Things To Do
Peniche
Whether you want to spend a day surfing with locals or enjoying incredibly fresh grilled seafood, there are no shortage of options in Peniche. On the map, we've identified all of the places referenced below, plus more. The largest beach is the Praia dos Supertubos, a 10 minute walk from downtown Peniche. Locals also enjoy the smaller Praia Gamboa, and, for surfing, Baleal, a town two miles from downtown (For runners, there is a marked running path from Peniche to Baleal). We highly recommend you visit the Cabo Carvoeiro and have dinner at Nao dos Corvos; visit the old Fort downtown; and, if you can, take a thirty-minute boat ride to the Berlengas Archipelago, an extremely small but beautiful island where you can roam and have lunch. If you want to eat grilled sardines like locals, Toca Do Texugo is recommend for lunch. Tasco do Joel and Profesco are also excellent choices for dinner. From Peniche, you can make day trips to Obidos, Nazare, Sintra, or Lisbon.
Lisbon
Portugal's stunning capital city, and the second oldest capital city in Europe after Athens, Lisbon is the country's economic, political and cultural center. If you are traveling from the United States, it's likely you'll fly in (and possibly out) of Lisbon. Like all major European cities, Lisbon has no shortage of beautiful cathedrals, museums, and castles - including the UNESCO World Heritage sites of the Tower of Belém and Jerónimos Monastery. It's also a city of unique neighborhoods, each with something different to offer. The Alfama district with its windy cobblestone streets is home to Fado music and the Se Cathedral; Bairro Alto offers vibrant nightlife and local restaurants; and Baixa provides endless shopping for locals and visitors. Of course, Lisbon also has excellent restaurants (our favorite is Prado), cafes, and pastelerias that rivals any major city - typically for a fraction of the cost.
Porto
Stephanie and Andrew's favorite major city in Portugal, Porto is located three hours north of Lisbon by train and three hours north of Peniche by car. If you decide to visit Porto, you'll likely fall in love with the riverside Ribeira district and it's colorful buildings, restaurants, and shops; the stunning architecture of Sé Catedral do Porto and the tilework of Sao Bento station; and the nearby city of Gaia's port cellars and generous tastings. For eaters, A Grade, a small restaurant in Ribeira, offers incredible grilled Octopus and other seafood dishes, while Confeitaria Serrana is known for the serving up fantastic Bola de Berlem, a local pastry. And finally, for wine lovers, because Porto is located along the Douro river, you can access the Douro River Valley by boat to enjoy vinho tinto, vinho verde, and port from local producers.
Obidos
DAY TRIP: An extremely well maintained, fortified Medieval city and castle, Obidos is approximately twenty minutes by car from Peniche. It's a quick day trip to this enchanting city where you can walk the castle walls, visit the small restaurants and shops located along the Rua Direita, and drink ginja. a cherry liquor that is produced within the Obidos region. The 12th Century church located within the city, Igreja de Santa Maria, was the location of the wedding of King Afonso V and Queen Isabel, and is one of many sites worth seeing in Obidos.
Sintra
DAY TRIP: The "summer destination" of the Portuguese monarchs, Sintra is a small city located along the Portuguese Riviera and only a short drive from Lisbon. You can spend a day exploring Sintra's historic monuments, town center, and hills. The gem of Sintra is the Palácio da Pena Sintra, a stunning, colorful palace with incredible stone carvings, terraces, and gardens. Sintra is approximately thirty minutes from Lisbon, and an hour and fifteen minutes from Peniche, by car. There are also regular buses and trains from Lisbon to Sintra.
Nazaré
DAY TRIP: Thirty minutes north of Peniche by car, Nazaré is another coastal town with two famous beaches: the Praia da Nazaré, for locals and tourists alike to lay out, relax, and body surf, and the Praia do Norte, where surfers from around the world come in search of some of the biggest waves ever recorded. From the Praia da Nazaré, you can a take a lift to Sítio da Nazaré, a village and home to the Miradouro do Suberco, the best point to get a fantastic view of the beach below and surrounding coast. You can also access Nazaré's famous church, Igreja Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, featuring impeccably tiled walls and ceilings depicting biblical stories. Of course, you can also get incredibly fresh seafood at the countless restaurants in Nazaré.