Beaches
Baleal Beach
The West is a privileged area in many ways, one of which is its wonderful coastline, where, in addition to beautiful beaches of fine sand, you can find imposing and steep cliffs, or unsurpassed places of beauty, such as the Berlengas archipelago and the tranquil Óbidos Lagoon.
A region with a multitude of colors, the green of its extensive vineyards, the blue of the sea in symbiosis with the gold of its beaches. It is a territory of intense luminosity, where the sea coast and the countryside are interconnected, offering a very mild climate, throughout the year.
From the Dunas de Salir do Porto, you can enjoy a unique landscape of beauty, along the Atlantic road towards Lagoa de Óbidos. This water level is one of the most beautiful places on the west coast of Portugal, and constitutes a fragile ecosystem, where several species find a privileged habitat.
Numerous water and migratory birds can be observed here, but it is above all in terms of bivalve molluscs that the importance of the fauna of this area lies. Until the end of the Middle Ages, the Lagoon extended to the foot of the village of Óbidos, but the evolution of the coastline, in constant mutation, substantially limited its perimeter.
Even so, the lagoon has an appreciable extent and is an exceptional place for the practice of various sports such as rowing, sailing and windsurfing.
Santa Cruz
Next to the Lagoa, Praia da Foz do Arelho, is a place where nature has gifted us, with its exceptional therapeutic qualities and an extensive sandy beach. A place of choice for surfers, the calm and tranquil waters of the Lagoa are a delight for children. In the small pier area, you can buy all the variety of species that Lagoa offers, from cockles to clams. On this beach you will find great terraces and restaurants, where you can delight in fish dishes, fried eels, clams and the magnificent Lagoa stew.
On the south side, the beaches of Lapinha and Rei Cortiço, in Bom Sucesso, are equally beautiful places in the summer. Here begins an extensive beach where, at Praia d'El Rey, man's ingenuity has combined with nature to create a modern "resort" where a magnificent 18-hole golf course stands out, one of the best in the country with sea view.
The bay between Baleal and Peniche is enchanting. On the north side, Lagide beach is a splendid place for surfing and bodyboarding throughout the year.
Baleal beach (south side of the isthmus), is an extensive beach with calmer waters, has surf schools, tennis courts, swimming pools, nightclubs and an equestrian center.
Up to Peniche there are more than 2 kilometers of fine white sand, with a complex of small dunes.
This beach is excellent for pleasant walks by the sea.
Óbidos Lagoon
The road to Cabo Carvoeiro is an unforgettable ride, with landscape features and rare and exotic geological formations, carved by the sea, are a work of art of time. The vast panorama that can be enjoyed is a permanent spectacle of nature, with Berlenga in the background.
Peniche, land of fishermen, has magnificent sea cuisine. It is the excellence of fresh fish, the Peniche stew, the famous Suada Lobster or simply a beautiful grilled sardine.
Visit the Peniche Fortress, its Museum and the Bilros lace workshops. The new Peniche Recreational Port is the base for water sports companies that have a fishing and diving Sanctuary in Berlenga.
Berlengas Island
A trip to Berlengas is essential, an island with a wonderful natural setting, with calm and crystalline waters. In fact, the transparency and clarity of the waters that bathe Berlenga is a constant and the most notorious characteristic. Diving is an activity of choice. Discover the beautiful São João Baptista Fort, built in the 17th century, an authentic jewel of Portuguese military architecture.
Berlengas Island, Nature Reserve, a privileged place for contact with nature, is served by several companies that provide connections and is equipped with some necessary infrastructures to receive the visitor.
A large stretch of sand, over two kilometers long, extends from Peniche to the Consolação headland. In the middle of this bay, in the place called Médão Grande, the waves acquire such a configuration that they allow beautiful effects in the practice of surfing and bodyboarding, namely because its waves are tubular, in which the crests are so long that they create spaces empty, perfect tubes that by practitioners of these modalities are known as "super tubes", so this beach is very frequented by surfers, from the most diverse countries, during all seasons of the year.
Praia da Consolação is endowed with excellent therapeutic conditions - in an open cove, the accumulated iodine combined with other natural conditions and, through exposure to the sun, provides the well-being of many people who seek in it, with satisfaction, the cure of their ailments of rheumatic and bone origin. This fact is unique on the european continent and brings many thousands of people every year.
Praia da Areia Branca
Going down towards the South, you can find many other beaches and coves, such as S. Bernardino, Paimogo, Praia da Areia Branca, Porto Dinheiro, Ribamar, Porto Novo and Santa Rita.
A special reference to Praia da Areia Branca, much appreciated, for its excellent conditions. Close by, the Porto de Barcas area is the ideal place, due to its magnificent fishponds, to enjoy a wonderful seafood meal, accompanied by light wine, with the sea in the background.
In the cliffs that are located on the coast of Lourinhã, there is an extraordinary testimony of the deep geological transformations that gave rise to the current continents. Here, great jurassic remains were found, containing nowadays a very valuable repository for paleontological studies. Numerous fossils, eggs and embryos are currently on display at the interesting Lourinhã Museum (GEAL).
Porto de Barcas
In the cove of Porto Novo, in addition to the curious beach, you will find a tourist "resort" with golf, equestrian center and other facilities. On the "Escarps da Maceira" that flank the River Alcabrichel, an admirable natural area, discover the thermal spa complex of Vimeiro.
Santa Cruz, is the Queen of the West Beaches, a traditional summer resort, in a more cosmopolitan environment, a set of numerous beaches with different characteristics, beautiful in their natural setting, and very pleasant, it is a place of choice for lovers of vacations of sun and sea.