Matías Silva photography
A family walks toward the sea at sunset along a street in Nazaré, Portugal.

Matías Silva · Photography

Nazaré

Over three years in Portugal I kept going back to Nazaré to get to know its sea, its people and its culture. These photographs are the result of that work: the waves of Praia do Norte, life in the town and the Atlantic light at the end of the day. Each image has its own card with the place and how it was made.

Nazaré, Portugal
39°36′N 9°04′W
29 photographs in three chapters
A guide to photographing Nazaré
The seaWaves, cliff and the ForteThe townStreets, boats and catsThe lightSunsets and the blue hour
I

The sea

Praia do Norte is the beach with the biggest waves in the world. The Nazaré Canyon concentrates the energy of the Atlantic in front of the Forte, and in winter the sea becomes a spectacle.

6 photographs
Big day at Praia do NorteForte de São Miguel Arcanjo
Wind against the wavePraia do Norte
Praia do Norte from the cliffPraia do Norte
Looking downPraia do Norte
The cliff and the baySítio da Nazaré
Westfalia by the seaNazaré coast
II

The town

Between the beach and the Sítio lives a fishing town with streets that run down to the sea, hand-painted boats and walls where cats watch people go by.

15 photographs
The street ends at the seaPraia da Nazaré
The town through the branchesView toward the Sítio
To the lighthouseNazaré
Beach boatsPraia da Nazaré
The avenue and the funicularPraia da Nazaré
Tuk-tuk on the cliffNazaré
Under the archNazaré
Two generationsNazaré
Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da NazaréSítio da Nazaré
The yellow houseNazaré
Poppy in the calçadaNazaré
Fair under a stormNazaré

Series

The town cats

They live in courtyards and on top of walls. Nobody hurries them.

The courtyard SiameseNazaré
Keeper of the wallNazaré
The jumpNazaré
III

The light

Nazaré faces west. Every evening the sun goes down over the Atlantic and the whole town gathers at the viewpoints to watch.

8 photographs
Walking down at sunsetNazaré
Last light over the beachView from the Sítio
Maiores Ondas do MundoEntrance to the Forte
Backlight on the avenuePraia da Nazaré
The Forte in silhouetteForte de São Miguel Arcanjo
Lamp post at the viewpointMiradouro do Suberco, Sítio
The deerPath to the Forte
Nazaré at nightView from the Sítio
IV

How to photograph Nazaré

Where to stand, when to go and what to bring. What I learned in three years of coming and going.

Guide

Nazaré has two sides. North of the cliff is Praia do Norte, the open beach where the giant waves break. To the south, sheltered, is the town beach with its avenue, the boats and the Sítio above, linked by the funicular.

For the waves, everything happens in winter and depends on the forecast. For street and light, any season works: the sun sets over the sea all year round.

Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo

Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo

The classic spot to watch the big waves. The lighthouse stands on the cliff that separates Praia do Norte from the town; from the esplanade you see the wave break head-on.

Big waves · long telephoto
Praia do Norte, from the sand

Praia do Norte, from the sand

For the texture of the water and the spray. Take the trail down and stay well back from the shoreline: on big days the sea surges up without warning.

Wave detail · fast shutter
Sítio and Miradouro do Suberco

Sítio and Miradouro do Suberco

The viewpoint above the town. It is the place for sunset and for the blue hour, when the avenue lights come on.

Sunset and night · tripod
Praia da Nazaré and the town

Praia da Nazaré and the town

The beach of the traditional boats and the streets that run down to the sea. Good for street photography in the morning and late afternoon.

Street and culture · prime lens

Frequently asked questions

When are the big waves in Nazaré?

The season runs from October to March. November, December, January and February are the months with the best chance of giant waves. From May to August the sea is usually calm.

Why are the waves in Nazaré so big?

Off Praia do Norte there is an underwater canyon that concentrates the energy of North Atlantic swells. When a large storm arrives, the wave grows as it enters the canyon.

Where is the best place to photograph the waves?

On the esplanade of the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo, on top of the cliff. On big days it gets crowded and parking is hard, so arrive early.

What lens do I need?

For the surfers, a long telephoto between 400 and 600 mm, because many waves break far out. For the landscape and the scale of the place, a standard zoom is enough.

How do I know if there will be big waves?

Check the swell forecast: a period of 13 seconds or more, a west or northwest swell and a light east or southeast wind. A mid, rising tide often brings the strongest sets.

Season and forecast: Surfer Today.

V

About me

Matías Silva, photographer between San Miguel and Nazaré.

Camera on a tripod facing Praia do Norte on a wave day.

I am from San Miguel, Buenos Aires. Nazaré is my second home.

I lived in Portugal for three years. Part of that time I was based in Nazaré, and the rest of the time I travelled there whenever I could to study its waves, its culture, its people and its energy. Those were three years of looking at the same place with patience, and that is where the way I photograph it today comes from.

I created Viva Nazaré, a project dedicated to the people, the culture and the giant waves of the town. Before that I co-founded Nazaré Inside, which publishes reports on the waves and local life.

I photograph the sea, the street and nature. I am preparing to return to Nazaré in the winter of 2027 to photograph the big wave season from the Forte. This website is the record of that journey.

Based in
San Miguel, Buenos Aires
Project
Viva Nazaré
Subjects
Sea, street, nature
Next
Big wave season in Nazaré, 2027
VI

Contact

For collaborations, enquiries or image licensing, write to me by email or direct message.

matiassilva.ph@gmail.com
Collaborations and enquiries
@matiassilva.ph
Photography and process
@vivanazare
Nazaré’s people, culture and waves