Buarcos is a small fishing village directly north of Figueira da Foz, close enough to walk or cycle along the coast road. Its cafes are casual and unhurried — the kind of places where a strong coffee and a pastel de nata by the sea costs almost nothing, and nobody checks how long you have been sitting there.
The surf crowd has found Buarcos, which means there are one or two bars with more personality than the average beach cafe, but the village has not been transformed by it. It is still primarily a local place. Cheaper and more relaxed than the main promenade, and worth the short trip north.