Ericeira
A picturesque village
Mafra, with an area of 12.19 km² and 10 260 inhabitants (2011). Its population density is 841.7 inhabitants / km².
Very old village, presumably a place of passage and installation of the Phoenicians.
Legend has it that the name Ericeira originally means "land of hedgehogs", due to the numerous sea urchins that abounded on its beaches. However, more recent investigations point to the hedgehog and not the sea urchin as inspiring the name. With the discovery of a specimen of the old coat of arms of the Vila, today in the Archive-Museum of Misericórdia, it was confirmed that the animal drawn there is, in fact, a hedgehog.
World Surf Reserve
The Ericeira region is well known in terms of surfing due to the waves in the area, which surfers say are different. It has very renowned beaches for surfing, such as Ribeira d 'Ilhas beach (world surf reserve), Coxos beach in Ribamar, among many others.
Kitesurfing, windsurfing, bodyboarding and stand-up paddle are also widely practiced. Ericeira is the 1st world surf reserve in Europe and 2nd in the world.
​Tourism plays a fundamental role in Ericeira's life and economy. Being the only world surf reserve in Europe and the third in the world, the parish is known worldwide for the ideal conditions for surfing and bodyboarding, particularly on the beaches of Foz do Lizandro and Ribeira D'Ilhas, having in the last past one of the stages of the ASP World Tour. In recent years there has been an increase in facilities to support the practice of these sports, from training centers, hostels for surfers, among other types of infrastructure.
Also...
This village is also good for bathers, with plenty of hotels and good quality beaches such as the fishermen's beach, the northern beach and the Coxos and São Lourenço beaches already in the neighboring town of Ribamar. The village benefits from its proximity to the city of Lisbon and also from the construction of the A21 motorway, being the ideal place for thousands of people who live in and around the capital to spend the weekend, enjoying the excellent gastronomy location and the tranquility of the picturesque village and escape from the always full beaches of Costa da Caparica and the Cascais Line. The Sumol Summer Fest, the biggest popular music event, better known as hip hop tuga, takes place every year at Ericeira Camping, in June, bringing thousands of people, mostly young people, to Ericeira. In addition to surfing and the different beaches, there are also several well-equipped hotels that provide fantastic experiences. Various activities, mostly related to surfing, are often included.