Homes for sale in Ericeira

Ericeira is a fishing village on the coast of the municipality of Mafra, in the district of Lisbon, about 45 minutes from the capital outside rush hour. White houses with blue trim, an old centre perched on the cliff and beaches with waves known the world over: since 2011 the Ericeira coast has been a World Surfing Reserve, the first and still the only one in Europe.

For buyers, Ericeira means the sea all year round with Lisbon within reach. The trade-off is well known too: there is no train, summer packs the village, and short-term holiday rental (alojamento local), which for years kept many businesses going, is now held back by municipal rules. This page explains the village, what is on sale and what is worth checking before you buy.

Where it is and how to get there

Ericeira lies on the western coast of the municipality of Mafra, about ten kilometres from the municipal seat and half an hour from Sintra. The A21 links it to Mafra and to the A8, and from there to Lisbon; outside rush hour the journey takes around three quarters of an hour, while in traffic it can take a good deal longer.

There is no railway station in Ericeira. The public transport link to Lisbon is the Carris Metropolitana bus to Campo Grande, with journeys of between three quarters of an hour and an hour and a half, depending on the route and the traffic. For anyone going into Lisbon every day, the choice is between the car on the A8 and the bus.

A little history

Ericeira received its charter (foral) in 1229 and for centuries lived off the sea: fishing, shellfish and a small harbour from which boats set out along the coast. It was from here, on 5 October 1910, the day the Republic was proclaimed, that King Manuel II (D. Manuel II) left for exile, from Praia dos Pescadores. A few kilometres away, the Palácio Nacional de Mafra (Mafra National Palace) has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2019.

The recent turning point came with surfing. Its designation as a World Surfing Reserve drew a young international community, surf schools, restaurants and remote work, and the village went from being a summer resort for Lisbon families to a place where people live all year round.

The village, area by area

The old centre

The heart of Ericeira, with Praia dos Pescadores and Praia do Sul, the narrow streets and the seafood restaurants. Here you find flats in old and renovated buildings, some with sea views, and traditional houses. It is the most sought-after area and the most expensive per square metre, and also the noisiest in summer. Parking is difficult.

To the north: the surf coast

Heading north out of the village, the road follows the waves that made Ericeira famous — Ribeira d'Ilhas, Coxos, Pedra Branca — towards Ribamar and São Lourenço. This is where recent detached houses with sea views and new developments appear, and where proximity to the cliff weighs on the decision, as explained below.

To the south: Foz do Lizandro

South of the village, where the rio Lizandro meets the sea, the beach is wide and the atmosphere calmer. In this area and at the entrance to Ericeira there are several new apartment developments, many still under construction, with generous floor areas, a garage and, on the upper floors, views of the sea.

Inland: Fonte Boa da Brincosa and Fonte Boa dos Nabos

A few minutes inland from the beach lie the hamlets of Fonte Boa, with detached houses on their own plots, some with a pool, at lower prices than by the sea. It is the choice of those who need space and are happy to take the car to go into the village.

Healthcare, schools and services

Ericeira has a health centre and pharmacies, and in Mafra there is also a private clinic. The referral hospital for the municipality is Hospital Beatriz Ângelo, in Loures, around half an hour to forty minutes away by car. For families with regular medical needs, this distance matters.

There are state schools in the village and in Mafra. For private and international schools, check what is on offer and how far away it is for each child's age before choosing the house. Everyday shopping is in the village; for bigger shops, the hypermarkets are at the entrance to Ericeira and in Mafra.

What is for sale

In Ericeira you will find flats, detached houses, plots of land and a few entire buildings. In our selection, prices range from around €70,000 to €4.1 million.

Flats. They range from around €230,000, for a renovated T0 (studio), to close to €1.3 million, for new T4 and T5 units (four and five bedrooms) with sea views. The bulk sit between €450,000 and €650,000, in T2 and T3 flats (two and three bedrooms) of 95 to 150 m². A significant share is new build, finished or under construction, with a garage and, in some cases, a communal pool.

Detached houses. They range from around €530,000 to almost €2 million. The most affordable are inland, in Fonte Boa, with plots of a few hundred square metres; the most expensive are recent houses with a pool and sea views, north of the village. Some are under construction and are sold before they are finished.

Land. From a rustic plot at around €70,000 to parcels of several hectares above €1 million, some with a prior information request (PIP) for tourism projects. With land, what you are buying is what you can build: the PIP and the rules of the municipal master plan and of the coastal zone say more than the area does.

Buildings and commercial property. Entire buildings also come up, one of them in need of restoration, as well as an office building, between around €750,000 and €4 million.

What drives the price of a flat is the sea view, walking distance to the beach and the centre, recent construction and a garage; for a house, it is the plot, the pool, the view and the condition of the building. Between two T2 flats of the same size, one with a sea view in the centre and the other with no view at the entrance to the village, the price difference can be large — and it is the view, more than the square metres, that you are paying for.

The market moves. Some prices have been revised in recent weeks, and well-priced properties are reserved quickly. The listing you saw a month ago may now be at a different price or no longer available: always confirm the current status and price before going ahead.

Investment analysis

Capital growth

Ericeira benefits from demand that does not depend on Lisbon alone: surfers, foreigners who work remotely and families who want to live by the sea. That demand is the reason for the prices, which are already well above the rest of the municipality of Mafra. What limits it is what has always limited it: the distance to Lisbon without a train, and a small market where a handful of sales can move prices a great deal.

Renting out

Long-term rentals are in demand, because the village has people living there all year and little supply. Short-term rental (alojamento local) is another matter: Ericeira has been a containment area since 2019, and Mafra Council (Câmara de Mafra) has decided not to open new registrations in 2026. Anyone buying with holiday lets in mind cannot assume they will be able to obtain a new registration.

Exit

Flats in the centre and near the beach sell easily. The most expensive houses and large plots have a smaller pool of buyers and take longer to sell. Buyers should think from the outset about who would buy the house from them next.

Points to watch

Short-term rental

Some listings say the property holds an alojamento local (short-term rental) licence. That has value, but it is worth confirming three things before the deed: that the registration is active, that it transfers with the sale and on what terms, and that the condominium does not object. The short-term rental rules have changed several times since 2023; what applied last year may no longer apply.

The cliff

Much of the Ericeira coastline is cliff, and cliffs retreat: there are rockfalls, some small, others not. The coastal zone programme defines safeguard strips along the top of the cliff, where building, extending or even keeping certain structures is subject to specific rules. For a property near the sea, ask the Council which strip it falls in, before paying for a view that may come with restrictions.

Salt air, wind and damp

Ericeira is beautiful and it is damp. The salt air corrodes window frames, railings and outdoor equipment; wind is frequent, and summer fog is common. A house left shut up for months suffers for it. Ask about insulation and ventilation, and visit the house on a winter's day, not just on a sunny afternoon.

Summer and weekends

In summer and on fine weekends, the village fills up, traffic on the A21 and at the entrance to Ericeira grinds to a halt, and parking in the centre is difficult. Anyone planning to live here all year should also visit the house on a Saturday in August.

New builds and off-plan purchases

Many of the flats and houses for sale are under construction. On an off-plan purchase, ask for the building permit, the completion date written into the promissory contract (CPCV), a guarantee for the sums paid before the deed and what happens in the event of delays. The occupancy licence (licença de utilização) is what confirms that the work was finished as promised.

Parking and garages

In the old centre, most buildings have no garage and street parking is scarce, especially in summer. A flat in the centre without a garage space means hunting for parking every day, or paying for it. Ask whether the space is included in the deed or sold separately, and where it is.

No train

Anyone who works in Lisbon every day depends on the A8 or the bus. Make the journey at the time you would make it every day before deciding.

Mortgages and the bank valuation

In a market where asking prices rise and are then revised, the bank's valuation may come in below the agreed price, and the loan is calculated on the lower of the two figures. Anyone buying with finance should have approval under way before making an offer and should set out in the promissory contract what happens if the valuation falls short.

Legal and tax checklist, in Portugal

Before buying: the permanent land registry certificate and the property tax record (caderneta predial); the occupancy licence; the energy certificate; the technical housing file (ficha técnica da habitação) for more recent buildings; a statement of no debts to the condominium; for houses, licences for every structure; near the coast, the position in relation to the cliff safeguard strips; if there is short-term rental, the registration and the municipal rules.

On purchase: buyers from abroad need a Portuguese tax number and, as a rule, a tax representative or attorney. IMT (property transfer tax) and stamp duty are paid before the deed, which is signed at a notary or at a Casa Pronta desk, followed by registration. It is advisable to have a lawyer check the documents before the promissory contract, which is normally when the deposit is paid.

While you own it: IMI (municipal property tax) — in Mafra, for 2026, the rate is 0.425% —, condominium fees, insurance and maintenance. Rental income must be declared in Portugal, even by non-residents.

On sale: capital gains tax, with different rules for residents and non-residents. Since 2023, a residence permit for investment can no longer be obtained by buying residential property.

Who it suits — and who it does not

It suits those who want to live by the sea and the surf, at a distance from Lisbon that still allows you to go there when needed. It suits remote workers, families who accept relying on the car, and those buying to let on a long-term basis.

It makes less sense for those who commute to Lisbon every day by public transport, for those who need a hospital nearby, and for those buying in the expectation of a new short-term rental registration.

Final thoughts

Ericeira is a small village with big-city demand: sea, surf and an international community 45 minutes from Lisbon. That is why prices are high and listings change quickly. What counts is being prepared: knowing what you are looking for, having your finance under way and confirming each listing at the time.

The path is simple to state: confirm that the property is still available and at what price, request the documents for the property and the condominium, ask the Council about the cliff and about short-term rental where relevant, and visit the house on a winter's day and on a summer Saturday.

When you contact us through a property page, we forward your details to our partner broker, who has the complete information on that specific property — the alojamento local (short-term rental) licence where one exists, condominium charges, land registry status and negotiation terms.