Gota Dagua Surf Camp Portugal - Costa da Caparica, Lisbon — Hotel in Almada

To start, I’d like to say that I’ve visited several surf camps over the past twelve years and can make a fair comparison. I chose Gota Dagua because you can borrow a wetsuit and board for free and head into the water on your own – no need to book lessons if you don’t want to. That flexibility really stood out to me.

+++ Accommodation, Rooms, and Restaurant +++ The camp is in a quiet location but still close to the surf beach. There are three houses with pools and common areas. Bicycles are available free of charge – everyone gets one for the whole week, which is super convenient for getting to the beach or the promenade. You can choose between double and four-bed rooms with bunk beds. I stayed in a four-bed room and can highly recommend it: clean, with a wardrobe and a comfortable mattress.

The restaurant is the heart of the camp – it’s where people meet, have a drink (they even have draft beer!), and start their evenings together. Although breakfast and dinner are included, I recommend checking out the menu as well. The burgers in particular are fantastic – reasonably priced and made with care. You can tell that the ingredients are high quality and that the kitchen team is well chosen.

+++ The Food – Breakfast and Dinner Included! +++ Breakfast is varied and has something for everyone: muesli, bread rolls, cheese, cold cuts, jams – everything you need. There’s also a daily extra like scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, or Pasteis de Nata. Dinner is just as diverse – freshly cooked, healthy, and tasty. Occasionally, there’s sangria or even a wine tasting included.

+++ The Team +++ It doesn’t feel like dealing with “staff” – it feels more like a big family. The team works well together, and you can tell they enjoy what they do and genuinely care for the guests. I always felt very welcome. Even outside the camp, in restaurants or from Uber drivers, you hear only good things about the team’s positive spirit.

+++ Surfing +++ Whether you're a beginner or already have experience, the surf lessons are effective and well-structured. And if you’re just renting gear, the staff still take time to offer helpful tips and guidance.

+++ Activities and Entertainment +++ There’s something happening every evening – games, karaoke, quiz nights, and more. Although I’m a bit older, I never felt out of place and had a great time. There’s a lot of variety, including cultural experiences like a trip to Lisbon, which I highly recommend. Later in the evening, you can head out to local bars if you like.

+++ Conclusion – In a Few Words +++ This place really gets everything right. I know for sure it won’t be my last time here. It’s about more than just surfing – you meet great people, have meaningful conversations, and genuinely feel sad when the week is over. A truly...

I went in unsure what to expect in Portugal, but by the end of the trip turned out to be an unforgettable trip and memory! I went to Gota Dagua Surf Week 23, 2025!

Surf Lessons - To begin, I am an intermediate surfer from the USA and know how to catch waves, and just wanted to get premium waves to learn and improve turns and carving. There are 4 time slots per day and your lesson time rotates. The class size is 5 people to an instructor, and the lineup is big enough to share. I was very happy to see that the surf instructors were able to adapt and provide feedback and teach appropriately for everyones level, from complete beginners around me first time on a board to my own case!! This really sold me on the quality of this surf camp.

Beach Break - Came into a perfect week, waves Monday/Tues 4-5ft, Wed/Thur 2-3ft, and got smaller everyday down to 1ft on our last day of surfing. So got to practice in all conditions. Water was clean and recommend a 3/2 wetsuit. The camp provides good wetsuits, but they use 4/3 year round. If you have your own 3/2, I recommend bringing it, some other surfers did this.

The Camp - The entire team, from the owner Anastácio, the hosts, and the surf instructors, everyone is outgoing, friendly and a blast to be around. The vibe is the perfect balance of excitement and chill, always happy and max fun, but also had time to slow down, rejuvenate, and enjoy the beauty of Costa da Caparica. The rooms/beds/bathrooms were clean everyday. The breakfast offerings and included dinners were filling. Even the pizza restaurant (in Costa da Caparica) we went to for pizza night was delicious (makes sense, because it was owned by an italian couple). Lunch was the only meal you had to take care of by yourself, but was easy with snacks or restaurants/bars on the beach. Bikes provided are really a lifesaver! They make getting to the beach and town super convenient!! Anastácio is simply amazing with keeping everything running smoothly and making sure you have the best time of your life. Thank you Anastácio, and thank you for existing! ;D

Overall, the surf camp is structured but loose. The hosts provide different activities everyday for you to take part in the evenings after everyones surf lessons were done, but if you don't want to, thats fine too (your loss, because they are really fun!). I recommend the paradise beach trip!

The only note, being unprepared on my part coming from the the USA, was to have some Euros (~50€ will more than suffice for the entire week) on hand for paying your tab and buying snacks. Credit card is still acceptable when...

I recently had the pleasure of staying at this surf camp and I have to say that it was an absolutely fantastic experience. The location of the camp is top-notch - just a 5-minute walk away from the beach. What's more, the camp provides bicycles for all, so you can easily get around the area and explore other nearby places.

The facilities at the camp were excellent. All three different buildings were nearby each other and were clean, beautiful, and comfortable. I was particularly impressed with the attention to detail when it came to maintaining the cleanliness of the facilities.

But what really made my stay at the camp unforgettable was the amazing staff. The staff was friendly, helpful, and always willing to go above and beyond to make sure that we had the best possible experience. I especially want to give a shoutout to Anastasio (aka "ALEX 33 years old" :D), who was an exceptional guide. He had some of the best jokes, was super knowledgeable about Portugal's history, and was just an all-around great person to be around. If I were a co-founder of this camp, I would give Anastasio a triple raise! He was one of the reasons that this week was unforgettable, and I rate this camp 5/5.

The program of the surf camp was also very well planned out, with a lot of activities that kept us engaged and entertained throughout our stay. I was thoroughly impressed with the range of activities that were available, and I particularly appreciated the attention that was given to ensuring that there was something for everyone.

Finally, I want to give a shoutout to the instructors at the camp. For our group of 15-20 people, we had 4 amazing instructors who were true professionals. They were able to help surfers at all levels, whether it was your first time standing on a surfboard or if you were already an experienced surfer.

Overall, I had an incredible experience at this surf camp, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable and...