This is the article to get to know the essential sights of Peniche. We suggest a one-day route: intense, perhaps, but worth every step.

Spend the morning on foot in the centre, the afternoon driving round the peninsula and the end of the day on the beaches that made Peniche famous in the surfing world.

Related: The Berlengas archipelago

Morning: waterfront, harbour and fortress

• Start: Peniche waterfront
• End: Peniche Fortress
• Distance: about 2 km
• On foot: about 30 minutes, not counting stops

Enjoy the first morning breeze along the waterfront, past the restaurant area. Walk onto the pier and look at the fishing boats moored there: among the colourful hulls, nets, ropes and tools always make a great photo.

The pier is also where you buy tickets for the Berlengas archipelago. Crossings depend on the sea and run mainly from spring to early autumn.

Then head to Peniche Fortress. Built from 1557 to defend the coast against pirates and privateers, it saw English troops land in 1589 and fell to the French during the Napoleonic invasions. It served as a military base until 1897 and, in the 20th century, as a political prison — Álvaro Cunhal escaped from here. Today it houses the National Museum of Resistance and Freedom.

Where to eat

The waterfront area next to the fort is the place for lunch: fresh fish or seafood in one of the best towns in the country for it. See our suggestions in what to do in Peniche.

Afternoon: Cape Carvoeiro and Papôa

• Start: Peniche Fortress
• End: Papôa
• Distance: about 6 km
• By car: about 15 minutes

After lunch, drive to Cape Carvoeiro at the tip of the peninsula, a site of great geological and scenic value. On clear days you can see the Berlengas and the Nau dos Corvos, a ship-shaped rock home to crows and seabirds.

The cape has a 25-metre lighthouse, built because of the many shipwrecks along this coast. Look out for the Chapel of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, lined with tiles by António de Oliveira Bernardes, and the Furninha Cave, where traces of Middle Palaeolithic humans were found.

Five minutes away is Papôa, a small rocky headland to the north with an unmatched view of the sea pounding the rocks. Legend says the Spanish galleon San Pedro de Alcántara, laden with treasure from Peru, sank here in 1786; recovering its precious metals was one of the costliest diving operations of its time.

Late afternoon: Baleal and Supertubos

• Start: Papôa
• End: Supertubos beach
• Distance: about 10 km
• By car: about 20 minutes

For many visitors Baleal is the best beach in Peniche: fine sand, mostly calm water, a Blue Flag and lifeguards. It is also a favourite with surf schools, and at night the bars and restaurants on Baleal island fill with people from all over the world.

Finish at Supertubos, the beach of barrelling waves at the entrance to Peniche as you arrive on the IP6. Since 2009 it has hosted a stop on the world surfing tour, bringing the best surfers on the planet here every year.

Frequently asked questions

Is one day enough to see Peniche?

It is enough for the essentials: the centre, the fortress, Cape Carvoeiro, Papôa and the beaches. Keep another day for the Berlengas.

Do I need a car?

The centre and the fortress are easy on foot; for Cape Carvoeiro, Papôa and Baleal a car or bike is more practical.

Where do I buy tickets to the Berlengas?

At Peniche pier, or in advance with trips such as the Berlengas Standard Pack Tour.

More about Peniche

• The Berlengas archipelago
• Bobbin lace in Peniche
• Peniche annual events
• Essential Peniche
• Tours in Peniche

This article was prepared by the GoPeniche team, the tourist guide to Peniche. Please check dates, opening hours and prices before your visit.

This guide helps you get to know the municipality of Peniche and what it has to offer: where to buy the best local products, where to eat, where to stay and what to do by day and by night.

Enjoy the beaches, the Berlengas archipelago and a heritage in which fishing traditions and bobbin lace stand out. Start planning your visit now.

Related: What to see in Peniche

Geography

Peniche belongs to the Oeste region of Portugal, covers 77.55 km² and has four parishes: Atouguia da Baleia, Ferrel, Peniche and Serra d’El-Rei.

It borders the municipalities of Óbidos and Lourinhã and the Atlantic Ocean, about 80 km from Leiria, the district capital, and 100 km from Lisbon.

Weather

The climate on the Silver Coast, and in Peniche in particular, is temperate: winters are mild and summers are gentle. The average annual temperature is around 15.5 ºC, the warmest month averages 22 ºC and the sea is about 15 ºC.

Getting there and around

• By car: A8 to the IP6, exit for Peniche (about 1 hour from Lisbon)
• By bus: Rede Expressos and Rápida Rodoviária do Tejo
• By train: CP to Caldas da Rainha, then by bus

Within the town, local transport links the different areas, and short distances are easy on foot or by bike — there is a coastal cycle path between Peniche and Baleal.

Essential contacts

• Emergency (police, fire): 112
• Peniche Town Hall: +351 262 780 100
• Hospital (Peniche unit): +351 262 780 900
• Health centre: +351 262 783 501

Frequently asked questions

How far is Peniche from Lisbon?

About 100 km, just over an hour by car on the A8 and IP6.

When is the best time to visit Peniche?

Summer is the season for beaches and the Berlengas; spring and autumn are quieter and great for walking and surfing.

Which parishes make up Peniche?

Four: Atouguia da Baleia, Ferrel, Peniche and Serra d’El-Rei.

More about Peniche

• What to see in Peniche
• The Berlengas archipelago
• Bobbin lace in Peniche
• Peniche annual events
• Tours in Peniche

This article was prepared by the GoPeniche team, the tourist guide to Peniche. Please check dates, opening hours and prices before your visit.