Young Life Sintra Surf Camp for Teens — Surf, Hiking & Adventure in Portugal

The camp runs for seven days, 11 to 17 July 2017, for a group of 14- to 18-year-olds. Accommodation, food, transport and surf lessons are all covered by the 550 € price, so once you're signed up the week is essentially all-in. Young Life runs the programme, and the format is a residential summer camp rather than a drop-in surf school — you're with the same group the whole week.

Mornings and afternoons revolve largely around the beach and the water. Surf lessons are the headline activity, taught at one of the beaches on the Sintra coast, which sits about half an hour from Lisbon and is known for both its breaks and its scenery. Separately from the surf sessions, the week includes organised hiking with what the camp describes as stunning views — the Sintra hills and coastline are the draw, and the walking is pitched at a group of teenagers rather than serious trekkers.

The rest of the schedule is deliberately not spelled out: the camp promises 'much more' and 'many surprises', which in practice means evening activities, games and social time run by the leaders. That's typical of a Young Life camp — structured fun rather than a fixed itinerary published in advance.

What sets this apart from a standard family surf holiday is the group format and the age range: everyone on the trip is between 14 and 18, and the week is designed around doing things together — surfing, hiking, eating, and hanging out. It's also unusually complete for the price, since transport, lodging, all meals and the surf instruction are included rather than added on.

Sintra is a genuinely good location for this kind of week. It's a historic town full of castles and culture, close enough to Lisbon for easy access, and its beaches are among the best in Portugal. Summer days there are warm and the evenings cool and pleasant, which suits a schedule that spends daylight hours outside and evenings together at the accommodation.

What's included

- 7 days / 6 nights accommodation - Transport - Meals - Surf lessons - Hiking activities - Evening group programme and activities

What's not included

- Personal spending money - Travel to the initial meeting point, if not covered by included transport - Personal surf or beach equipment beyond what lessons provide - Anything not listed as included