The Municipality of Nazaré, Portugal, and the City of Half Moon Bay, California, are moving forward with a new sister-city partnership designed to strengthen ties between two coastal communities united by the sea, maritime traditions, tourism, Portuguese heritage and an international reputation for big-wave surfing.
On July 21, 2026, the Half Moon Bay City Council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the mayor and city manager to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with Nazaré.
The agreement is intended to create a formal framework for cooperation in culture and heritage, education and youth programs, surfing and maritime safety, environmental and coastal management, public art, local government, tourism and economic development.
The two communities share a particularly strong connection. Nazaré, on Portugal’s Atlantic coast in the district of Leiria, has become internationally famous for the enormous waves at Praia do Norte. Half Moon Bay is home to one of California’s best-known big-wave surfing locations. Both communities also have histories rooted in fishing and maritime life and economies in which coastal tourism has become increasingly important.
Half Moon Bay also has a significant Portuguese community and organizations dedicated to preserving Portuguese cultural heritage. According to the Municipality of Nazaré, interest from Half Moon Bay’s Portuguese community helped drive the sister-city initiative.
The project has also received support from Portugal’s Consul General in San Francisco and Portugal’s Secretary of State for the Economy, João Rui Ferreira, as well as municipal leaders in the two communities.
Nazaré Mayor Serafim António noted the partnership is particularly meaningful because both have achieved international recognition through the ocean and surfing. Praia do Norte and Mavericks beach are now global references, maintaining strong connections to their traditions and local communities.
Under the proposed agreement, the communities could organize cultural and youth exchanges, initiatives celebrating maritime and surfing heritage, exchanges of expertise in water safety and marine ecology, and joint cultural and artistic projects. A Half Moon Bay partnership with the Nazaré Sister City Committee will bring together Portuguese cultural organizations, surfing communities, and educational institutions from both sides of the Atlantic.
For Nazaré, the partnership offers a new avenue for expanding the municipality’s international profile while developing exchanges with the California Half Moon Bay community. The relationship also provides a new way to recognize its Portuguese heritage and strengthen ties with Portugal.
PAJ/Staff
