MyWay Kite & Surf offers surf, wingfoil and kitesurfing lessons on the Ria de Aveiro, one of the most versatile kite spots in Europe. Our school sits right at the edge of the lagoon in Gafanha da Nazaré, Ílhavo, on the Atlantic coast of central Portugal. A narrow sandbar separates the Ria de Aveiro from the open ocean, so we have flat lagoon water on one side and Atlantic waves on the other. You can switch between them in minutes.
At a glance:
- We are a VDWS-certified kite school at the Ria de Aveiro, Gafanha da Nazaré, Portugal
- Kitesurfing lessons and wingfoil lessons for all levels, from complete beginners to advanced. Private, double and group lessons (max 4 students per instructor)
- Safety: rescue boat, VDWS-licensed instructors, buddy system
- Equipment: Duotone, Core, Flysurfer kites. Mystic and ION accessories
- Wind: thermal-influenced trade winds, ~80% wind probability late April to late September, ~60% in winter. Side-onshore to sideshore conditions at the beach
- Instructors: VDWS-certified, multilingual
- Accommodation: on-site hotel with 10 rooms, less than 50 metres from the water, breakfast available
- On-site facilities: bar, shop, equipment storage, park with hammocks, roof terrace
About our spot at the Ria de Aveiro
We run kitesurfing lessons across three different spots, matched to your level and the day’s conditions. The Ria de Aveiro is a large tidal lagoon. Flat, sandy-bottomed and uncrowded, it is where most kitesurfing lessons happen. Beginners get their first metres on the board without worrying about waves, and more experienced kiters have room to cruise, practice tricks or do supervised downwinders through the waterways. A short drive away is Praia da Barra, our ocean wave spot. Beginners in surfing and wave kiting use the gentler inside sections. More demanding conditions further down the beach suit advanced kiters going for waves. Both spots are sandy.
What’s the kitesurfing season in Aveiro?
Portugal’s west coast sits in the path of the Atlantic trade winds, and Aveiro is informally considered one of the windiest cities in the country. The main season runs from late April to late September, with wind probability around 80%. During summer the wind is strongly thermal: mornings are often calm, then the north-westerly builds from around midday, turns further north (sideshore at the beach), picks up strength and holds through the afternoon until sunset. Most forecasts underestimate this thermal effect, so expect more wind on sunny days than the numbers suggest. In winter, the wind follows Atlantic weather systems more closely. Direction varies, but wind probability stays around 60%. The lagoon handles almost any wind direction well, extending the usable season considerably.
What kitesurfing lessons do we offer?
Kitesurfing lessons at MyWay run at your pace. Pay per hour or buy a package (5 to 15% off depending on volume). Unused hours carry over to your next visit. Private lessons are 70 euros per hour. Double lessons (2 students, 1 instructor) are 50 euros per person. Group lessons (3 to 4 students) are 40 euros per person. A 2-hour taster course costs 55 euros. Beyond beginner and intermediate progression, we offer Supervised Kiter sessions for those who can ride but want support, a Self Rescue Intensive course, Kite Rehab for riders rebuilding confidence after a bad experience, a Wave Camp with coach Ricardo, Foil Camps, and supervised Downwinders through the lagoon’s sandbars and waterways. We are a VDWS-licensed school and work exclusively with licensed instructors. What wingfoil lessons do we offer? Wingfoil lessons follow a clear progression: wing handling on land, then onto the water on a SUP board, stepping down in board size as control improves, and finally onto the foil itself. The lagoon’s flat water gives you clean conditions to learn without fighting chop. Private wingfoil lessons are 160 euros for 2 hours. Double lessons (2 students) are 120 euros per person for 2 hours.
Our equipment
We provide Duotone, Core and Flysurfer kites for all kitesurfing lessons, with Mystic and ION harnesses and accessories. To use our gear for independent sessions you need at least VDWS Level 5 or IKO Level 4 plus adequate liability insurance. We also have a secure, alarmed storage room if you bring your own kit.
Our accommodation
The MyWay Hotel is less than 50 metres from the water, with direct lagoon access via a footbridge. Kite lessons, downwinders and boat trips all start from the hotel. There are 10 rooms: standard doubles, superior doubles with a French balcony, and a family room. Breakfast is available from 5 euros. The hotel has a community room with cinema, roof terrace, park with hammocks, bar, free Wi-Fi, and access to tennis, basketball and football courts, a running track and an outdoor gym.
When the wind takes a day off
Flat days happen, but the options are good: e-foil on the lagoon, wakeboarding with our speedboat (we are the only wakeboard school in the area with proper equipment), SUP tours through the waterways, surf skate, tubing and bike rental. Beyond the school, Aveiro city is a short ride away with canal boats, tiled buildings and good seafood. The Passadiços do Paiva is a well-regarded hiking trail within easy reach. Nazaré, famous for big-wave surf, is about 1.5 hours south by car, and we organise group trips there when the forecast looks right. Porto, Coimbra, Nazaré and Lisbon can all be reached by direct train from Aveiro station, so a kite camp here pairs well with a few days elsewhere in the country.
