at 12:00 PM on arrival day, so land by 11:30 AM. The whole group stays together on one property at the surf camp, and every guest gets a bike for the short ride to the beach.
On Day 6 we go into Lisbon together, with a shuttle there and back and a big dinner reservation if you want it. SALTY coaches and hosts are with the group all week. Before you book, read your government’s current travel advisory for Portugal.
Portugal surf camp for adults: what a SALTY week includes
The trip price includes 3 surf lessons for all levels, with a board and wetsuit for the whole week. You stay at Gota D’Água Surf Camp in Costa da Caparica, 3 minutes by bike from the beach. Surf times follow the tide, so the lessons move around the schedule.
You do not need surf experience, and first waves are welcome. Around the lessons you get daily workouts with SALTY coaches, plus yoga and Pilates, and an optional afternoon at the beach. To see how this week compares with our other surf trips, read our guide to surf and yoga retreats.
How a SALTY Trip in Portugal Works
Book your spot and get to Lisbon. We run the week from there: training, surf lessons, excursions and the logistics you'd otherwise spend months figuring out. Everything is optional, always.
