For centuries, Nazaré was a traditional seaside town, where fishermen taught their children to avoid the huge waves that crashed against the nearby cliffs.
But over the past nine years, those same waves have turned the place into an unlikely draw for extreme surfers, who want to break world records.
Tall as a 10-story building, the waves are caused by a submarine canyon — three miles deep, and 125 miles long — that abruptly ends just before the town’s shoreline.
With its own very small population, Nazare has seen a rapid increase in tourist presence. From surf schools to souvenir shops, surfing is now big business in Nazaré.
Property prices are on the rise and locals complain of lack of space to go about their life. Can this little town cope with the giant wave?
Juliet Bremner went to Nazaré to meet the competitors and locals, whose lives have been transformed by these remarkable but dangerous waves.
This was filmed prior to the pandemic which made masks and social distancing the norm.
On Assignment is ITV's current affairs series presented by Rageh Omaar where ITV News journalists contribute in-depth reports from around the world on the stories behind the headlines.
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