Nazaré is a town with a strong fishing tradition, home to one of the most typical beaches in the central region of the country. The town as we know it today only exists from the 18th century, as until then, the entire lower part of the town was covered by the sea. Only the Sítio (a small, enclosed area) existed, where today there is a magnificent view of the beach.

The sea is very important to the economy and culture of these people. In fact, the very essence of this village is related to fishing, although nowadays tourism is its main activity. The traditional costume of the women of Nazaré is another interesting aspect of this village: they wear seven skirts, a colorful apron, and a black scarf around their heads.

The sea off Praia do Norte is one of the most popular spots for surfers from all over the world, who come there to enjoy the giant waves that form in the well-known "Canyon" of Nazaré, the largest underwater canyon in Europe, stretching for 200 kilometers and reaching depths of up to 5000 meters.

Its headwaters, located less than a kilometer from the coast, affect the characteristics of the swell when it comes from the west, giving rise to enormous waves. One of these waves, 23.80 meters high, surfed by Hawaiian Garrett McNamara in November 2011, was awarded the prize for "Biggest Wave of 2011" at the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards. In November 2017, Brazilian Rodrigo Koxa surfed a wave 24.38 meters high, achieving that year the world record for the largest wave ever surfed, a Guinness World Record. The current World Record is held by German surfer Sebastien Steudtner, dated October 29, 2020, with a height of 26.21 meters.