- 1In Nazaré, the Praia do Norte big-wave cliffs and the WSL Big Wave Tour viewing platforms at the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo lighthouse, the Sítio funicular ride and the Nossa Senhora da Nazaré sanctuary clifftop esplanade, and the Pederneira hilltop village with its whitewashed houses 2 km inland are within reach of every hotel on this list, good for morning and evening outings.
- 2Nazaré is a 10 000-resident Atlantic fishing town on Portugal's Costa de Prata that became a global big-wave destination after the Praia do Norte canyon swell broke world records, with a clifftop Sítio quarter linked to the lower beach by a vintage 1889 funicular, the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo lighthouse housing the surfing museum, and a wide sandy Praia da Nazaré where dogs are welcome outside the lifeguarded zone in summer, pets are a normal part of street life, café terraces, and local shops.
- 3Hotels selected for this guide are specifically in the lower Praia beachfront promenade, the clifftop Sítio quarter reached by the funicular or the steep Ladeira do Sítio, and the Pederneira historic upper village, where pet infrastructure is densest and local restaurants routinely provide water bowls and terrace access.
Best season: spring & autumn