Praia de Santa Rita is a very big beach north from the town of Santa Cruz, between Peniche and Ericeira. It is a very exposed beach that almost always catches waves and swell, so that means two things: that it get too messy easily but at the same time can offer some fun waves even when everywhere else is totally flat (so in summer months).
Santa Rita usually works best during low tide, and there are no hazards, rocks or dangers to highlight in this spot. Santa Rita is almost never crowded since people choose any of the spots closer to Peniche, Santa Cruz or even Ericeira, which are not far away, so if you run away from people in the water, that might be your place to be.
Main peaks at Santa Rita beach
Since it is a beach break, the different peaks can move a bit depending on how the sandbanks are located. However, in the middle/left side of the bay you have a peak working almost every time there’s swell, and on the north edge of the bay there’s a bit of reef that almost always have some waves that break into a right hand.
During summer it might be the spot to go if everywhere else is flat. The quality of the waves is not amazing, but at least you will be able to catch some, probably with few people in the water, and when you get tired you can spend the rest of the day laying on the sand or strollig around in the nearby and beautiful town of Santa Cruz.
Video of Santa Rita and Porto Novo beaches
In following video you can see an aerial view of the beach of Santa Rita and its neighbour Porto Novo:
Access and services in the spot
There is a very very big parking right behind the dunes that is almost impossible to get full. During summer on the sand you will find some beach bars installed, and if you want to eat something just a few hundred meters away you have the beach of Porto Novo with some proper restaurants.
