The Obidos Lagoon is one of the best places in Portugal to start kiteboarding because of the shallow, waist-deep water, which is generally flat and with acres of space. The Lagoon, located one hour north of Lisbon in the Centro Region, is exposed to the full force of the Nortada wind, which is funneled in by the neighboring hills. Summer conditions are ideal, but this is a year-round kiteboarding spot as Obidos works in all wind directions and at all times of the day. There's lots of space to practice as it's generally less crowded than some of the other kite spots nearer to Lisbon. The flat water is perfect for mastering all your tricks, whether that’s relaunching your kite, first jumps, board offs, or busting your first double handle pass. Because the bottom is sandy and there are no channels to draw you out into the ocean, the Obidos Lagoon is a relatively safe area spot to learn to kitesurf, and also offers amazing freestyle kiteboarding conditions for you aspiring pro riders.

Praia do Bom Sucesso on the Obidos Lagoon used to be a bit of a hidden gem kiteboard spot, but it has gained popularity in recent years due to visits by pro kitesurfers and Portugal in general exploding onto the scene (Looking at you Nazare...). The combination of plenty of space, flat water, and the Portuguese Nortada wind makes for a fantastic kite spot for all levels. The quality of kite schools and kite surf infrastructure here have dramatically improved in recent years and so it has become much more welcoming for adventure lovers.

You are only allowed to kiteboard on the estuary and Northern side from mid September until mid June, the summer months are reserved for general public use, so if you visit in summer you’ll have to go kitesurfing a bit further into the lagoon, but Bom Sucesso is still a great place to launch from.