Portugal Villa Holiday - A Family Holiday For All Four Seasons

 

Peniche is a busy fishing town with a large harbour and some excellent seafood restaurants. In the main square is the baroque Misericordia Church with a painted ceiling depicting scenes from the New Testament, but the town's most famous building is an imposing 16th century fortress. It was once used as a prison controlled by dictator Salazar's secret police to incarcerate political opponents and today houses a museum about local history. 

The area is home to the famous Supertubes and Baleal beaches ideal for sufing, 

to the west is Cabo Carvoeiro, a rugged cape with bizarrely shaped pinnacles and sea caves offering panoramic ocean views all the way to the islands of Berlengas.

To the north of Peniche is the sandy Foz do Arelho beach, known for its tranquil waters.

 

Berlengas.

Accessible by ferry and with wonderful cliff and sea views, the biggest island is a magical place declared a nature reserve. It is home to thousands of seabirds, and the azure waters are ideal for deep-sea fishing and diving.
The surrounding weird rock formations and spectacular grottoes can be explored on small boats that pass through a breathtaking sea tunnel called Furado Grande. Only a handful of fishermen are permitted to live here, but the 17th century São João Baptista Fort, built to defend the area from pirates, is now a basic hostel.

Peniche was originally an island and was only joined to the mainland in the 16th century when a sand spit formed linking the two. Today it's a peninsular with 15 kilometres of rocky coastline jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean. It is an important fishing port and a major supplier of crayfish, sardines and tuna to Portugal. Today it's famous for its lace made locally (you can see it being made at the two lace-making schools) and for its fish restaurants serving some of the best seafood dishes around. It's a lively resort with plenty of bars, cafes and restaurants.

Peniche is also one of the most famous surfing resorts in Portugal with its coastline all around the peninsular you can always find a great surfing spot suitable for all ranging from beginner to expert level. It has the most consistent swell in Europe and is famed for its "Supertubos", very fast and powerful (tubular) waves, on the south side of the peninsular. Scuba diving, kitesurfing and windsurfing are also popular and there are a wide range of surf camps and schools that offer lessons and courses for all skill levels. Check the links right.

    Cabo Carvoeiro, a rugged peninsular topped by a lighthouse, is a good viewpoint 2 kilometres west of Peniche town. The rocks here have been eroded into striking angular pillars and seacaves. This is a popular fishing ground and there are great views out across the ocean to Ilha Berlenga. The Nau dos Corvos restaurant also looks out onto those view and serves good value fayre. Baleal beach is another popular surfing location, a small island 4 kilometres to the north east of Peniche connected to mainland by a causeway. It is a very popular, laid back place with a string of surf schools where you can hire boards and wetsuits or book lessons, and restaurants dotted along the sandy beach.