The Best Things to Do in Peniche, Portugal
Are you visiting Lisbon and wondering what a nice, adventure filled day trip you can take from Lisbon? If you’ve already visited the most common day trips from Lisbon, such as Sintra, Cascais, Costa da Caparica and Obidos, then a day or a few days visit to Peniche is in order.
Peniche is a popular surfing area about an hour drive north of Lisbon. It’s also quite close to Óbidos and Caldas da Rainha and could be explored the same day you explore the other towns, depending on how much time you have. This blog post is all about what to do in Peniche, where to eat and where to stay in Peniche.
LOGISTICS: THE EASIEST WAY TO TRAVEL to peniche
It’s easiest to get to Peniche and Berlengas via vehicle. Our favorite car rental aggregator is DISCOVER CARS. Click HERE to get the best rates on car rentals. DISCOVER CARS LINK
WHAT TO DO IN PENICHE
I highly recommend that you rent a car. Our favorite car rental aggregator is DISCOVER CARS where we’ve gotten some great deals and awesome vehicles this way. If you prefer to take an organized tour from Lisbon to Peniche rather than renting a car to DIY, then this tour comes highly recommended: LISBON TO PENICHE ORGANIZED DAY TRIP
Praia dos Supertubos for huge surfing waves or just to see them. You could also try your luck at surfing with this entertaining class with experienced surfing instructors. SURF LESSON
Cabo Carvoeiro – a majestic cape with 25-meter cliffs that have unique karst formations on the top and face a limestone stack, the Nau dos Corvos. This is so cool to see in person! You could also take this enjoyable boat tour to the cape to see it from the water: BOAT TOUR TO CABO CARVOEIRO
Fortaleza de Peniche – go to the roof to see the fantastic ocean view and check out the museum inside. It’s sobering to think of what this fort was used for in the recent past (to hold political prisoners and those who disagreed with the dictator).
Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Remédios – while driving from Peniche to Cabo Carvoiero, you will come across this tiny, amazing church. It’s unassuming from the outside, but as you look inside, you will find elaborate tile work showing the life of Mary. This church was built after an image of Mary was found nearby carved into the rock. Every October, a pilgrimage and festival take place here.
short drive from Peniche
Baleal – a small, rugged peninsula jutting out between two white sandy beaches which is a former whaling station and is now a tiny coastal village. Baleal is truly magical – it’s hard to explain unless you’ve been there. It’s a must-visit when you are in this area.
Berlengas Archipelago – this is a natural reserve with a colony of puffins and rich marine life in the water and can be reached via ferry or small boat. This fantastic tour includes the boat trip, hiking and exploration of the cave. If you prefer to just take the boat to Berlengas round trip, then this is the ticket you need.
Dolphin Boat Tour – I adore dolphins and enjoy seeing them in their natural habitat. This tour is perfect for seeing them out in the ocean.
Praia da Consolação – people come to soak in the iodine-rich waters, which is supposed to help with bone conditions and thyroid problems. It’s also a lovely beach to just hang out.
WHERE TO STAY in peniche
Peniche
- Huge gorgeous room that is a mere 650m from the beach with a pool
- Incredibly affordable + comfy central location
- Ultra comfy 2 bedroom apartment with breathtaking rooftop view
Baleal
- FreeSurfCamp & Hostel – right by the beach and fun spot
- Sandy Camps Surf House – highly recommended
- A lovely apartment all to yourself in Baleal
WHERE TO EAT
Unfortunately, there aren’t any 100% vegan spots in Peniche. There are many restaurants that have some decent vegan options. I highly recommend that you check out Happy Cow for the latest info about where to eat.
Overall, Peniche is a lovely place to visit for a day or two. It’s a short drive from Lisbon on a well-maintained comfortable toll road or an equally comfortable back road. Peniche and Baleal are definitely worth checking out when you are in Portugal. This blog post is all about the best things to do in Peniche, Portugal.
Have you been to Peniche? Is there anything you would add to the list of things to do in Peniche?
This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend items that we truly love!
The 5 items we were so happy to have for all of our trips:
- Merrell women’s light hiking shoes – these are amazing because they are lightweight, but are extra grippy and helpful! I also have this pair that I always get compliments on: Merrell Rainbow shoes. Fernando loves his Asics trail runners which are also grippy and perfect for walking on cobblestone streets.
- Thermoflask water bottle – like a Hydroflask, but more affordable! We don’t go anywhere without these water bottles full of purified water.
- North Face Aphrodite 2.0 capris – Seriously, I wear these pants every.single.day! I couldn’t live without these ultra-comfy, lightweight pants that dry so quickly. They are 100% worth the money!
- Osprey Day Pack – this is an awesome lightweight backpack that we can easily put the belongings we need at hand for traveling around the city and on public transportation.
- Travel-friendly chewable toothpaste tablets – these are so fantastic for keeping your teeth clean on the go!
OUR FAVORITE PORTUGAL SERVICES:
- DISCOVER CARS – If you want to rent a car while you’re in Portugal, our favorite car rental aggregator is Discover Cars. We frequently rent cars and they always have the best prices and great quality vehicles.
- iTalki – if you want to learn some Portuguese before traveling to Portugal or while you’re here, we love iTalki. We highly recommend their language services.
SURFSHARK VPN – truly the best for our VPN needs!
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