In-Depth Guide
The Complete Guide to Paragliding in Portugal
Everything you need to know about flying in Portugal — the best sites, the seasons, the licences required, and how to plan a guided week from anywhere in the world.
In-Depth Guide
Best Paragliding Sites in Portugal
A practical guide to Portugal's finest flying — Sesimbra's cliffs, Linhares da Beira, Cabo Espichel, the Alentejo plains, and a dozen lesser-known gems worth the detour.
In-Depth Guide
Best Time to Go Paragliding in Portugal
Portugal's flying calendar explained month by month — the reliable northerly winds, the quieter summer months, and why Sesimbra flies well for ten months of the year.
In-Depth Guide
Paragliding Holidays in Europe — Why Portugal Beats the Alternatives
Atlantic ridge lift, uncrowded skies, year-round flying, and 30 minutes from Lisbon airport. Here's why Portugal competes with the Alps and Turkey for your flying holiday.
Location Guide
Paragliding Near Lisbon — What's Within Reach
Sesimbra is 30 minutes from Lisbon airport. This guide covers every flyable site within two hours of the capital — from the Arrábida coast to the edge of Alentejo.
Location Guide
Paragliding in Sesimbra
Sesimbra is a small Atlantic fishing town with a microclimate built for paragliding. Launches, landable beaches, wind windows, and when to come — the complete local guide.
Location Guide
Paragliding in Arrábida Natural Park
The Arrábida limestone ridges rise steeply from a turquoise sea. The legal launches, the flyable sections, and how Behrooz works this stunning terrain into the weekly programme.
Location Guide
Paragliding in Alentejo
Portugal's great inland plain is a thermalling paradise from May to September. Flat terrain, long glides, and thermals that climb to 2,000 m on the best summer days.
Location Guide
Paragliding in Serra da Estrela
Portugal's highest mountain range offers dramatic alpine flying. Ridge soaring, strong thermals, and a completely different character to the coastal flying at Sesimbra.
Location Guide
Linhares da Beira — Portugal's Most Celebrated XC Site
A medieval village perched on a granite cliff, used as a cross-country launch for decades. The geography, the conditions, and why it matters for every XC pilot visiting Portugal.
Location Guide
Cabo Espichel — Top Landing on Portugal's Wildest Atlantic Cliff
Cabo Espichel's vertical 100-metre cliff drops straight into the Atlantic. The approach, the conditions that make it work, and the eerie abandoned sanctuary on the plateau above.
Location Guide
Cross-Country Paragliding Across the Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian interior is wide, flat, and thermal-rich. XC routes linking Portugal and Spain — and how to plan a multi-day cross-country expedition from Sesimbra to Andalusia.
Location Guide
Winter Paragliding in Portugal
While the Alps close down, Sesimbra keeps flying. Atlantic ridge lift works year-round, and winter brings calm sea-breeze cycles, quiet launch sites, and uncrowded skies.
Programme Guide
What to Expect on a Paragliding Coaching Holiday
A detailed look at what a week of guided paragliding coaching in Portugal actually involves — daily structure, radio coaching, site selection, and how to make real progress in seven days.
Programme Guide
XC Cross-Country Paragliding — A Guide for the Intermediate Pilot
Moving from ridge soaring to free flying requires a shift in mindset and skills. Thermals, cloud reading, route planning, and how to start logging your first real XC flights.
Programme Guide
Atlantic Coastal Soaring — How Ridge Lift Works
Coastal soaring is one of the most accessible forms of paragliding. This technical guide explains how Atlantic ridge lift forms, how to read it, and how to stay safe on cliff terrain.
Programme Guide
Ground Handling for Paragliders — A Complete Practical Guide
Ground handling is the foundation of safe, precise paragliding. Kiting technique, reverse launches, and how a week on the Sesimbra dunes will transform your wing control.
Programme Guide
Parakite Flying — What It Is and How to Get Started
Parakites are smaller, faster, more demanding wings designed for proximity to the slope. The discipline, the skills required, and why the Sesimbra dunes make the perfect training ground.
Programme Guide
Tandem Paragliding in Portugal — What First-Timers Ask
Everything you need to know before booking a tandem flight from Sesimbra — minimum age, what to wear, what the flight actually feels like, and how to choose the right conditions.
Programme Guide
Paragliding with Family — Planning a Portugal Trip for Pilots and Non-Pilots
Sesimbra works beautifully for flying holidays that include non-pilot family members. How to structure a week that works for everyone — from tandem flights to beach days.
Technical
Paragliding Weather in Portugal — How to Read the Atlantic Forecast
The Portuguese coast runs on the Azores High and the nortada northerly. How to read Windguru, Windy, and synoptic charts to make your own flying decisions in Sesimbra.
Technical
Coastal Soaring vs XC Thermalling — Which Type of Flying Suits You?
Two completely different experiences, two different skill sets. This guide helps intermediate pilots understand which type of flying matches their personality, goals, and current level.
Technical
Paragliding Licences in Europe — A Plain-English Guide
Which licence do you need to fly in Portugal? How do national certifications translate across borders? IPPI, BHPA, DHV, and what Portuguese airspace actually requires from visiting pilots.
Technical
Paragliding Safety in Coastal Conditions
Coastal flying comes with specific risks that don't apply inland. The key hazards — rotors, sea breeze fronts, late returns, and landing-zone assessment in cliff terrain.
Technical
How to Read Paragliding Track Logs
XContest, AirScore, and Leonardo track logs capture everything about your flight. How to read them, analyse your thermalling circles, and improve your technique from the data.
Planning
How to Plan a Paragliding Holiday from Scratch
A step-by-step guide to planning your first or tenth paragliding holiday — picking a destination, booking a guide, choosing dates, and building an itinerary that maximises flying time.
Planning
What to Pack for a Paragliding Trip to Portugal
A detailed packing list for a week's guided flying in Sesimbra — from wing and harness to sun protection, the right layering system, and the GPS you'll actually need on an XC week.
Planning
Paragliding Insurance Abroad — A Practical Guide
Which policies cover paragliding abroad? What does third-party liability cover and what doesn't it? FFVL, BHPA, DHV membership coverage, and standalone travel insurance options explained.
Planning
How Much Does a Paragliding Holiday Actually Cost?
A transparent breakdown of what a week's guided flying in Portugal costs — guide fees, accommodation, return flights, insurance, equipment hire, and meals. No surprises.
Planning
Flying to Sesimbra — Airports, Transfers & Getting Here Without a Car
Lisbon airport (LIS) is 30 minutes from Sesimbra by car. Flights, rental cars, private transfers, shuttle options, and how to travel with a large wing bag on budget airlines.
Technical
Is Paragliding Safe? Accident Rates, Real Risks & How Modern Training Works
An honest, data-backed answer to the question every first-timer asks. Real accident statistics, what causes most incidents, and how EN certification and proper training dramatically reduce risk.
Technical
How Scary Is Paragliding? An Honest Account from Takeoff to Landing
The pre-flight nerves, the launch moment, what happens in the first 60 seconds, and why most first-timers land wanting to go straight back up. A first-hand honest account.
Technical
Paragliding vs Skydiving — Which Experience Is Right for You?
Duration, training, cost, adrenaline type, and which one to try first. An honest side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right wing sport for where you are right now.
Technical
How to Learn to Paraglide — A Complete Beginner's Guide
What an EP course covers, how long it takes, what physical requirements there are, and why Portugal is an excellent place to start. Everything you need to know before your first lesson.
Technical
SIV Courses Explained — What They Are, Who Needs One & Where to Do One
What manoeuvres you practise, who should do an SIV and when in your progression it makes sense, and how Sesimbra's lake and coast setup provides ideal SIV conditions.
Planning
Paragliding Gift Voucher Portugal — Everything You Need to Know Before You Buy
What a Fly with Behrooz voucher covers, who it's ideal for, how to order, and what the recipient can expect. The complete guide to gifting a paragliding experience in Portugal.
Technical
What Does Paragliding Feel Like? A First-Timer's Honest Description
The launch, the silence, the view, the feel of lift under a wing. An honest, detailed account of what paragliding physically and emotionally feels like — from ground to air to landing.
Planning
Paragliding Age and Weight Limits — What You Need to Know
Clear, honest answers on paragliding age and weight requirements for tandem flights and courses. What the limits are, why they exist, and what to do if you're near the edge.
Technical
How Long Does It Take to Learn to Paraglide? Timeline & What Affects Progress
How long an EP course takes, what comes after, how many hours before solo confidence, and the factors that speed or slow progress. The honest answer to the most common beginner question.
Technical
Paragliding vs Paramotor — Which Is Right for You?
Free flight vs powered flight: cost, training, where each type can fly, and why most coaches recommend starting with a paraglider before adding an engine.
Technical
EN-A vs EN-B Paraglider — Which Wing Is Right for Your Level?
What EN certification actually tests, the wide spectrum within the B class, and how to judge when you are genuinely ready to make the move up.
Technical
How to Buy a Second-Hand Paraglider — A Safety Checklist
The porosity test, visual fabric checks, age limits, and the red flags that should stop any purchase. A step-by-step safety guide before handing over money for a used wing.
Technical
Best Paragliding Variometers 2025 — Air 3, XCTracer Maxx, Skytraxx & Oudie
The 4 leading variometers compared on weight, screen, GPS, live tracking, and price — with clear recommendations for each level of pilot.
Technical
How to Read an XC Paragliding Forecast — Meteo Parapente, Skysight & the Emagram
The 4 essential forecast tools explained, the Emagram decoded step by step, and the Portugal-specific sea breeze patterns every XC pilot needs to understand.
Technical
Speed Bar Technique — When and How to Use It Safely
How the speed bar works mechanically, the exact speed numbers at trim, half bar and full bar, and how to build accelerated-flight confidence progressively.
Technical
Hike and Fly Paragliding — An Introduction to This Fast-Growing Discipline
Carry the wing up on foot, fly down, repeat. The lightweight equipment, the extra skills required, why smaller wings demand more from the pilot, and where to do it in Portugal.
Technical
Paragliding Photography — How to Film and Photograph Your Flights
Camera mounts, the best action cameras in 2025, frame rates and resolution, audio wind noise solutions, and composition tips for footage actually worth watching.
Technical
Flying in Thermic Conditions — Reading the XC Sky for Cross-Country Success
Thermal triggers, cumulus reading, the daily cycle, centering technique, blue thermals, and overdevelopment — everything you need to decode the thermic sky.
Location Guide
Paragliding in the Algarve — Southern Portugal's Best Flying Sites
Sagres, Lagos, Falésia and the inland thermals around Loulé — every Algarve flying site explained, and how it compares to Sesimbra.
Location Guide
Paragliding in Madeira — Flying the Volcanic Island All Year Round
330 flyable days a year, Madalena do Mar, Cabo Girão, and the unique island-crossing flight only Madeira can offer.
Location Guide
Paragliding in the Azores — Volcanic Islands, Ocean Thermals & an August Festival
São Miguel, Pico and Faial — a 2,300m altitude launch, cross-island flights, and Portugal's most remote flying frontier.
Location Guide
Paragliding in Northern Portugal — Porto, Minho & the Serra do Larouco
World Cup heritage at Montalegre, the Penacova gorge, and Minho valley thermals — northern Portugal's flying sites explained.
Location Guide
Paragliding in Peneda-Gerês — Flying Portugal's Only National Park
Granite mountains, Iberian wolves, golden eagles, and World Cup-credentialed XC terrain at the Serra do Larouco gateway.
Location Guide
Paragliding Near Sintra — Flying the Serra Above Portugal's Fairytale Town
What flying near Sintra actually means, why conditions are less consistent than Sesimbra, and an honest comparison.
Location Guide
Paragliding at Costa da Caparica — Dune Soaring 15 Minutes from Lisbon
The Arriba Fossil cliffs and Fonte da Telha dunes — pure ridge soaring close to Lisbon, ideal for ground handling and beginner confidence.
Location Guide
Spring Paragliding in Portugal — Why March, April & May Are the Sweet Spot
Mild temperatures, calm mornings, and the first real thermal days of the year — the meteorological sweet spot, month by month.
Location Guide
Portugal vs Ölüdeniz Turkey — Which Is Better for Paragliding?
Babadag's Blue Lagoon views vs Sesimbra's Atlantic coaching culture — an honest, side-by-side comparison.
Location Guide
Best Places to Learn to Paraglide in Europe — 2025 Guide
Spain, France, Switzerland, Portugal and Slovenia compared for beginner-friendly conditions, cost and school quality.
Location Guide
Paragliding Spain vs Portugal — Algodonales or Sesimbra?
Iberia's two best paragliding hubs compared across flying type, season length, crowd levels, coaching culture, and cost. An honest guide for pilots choosing between them.
Location Guide
Best Coastal Paragliding in the World — 10 Spectacular Destinations
From Sesimbra to Torrey Pines, Rio de Janeiro to Hawaii — the ten greatest coastal paragliding destinations and what makes each one exceptional.
Location Guide
Winter Paragliding in Europe — Where to Fly When Your Home Site Closes
Canary Islands, Portugal, Madeira, Morocco — where European pilots escape when home sites close October through March.
Location Guide
Why Portugal Is Europe's Most Underrated Paragliding Country
Year-round flying, dual coastal and XC flying in one destination, uncrowded airspace, affordable costs — five reasons Portugal outperforms the famous names.
Behrooz at launch preparing for an XC flight over the Alentejo plains — competition wing clipped in, vario on, looking up at the sky ahead
Programme GuideFrom First Flight to Competition Pilot — Behrooz's Paragliding Story
How a first tandem flight led to 20+ years of competition flying and coaching on the Atlantic coast. In Behrooz's own words.
Programme Guide
My Coaching Philosophy — Why I Run Guided Paragliding Weeks the Way I Do
Small groups, radio coaching in the air, plan-close weather model, trust-based booking — Behrooz explains the principles behind every coaching week.
Technical
The Nortada Explained — Portugal's Summer Wind and What It Means for Paragliders
What creates Portugal's dominant Atlantic sea breeze, how it drives the best coastal soaring in Europe, and when it becomes too strong to fly.
Technical
Flying XC Triangles — How to Plan and Complete Your First Triangle Task
FAI triangles, flat triangles, and out-and-returns — the strategy, planning, and XContest scoring behind paragliding's most satisfying task format.
Technical
The Mental Game of Paragliding — Decision-Making, Fear & Building Confidence
Why most paragliding accidents begin as mental decisions rather than technical failures — and how to build the judgement that keeps you safe and flying further.
Programme Guide
A Week in Sesimbra — What Life Looks Like When You Come to Fly
Morning briefings, site selection, flying, track log analysis over dinner, seafood in the harbour — the daily rhythm of a Sesimbra coaching week.
Technical
How I Read the Conditions — Behrooz's Morning Weather Routine Before Every Flying Day
From the 6am synoptic chart to the 10:30am message to guests — Behrooz's step-by-step morning check before every coaching day in Sesimbra.
Technical
Paragliding Nutrition & Recovery — How to Fly Well Every Day of a Holiday Week
Energy management, hydration, sleep, and the honest conversation about evening wine in Sesimbra. What Behrooz tells every pilot before a 7-day coaching week.
Location Guide
Paragliding Annecy — Europe's Most Famous Lake vs Portugal's Atlantic Coast
Annecy is beautiful, crowded and expensive. This honest comparison looks at season length, cost, XC potential and airspace — and makes the case for why serious pilots choose Portugal.
Location Guide
Paragliding Tenerife and the Canary Islands — Winter Sun vs Portugal's Atlantic
Tenerife offers winter sun and reliable trade winds, but is it the right choice for a serious pilot? A practical comparison with Sesimbra's winter coastal soaring season.
Location Guide
Paragliding Piedrahíta — Spain's Legendary XC Capital
Set in the Salamanca interior, Piedrahíta offers high cloudbase, strong thermals and serious distances — and it pairs naturally with a Portugal coaching week on the Iberian XC Tour.
Location Guide
Paragliding Algodonales — Andalusia's Thermal Gem
Three hours from Sesimbra, Algodonales is a whitewashed village perched above the Sierra de Cádiz — one of Spain's best thermal sites and a natural extension of the Iberian XC Tour.
Location Guide
Paragliding Interlaken vs Portugal — Tourist Tandem or Real Coaching Week?
Interlaken is on every adventure bucket list. But for a pilot wanting to actually improve, this honest comparison explains why Portugal's coaching model is in a different category entirely.
Planning
Paragliding Solo Travel — The Complete Guide to Flying Holidays Alone
Many of Behrooz's best weeks are built around solo travellers. How small-group coaching turns strangers into flying companions, and why Sesimbra suits independent pilots perfectly.
Programme Guide
Women in Paragliding — A Guide for Female Pilots Planning a Flying Holiday
Women are one of the fastest-growing groups in paragliding. What to look for in a coach, what the experience is really like, and why Portugal's uncrowded, relaxed flying suits all pilots equally.
Programme Guide
Paragliding Over 50 — Why Experience Counts More Than Youth in the Air
A significant part of Behrooz's clients are between 45 and 65. Patience, risk awareness and decision-making all improve with age — here's why older pilots often outperform younger ones.
Programme Guide
Paragliding Stag Weekend Portugal — Group Adventure Flying in Sesimbra
Sesimbra has all the ingredients for an exceptional stag weekend — tandem flights above the Atlantic, beaches, fresh seafood and evenings in an authentic Portuguese fishing town.
Programme Guide
Paragliding Couple Holiday — Fly Together Above the Atlantic
For pilot–partner couples, a Sesimbra week offers side-by-side tandem flights, long evenings over seafood, and a shared experience most couples never have.
Planning
Group Paragliding Holiday Portugal — Bringing Your Club, Squad or Crew
Flying clubs, work groups and squads of pilot friends find Sesimbra ideal for a group week. Logistics, cost per head and how Behrooz handles groups of up to 12 pilots.
Location Guide
Paragliding the Setúbal Peninsula — The Complete Region Guide
The Setúbal Peninsula is the beating heart of Portuguese paragliding. Every flying site — from Sesimbra's Atlantic cliffs to the Arrábida heights, Cabo Espichel and the Atlantic dunes.
Location Guide
Autumn Paragliding Portugal — September and October at Their Best
September and October are arguably Portugal's best flying months. Thermals still active, crowds gone, light golden. This guide covers what autumn XC and coastal soaring look like in Sesimbra.
Location Guide
Paragliding Comporta — Dunes, Storks and Atlantic Skies
Comporta is 45 minutes south of Sesimbra — remote Atlantic dunes, rice paddies and near-total silence. What dune soaring looks like here and when to combine it with a Sesimbra week.
Location Guide
Summer Paragliding Portugal — Making the Most of the Nortada Season
July and August in Sesimbra mean the nortada northerly sea breeze — reliable, laminar, perfect for ridge soaring. How Behrooz structures summer weeks and what pilots should expect.
Planning
Where to Stay in Sesimbra — A Pilot's Accommodation Guide
Sesimbra has hotels, guesthouses and Airbnbs ranging from budget to boutique. A pilot's guide to what's close to the launches, what Behrooz recommends, and how to book at any time of year.
Planning
Paragliding Fitness — How to Prepare Your Body for a Week of Flying
Fitter pilots fly more days. Carrying your wing up hills, walking on uneven clifftop terrain, and holding harness position for hours all benefit from simple targeted preparation.
Technical
How to Centre a Thermal — The Skill That Unlocks XC Flying
If one skill separates soaring pilots from XC pilots, it is centring thermals. Entry technique, banking angle, sensing drift and when to commit or abandon — step by step from an XC coach.
Technical
Paragliding Reserve Parachute — Choosing, Packing and Deploying
Your reserve parachute is the last line of defence. Types, weight limits, repacking schedules, and the critical question of when to throw — answered by an experienced competition pilot.
Technical
Big Ears — Paragliding's Most Useful Descent Technique Explained
Big ears is one of the most valuable skills for managing altitude quickly. How to fold the outer cells, maintain heading, exit cleanly, and when to use it versus a spiral dive.
Technical
Paragliding Harness Guide — What to Buy and Why It Matters
Your harness affects comfort, XC performance and rescue-container access. The difference between pod, light and competition harnesses — with recommendations for each level of pilot.
Technical
How to Fly Further — XC Distance Improvement for Intermediate Pilots
The jump from 30 km to 100 km is tactical, not physical. Glide optimisation, transition discipline, thermal selection and route reading — the decisions that separate distance pilots.
Technical
Cobra Launch Technique — Mastering Ground Handling in Strong Wind
The cobra launch is the safest way to inflate a wing when the wind is pushing limits. How to set up, control the surge and launch smoothly in Atlantic coastal conditions.
Technical
Paragliding Radio Coaching — What It Sounds Like and Why It Works
Real-time instruction in the air changes everything. What Behrooz actually says on the radio, how pilots respond to live cues differently from debriefs, and why this is the fastest way to improve.
Programme Guide
Your First XC Paragliding Flight — What to Expect When You Cross the Start Line
The moment you leave the ridge and commit to the first thermal over unknown terrain is one of the most memorable in paragliding. From the morning brief to the field landing.
Programme Guide
Paragliding Progression — What to Do After Your First Coaching Week
The week in Sesimbra raised your level — but what now? How to consolidate the gains at home, what to practise locally, and when to come back for the next step in your progression.
Planning
Do You Need a Licence to Do Paragliding? — The Honest Answer
For tandem flights: no licence needed. For solo flying abroad: yes. For coached weeks: it depends on the operator. The clearest guide to what is required before you book.
Planning
Paragliding Gift Ideas — The Ultimate Guide for Buying for a Pilot
A variometer? A harness accessory? A coaching week voucher? The complete gift guide for someone buying for a licensed paraglider — from stocking fillers to once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
In-Depth Guide
The Most Spectacular Paragliding Views in the World — Where Portugal Ranks
From the Himalayas to Rio de Janeiro, from Annecy to Sesimbra's Atlantic coast — the ten paragliding views that stop pilots mid-flight, and why Portugal belongs on every pilot's list.
In-Depth Guide
Why I Fly — Behrooz Jafarzadeh on 20 Years Above the Atlantic
Twenty years of flying the same coastline, from first flight to competition pilot to guide. What the Atlantic at 500 feet has taught him and why he still launches every morning.
Technical
How to Read a Paragliding Weather Forecast — Apps & Method
Which apps to use, which numbers actually matter and how Behrooz reads the forecast before every flying day — the practical paragliding weather guide.