A first-time guide to the Costa Verde, Portugal

The Costa Verde isn't the Portugal you think you know. This is a place of mist-mantled mountains and rivers that run inky black, pine forests swirling around pretty fishing villages and the white sand of some of the country's best beaches arched between rocky headlands.

Running for around 80km (50 miles) between Porto and the Spanish border, the region is the least-visited stretch of coastline in the country. A lot of that's down to climate. Heavy fog can hug the beaches even in high summer, while rainfall peaks in the inland hills.

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But what the Costa Verde lacks in blazing sun, it more than makes up for in adventure, culture and scenery. Come here to wander ancient pilgrimage routes among oat-clad dunes. Come to sample crisp white wines in highland vineyards. Come for surf breaks and charming beach towns where beer fests spring beneath Mudejar spires. 

If you want to stray beyond Portugal's most popular locales, the Costa Verde could be just what you've been looking for.

When should I go to the Costa Verde?

The Costa Verde sees only a fraction of the crowds of the Algarve and the Silver Coast, though beaches get noticeably busier throughout the Portuguese school holidays (usually early June to the first week of September). The north of Portugal doesn't have the same long, sunny summer as the south, while winters are noticeably wetter and wilder. Weather-wise, your best chance of seeing the region at its finest is between June and September, when the average temperature sits around 18°C (65°F) and rainfall dips to just a few days per month.

Bear in mind that the Costa Verde is never a sure bet for sun. The rugged coastal topography, the meeting of oceans and mountains, and the strong nortada (north wind) that blows from June on mean it's highly unpredictable. Beaches are often socked in by fog until midmorning, and the gusts start blowing around midday, so time your sunbathing sessions wisely and have alternate plans at the ready.

How much time should I spend in the Costa Verde?

The Costa Verde can work as a weekend escape from the hustle and bustle of a visit to Porto, or it can be a base for a full two-week vacation. Short stayers should pick one beach town and head straight there. Choose wisely as they're all quite different. Póvoa de Varzim has glitzy casinos and golf resorts, for example, while Ofir is for beachcombing beside the dunes and Afife is better for surf.

If you have more time, you could settle in at a villa – you won't find the same overload of options as in the Algarve, but there's still a fantastic selection. Or string together several beach towns as you drive the coast from Porto up to the border with Spain, watching as the coastal hills get ever lusher and higher and the river estuaries get wider and more beset by pine forests.

Is it easy to get in and around the Costa Verde?

Porto is the southernmost point of the Costa Verde, which means the region is a cinch to reach. You can catch low-cost and long-haul flights into Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport there, or get speedy trains up from Lisbon.

Traveling around is a bit trickier. The red line of the Porto metro can take you as far as Póvoa de Varzim, a decent starting point with its own beaches and surf breaks. Regional trains go all the way from Porto's Campanhã station to the lovely river town of Caminha on the edge of the Spanish border in around 90 minutes.

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However, there's really no substitute for having your own car. That will open up all the hidden beaches and coves, from boardwalk-backed Belinho to rocky Praia da Amorosa. What's more, when the morning fog sets in, you'll be able to turn the wheels inland and venture into the mountains, a land of roaring waterfalls, sleepy hill towns and – of course – vineyards.

Top things to do in the Costa Verde

Split your time 80-20 between the coast and inland to capture all this region has to offer, from tempting vineyards to beaches that wow when the fog clears.

         Kick back on the beaches

Unsurprisingly, beaches are the highlight of the Costa Verde. But they're a bit different than what you might be used to in Portugal. Gone are the ochre-tinged bays of the Algarve and the uninterrupted sands of the Silver Coast. Here, the shore jigs and jags inward and outward, carved up by big river estuaries that create long sandspits and, as you head further north, buttressed by high hills and dunes clad in pines and sea oats.

Families will love the accessibility of Azurara. Park just behind the dunes and stroll over the boardwalk to find a long, wide beach and beginner-level surf breaks. For isolation, wander to the tip of Ofir Norte, which has wisps of white sand that shift and reshape to the whims of the Rio Cávado. Personal favorites include Praia de Afife and Praia da Arda, two gleaming surf beaches broken up by patches of rocks just south of Vila Praia de Âncora.

         Hike hallowed pilgrimage routes

The Costa Verde is crisscrossed by the iconic Camino de Santiago, a long-distance pilgrimage route that links Lisbon to Santiago de Compestela in Spain. There are a few variations: the central route through the forested mountains and – everyone's favorite – the coastal route, which you can join at almost any town along the shoreline of the Costa Verde.

It's easy to get on the trail. Simply look for the shell sign that marks the pilgrimage routes and start walking. The best sections include the forest walk north of Castelo do Neiva through oak and pine woods and the boardwalks that thread along Praia de Afife.            

Sample the region's best wines

With Spain's legendary albariño growing region to the north and the big reds of the Douro Valley being made to the south, the Costa Verde is somewhat overshadowed by its neighbors. But the region is the home of sharp, citrusy vinho verde (green wine) and is becoming a leader in experimental grape varieties.

When there's fog on the beaches, drive inland on the snaking mountain roads toward the lovely town of Ponte de Lima. The north side of the river is host to Aphros Wine, one of a handful of biodynamic winemakers in the country; a six-wine tasting flight plus a tour will set you back €50 (US$52) per person. This is holistic viticulture in the extreme. Grapes are picked at the right time in the lunar cycle, treated with aged manure packed into cow horns (yep, you read that right) and matured in huge terra-cotta amphorae. The result? Wine that supposedly carries no risk of a hangover. And tasty wine at that.

Surf unbusy waves

Surfers on the Costa Verde need a bit more grit than their southern counterparts. The water here is a whole lot colder than in, say, the Algarve, and the waves are punchy and unpredictable, with only short windows when the swell and winds match up right. When they do, you can strike gold because they remain some of the least-busy waves in the country, with none of the crowds you find in headline surf towns like Ericeira or Peniche.

There are upward of 20 surfable spots between Porto and the Spanish border. Close to the city, Matosinhos is well known for its dumpy waves (which can suffer from pollution). Travel at least as far as Praia do Mindelo, 25km (16 miles) north of Porto, to escape that and get wedgy beach breaks that are fun for all levels depending on swell size. North another 53km (33 miles) brings you to Praia do Cabedelo, which often has waves when other places are too small, and north again opens up Afife, an all-level beach with some steep, fast lefts off the reefs on its south end.

My favorite thing to do in the Costa Verde

The church-filled, cobbled town of Caminha might look like a pious outpost on the pilgrimage routes, but it goes positively off the hook in July with the Art Beer Fest, an annual blowout of beer, music, wine and all things counterculture. It's been voted one of the best nonmusic festivals in Iberia, and it deserves the plaudits.

Thousands pack just two squares to guzzle craft beers from across Europe. A load of Portuguese breweries attend, along with a particularly impressive showing from Swedish brewhouses. The food is excellent. The performances border on Dadaist, in the vein of steampunk bands wearing foam mohawks and folk singers yelling through megaphones.

How much money do I need for the Costa Verde?

The Costa Verde is one of the most affordable coastal regions in Portugal. Because it remains largely off the tourist trail, you won't find huge surges in the cost of hotels and transport during the peak season, though there is a slight premium during summer visits. Daily budgets are likely to be somewhere between €100 to €200 (US$103 to US$206), though accommodation can cost considerably less if you're willing to stay a bit inland and drive to the beaches. As is typical of Portugal, hotels will be your biggest spend; food, wine, coffee, supermarkets and car rentals are generally a very good value.

• Hotel room in a town on the coast: €80 to €200 (US$83 to $207)

• Car rental per day: €22 (US$23)

• Espresso: €1 ($1)

• Train ticket from Porto to Caminha: €11 (US$11)

• A margarita pizza: €11 ($11)

Swimming on the Costa Verde

The Costa Verde has some wonderful swimming spots, but it's important to respect the ocean. Many beaches that look swimmable will have pounding shore break waves that make it dangerous to enter the water. Tides can alter the look of beaches, hiding rocks and rips as they push up and down. Learn what the various swimming flags mean, look for more sheltered beaches for swimming, and be wary in the fall, winter and spring, when even popular locations may not be patrolled by lifeguards.

Pack for all seasons

The Costa Verde does not guarantee 27°C (80°F) days and endless sunshine like some parts of Portugal. In fact, the highlands of Minho are the wettest part of the country, and fog is a common occurrence on the coasts here. That all helps to maintain the unique climate needed for those zingy wines and the lush forested inland, though it does mean you should pack for all weather, even if you travel in July or August. It's quite possible to wake up to blazing sunshine only to finish the day with blustery north winds and heavy rain.