Ericeira Nightlife
The Best Bars and Nightclubs in Ericeira
If you are wondering about the nightlife in Ericeira, then this article has everything you need to know before you hit town, from an insider’s perspective.
The Ericeira Nightlife in the Summer vs Winter
Despite the hype, Ericeira is still a small and very seasonal based town. So depending on which season you are planning to visit, the Ericeira Nightlife will look a bit different. All though more or less the same places will be busy, it will definitely be a different degree of business.
In the summer the streets and venues are packed with tourists, locals, expats and everything in between. However, in the winter it will mainly be locals and expats at the various spots. It will also be more breathing room, and of course dancing room, if that’s your thing and you’re at the right venue.
When to Go Out and at What Time
In Ericeira the biggest nights by far are Fridays, Saturdays and Wednesday. Surprisingly Wednesdays are usually even more busier than Fridays. The insider rumor has it that the reason why Wednesday is such a big night, is that all the surf schools used to be closed on Thursday. Regardless of the truth to the rumor, Wednesdays are definitely a great day to sample the Ericeira nightlife. Especially in the summer.
Regarding the time to go out, it’s not unusual that people go out to eat dinner at 9 pm in Ericeira. For people with more north European dining habits, the first seating is at 7pm. And after the dinner people head for the bars. Thus the bars usually start to fill up around 11 pm. At 2 pm all the bars close. And with a few exceptions all roads that don’t lead home, lead to Ouricos.
The main venues
Adega
If you’re a bar person Adega is your place to be in Ericeria. It’s the most popular bar around, and it’s a really cozy place. On top of drinks they also have great finger food. The vegan steak sandwich being an insider favorite (and we are actually not vegan). If you feel like sampling their food we’d recommend you to arrive early (8-10) to get a table. They also have some board and card games to borrow if you want to have some entertainment while you’re snacking away.
However, after 11 it gets busy and in the summer time it’s often packed to the brink that it’s difficult to move. Especially during one of their live music nights. So make sure to check their Facebook page to find out the dates and who’s playing.
Tubo & Tiki Bar
If adega is the place to chill, drink and meet people in Ericeira, then Tubo is the place to dance, drink and meet people. And usually during a night out in Ericeira they both go just as good together as a glassy Atlantic Ocean and the perfect 1.5 m swell.
In the summer time it’s actually not so much about the bar Tubo in itself, since the whole block around it turns into a gigantic street party. If you want to dance in the street however you should make sure to arrive before 12. Due to the neighbors they have to turn off the outside music at 12. But don’t worry the party continues inside.
If you’re inside Tubo you will also understand why it’s called Tubo, just check out the design of the bar.
50 m down the street from Tubo you have Tiki bar. Kind of the same scene as Tubo, but different music.
In the summertime Tubo do live music in the street outside once a week. Normally between 11 and 12. Make sure to check Facebook for exact days.
If you’re on a budget, and without shame during your round, our Tubo insider tips is to grab your beers at one of the bars next door.
Barzinho
Although it’s in Ribamar and technically not in Ericeira, Barzinho is definitely worthy of making the list. Especially since Ribamar is the new Ericeira. That is, the smaller, more chill, less crowded and less touristy version of Ericeira. Among locals Barzinho is also the place to go when Adega is closed or if you like a change of scenery.
On top of the above, Barzinho also is a great and very classic bar with pool table, dart, nicely decorated inside as well as outside area and lots of live music. During Wednesday night its jam session, and if you’re talented your’e welcome to jam it out on stage. Normally there is also live music one of the other days of the week.
Just like Adega, Barzinho offers finger food, and although on the basic side, the burger is really delicious. Especially together with a glass of cold Nortada, barzinhos carefully selected craft beer on tap. And if you’re ready to hit the drinks, the Gin and Tonics of Barzinho are among the best they get, and huge.
Boardriders – Friday After Surf
Although actually a store, it’s legendary live music sessions earns it a spot on this list. Friday after surf at boardriders during the summer in Ericeira, is a staple part of every friday night out in Ericeira. First you hit boardriders, then the restaurant of your choice and after that it just continues.
Even if you’re not planning to hit town, the after surf at boardriders is also the staple of a Friday spent out in the waves.
Since its different bands playing every Friday it’s obviously not always amazing quality. But a lot of Fridays it actually is. A lot of the time it’s also some really nice reaggae type of vibes. It takes place on a super nice wooden deck overlooking the ocean. And once you’re dancing to some Rastafari rhythms as you watch the sun set in Matadouro, you know why it’s a Friday must.
Ouriço
At 2 pm when all other places are closing, Ouriço opens up it’s doors. According to everyone Ouriço is the oldest night club in Portugal. And as it’s the only night club in Ericeira, since they opened, they probably haven’t had to do all that much with the interior to have to attract guests. But really who thinks about the interior design and decoration at this time of the night, and after so many affordable drinks? And to be fair, they do a great job of repainting the exterior of the place once a year (usually with the help of a street artist).
Since it’s the only club in Ericeira, there are always people in Ouriço. However, some times in the low season it may just be the die hard fans. On the other hand, Ouriço gets extremely busy in the summer. And if you take too long time to make up whether you’re going all in or going home, you may encounter a very long and slow line at the entrance. So the insider advice here is to make a swift decision and stop lingering around Tubos once the pointer of the clock starts aiming for 2. Unfortunately and especially if you are a big group this is easier said than done at this time of the night, even for a well-seasoned Insider.
The Payment System at Ouriço
Once you finally made it to the entrance, the payment system at Ouriço works a bit different than most clubs. Upon entering you don’t pay anything, but you will get a swipeable card. The cost of the card is 10 Euros for guys and 5 Euros for girls, and you will have to pay this upon exiting the club.
However, this is also a so called consumable amount, meaning you can order drinks for the amount inside the club. Every time you order a drink the barman will just swipe your card instead of asking for payment. Once you surpass the 5 or 10 euros of consumable, your card gets charged with the cost of the drink.
In the end when you exit the club the card will be scanned and you have to pay the full amount. As for what happens if you lose the card, still remains to be seen even for us insiders. But you probably wouldn’t want to find out.
Special Events
Besides the Ericeira Nightlife staples above, there are always other stuff going on. And especially during the summer half of the year there are lots of events happening.
If you’re into a more alternative party scene you’ll get your cravings fulfilled once a month by the Mojo collective. If you guessed that this time coincides with full moon, you’re of course right. And although not as popular, rumors go that there are some half moon type of parties also.
At least a few times every summer there are also the open air (outside parties) by Barzinho at Casa Paco D’ilhas. Kind of like mini festivals with bands, djs, food and great vibes.
On top of these two more regular events there are also pop up events such as parties at the nearby beaches. Or parties connected to different festivals.
So make sure to check the events on Facebook to see exactly what’s going on during your visit.
Honorable Ericeira Nightlife Mentions
- After Surf at 58 – In the huge 58 store they have started the Boardriders after surf concept but on Saturdays. So if you are busy on Friday but still keen on after surf you’ve got a second chance.
- Hemmingways – Far from as cozy and popular as Adega. But if you can’t stand the crowd in Adega, and just want a drink, Hemingway and the other bars in its vicinity are great options.
- Pedro o Pescador – If you still want to go somewhere after 2 but absolutely not Ouriço, then Pedro o Pescador is your option. Since it’s a hotel bar, they have to turn off the music quite early (1-2 ish). But if you just want to have a drink and chill, the bar is open till the early hours. And in the summertime it’s usually quite a lot of people keen on this concept.