Pedro DominguesPeniche stands out as one of Portugal’s most complete beach destinations. Its waters are ideal for all kinds of visitors, from those who are just looking for a refreshing swim in the summer to those who are looking for perfect waves to surf all year round.
There are many wonders to be found along the coast of Peniche, from the famous Supertubos beach, the scene of world surfing championships, to quieter spots like Baleal beach.
In addition to the sporting aspect, these beaches are also places of great ecological importance. The variety of marine habitats in Peniche is a magnet for biologists and marine life enthusiasts. Various animals, from seabirds to a wide range of fish, find refuge in the waters and the surrounding rocky areas. It’s impossible not to mention the Berlengas Archipelago.
In this article, I’ll describe each of the best beaches in Peniche in detail. Read on! 😉
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When to visit Peniche?
I recommend that you visit Peniche in the summer so that you can make the most of the beaches, not forgetting Berlenga Island. However, Peniche is very popular in all seasons, especially for surf lovers. There is always something to do and visit in Peniche, in fact, at any time of year.
Consider, for example, the main festivities and events:
- The World Surfing Championship, specifically the event held in Peniche in March.
- The Triathlon in June. As the name suggests, you’ll have to run, swim and cycle.
- The International Bobbin Lace Exhibition, in July.
- The festivities in honor of Nossa Senhora da Boa Viagem, patron saint of fishermen, at the end of July and beginning of August. Also known as the main Peniche Festivities.
- The Ferrel Festivities, in August.
How to get to Peniche?
It is very easy to get to Peniche by public transport, as there are direct buses from Lisbon, with Rede Expressos. The same goes for Porto, or other major cities in the country, such as Leiria or Coimbra.
However, I recommend that you have a car for your trip, as Peniche is a large municipality, with a lot of coast to discover, and a car will only facilitate and improve your entire experience in that region, allowing you to go to more remote places. I leave you the option of renting one with Discover Cars, if you don’t have your own car.
If you want to visit Peniche but haven’t bought tickets to Portugal yet, I recommend that you use Skyscanner or Google Flights to do a search before buying them, comparing prices and flight conditions. You have many connections with Porto or Lisbon from abroad.
Note that you can still get to Peniche through an excursion from Lisbon, with the intention of visiting Berlenga Island.
Accommodation tips to visit Peniche
If you haven’t booked your stay to visit Peniche yet, consider doing so now by following my suggestions below, or by clicking on the blue button to do your own search for the dates of your trip! Whenever possible, opt for accommodation that allows free cancellation, just in case.
| Accommodation | Score | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Neptuno | 8.8 | Consolação |
| Forte Guest House | 8.4 | Peniche Peninsula |
| Star Inn Peniche | 8.4 | Peniche Peninsula |
| MH Peniche | 8.7 | Peniche Peninsula |
| MH Atlântico | 8.4 | Supertubos Beach |
| GO4SURF Lofts | 8.7 | Peniche Peninsula |
| Casa Berlengas à Vista | 9.1 | Peniche Peninsula |
| Sea Garden | 9.0 | Peniche Peninsula |
| Apartamentos Soul Surfer | 8.9 | Peniche Peninsula |
| Mercearia d’Alegria | 8.9 | Peniche Peninsula |
| RIDE Surf Resort | 8.7 | Baleal |
| The Wave | 8.8 | Baleal |
| Surfness Lodge | 9.2 | Baleal |
| Perfect Shore | 9.5 | Baleal |
| YEY Baleal | 8.8 | Baleal |
| Baleal GuestHouse | 9.0 | Baleal |
| Castaway | 9.8 | Baleal |
Best beaches in Peniche
Moving on to the main topic of this article, you’ll find this section divided into four distinct stages: peninsula, south coast, north coast and Berlenga island. 😉 At the end I’ll leave you with a map of all the listed beaches in Peniche.
Best Beaches in Peniche – Peninsula
On the Peniche peninsula itself, only three beaches stand out. They’re not the best in the region, I must say, and they’re more popular with locals than with outsiders. If you read my full article on things to do in Peniche, you’ll see that I recommend a full-day hike around the peninsula, excellent for those who like coastal landscapes with brutal rock formations.
1. Portinho da Areia Beach (South)
The first beach I’ll mention is Portinho da Areia Beach, in this case on the south side of the peninsula, as there is another beach with the same name on the north side. Here you’ll find a small stretch of sand with a calm sea, sheltered from the waves. Young people often throw themselves off the rocky cliffs into the sea, but I don’t know how safe that is. 😉
- Optionally, how about visiting the small Hermitage of Santa Cruz nearby, dating back to the 18th century?
- How about discovering the picturesque neighborhood built on top of the cliffs, which separates the beach from the Fortress of Peniche?
2. Abalo Beach
The other two beaches are in the northern part of the Peniche Peninsula. One of them is Abalo beach, located next to Ponta do Trovão. It has several rocky platforms at the entrance to the water, so it’s not very practical for bathing. Ponta do Trovão is one of the most geologically valuable places on the Peniche peninsula, as fossils dating back 190 million years have been found there, predating the genesis of the Atlantic Ocean itself.
3. Portinho da Areia Beach (North)
Before reaching the extraordinary Papoa de Peniche (a must-see), there is the other beach of Portinho da Areia, this time the northern beach. It also has a lot of rock formations and stones by the sea, so it is advisable to wear suitable footwear and be very careful when bathing. It’s not very busy, so it’s an ideal place to take the dog for a walk, for example. 😉
Best Beaches in Peniche – South Coast
If you’re into surfing and bodyboarding, or simply love wave beaches, pay close attention to the tips below. On the coast to the south of the Peniche peninsula you may well find what you’re looking for.
Three large beaches appear first: Molhe Leste, Supertubos and Consolação. There are 3 km of uninterrupted sand, with the fishing port of Peniche and the fortress of Consolação Beach at the ends.
- Supertubos Beach, in particular, takes its name from the perfect tubular shape of its waves. It is the main surfing spot in the municipality and hosts one of the World Surf League stages every year.
- Consolação Beach, on the other hand, has an enormous concentration of iodine in its rocks and is therefore very popular with bone sufferers. Its rocks are around 155 million years old (Upper Jurassic) and are full of fossils of shells, corals and sea urchins.
- Finally, Molhe Leste Beach owes its name to the 500-meter breakwater that borders Peniche’s port infrastructure.
1. Molhe Leste Beach
2. Supertubos Beach
3. Consolação Beach
4. São Marcos Beach
To the south of Consolação Beach, there are no longer large stretches of sand, but small coves with beaches with waves. Of all of them, I would clearly highlight São Bernardino beach as the best place to spend a sunny afternoon, as the others have more precarious access, appearing in this itinerary only as beautiful places to visit from the viewpoints at the top of the cliffs. That’s my advice!
At São Marcos Beach I remember finding impressive rock platforms at the base of the cliffs, which clearly marked the landscape! The same goes for Salgueiro and Porto Grande beaches.
5. Salgueiro Beach and Porto Grande Beach
6. São Bernardino Beach
São Bernardino Beach is excellent, with more infrastructure and good access by tarred road, as it is close to a village. Nearby, you can visit the Chapel of Santa Filomena and the Convent of São Bernardino de Sena.
7. Frades Beach
At one end of Frades Beach is the same village as São Bernardino Beach, and that’s where you’ll find the best access. However, you’ll find the best views on the other side (at these coordinates).
8. Vale Pombas Beach
Finally, Vale Pombas Beach, the most difficult to reach by car, and also the most remote, with no mobile network signal there when I visited. My advice is to use the road that starts at these coordinates, as it was the only passable road I found to get there!
Best Beaches in Peniche – North Coast and Baleal
Moving on to the north of the Peniche Peninsula, I have to highlight what is, for the vast majority of visitors, the best beach in the region. I’m talking, of course, about the enormous Baleal beach, located in the Bay of Peniche between the aforementioned Papoa and Baleal Island. There are, in total, about 4km of almost uninterrupted sand, which can be subdivided into different smaller beaches:
- Quebrado and Gambôa beaches, just after Papoa. Both are located next to the bastions of the Peniche Peninsula fortress.
- The beaches of Peniche de Cima, Cova da Alfarroba and Bay of Peniche. The gigantic dune fields that embrace the entire bay stand out.
- And Baleal Island Beach. As the name suggests, this beach is located next to Baleal Island, which is separated from the mainland by a small strait / tongue of sand. It’s actually two beaches in one, very different from each other in terms of the strength of the waves. To the north you can surf, but to the south you can dive and swim in calmer waters.
1. Quebrado Beach
2. Gambôa Beach
3. Peniche de Cima Beach
4. Cova da Alfarroba Beach
5. Peniche Bay Beach
6. Baleal Beaches (South and North)
7. Almagreira Beach
North of Baleal, I particularly liked Almagreira beach and the various coves that form there, surrounded by red cliffs, very different from those you’ll find on the Peniche beaches mentioned above. You must walk up to the geodesic landmark at these coordinates! 😉
8. Pico da Mota Beach and Azenhas Beach
That leaves Pico da Mota Beach, near the border with the municipality of Óbidos. Once again, there has been a drastic change in the appearance of the cliffs, which are now much straighter and sturdier. At coordinates 39.389611, -9.292806, the view is brutal, but you’ll also find good viewpoints near the beach itself and on the surrounding cliffs. To the south of this beach is the optional Azenhas Beach. This is a much wilder beach than the others.
Beaches in Peniche, on Berlenga Island
Berlenga Island also has an exceptional beach to enjoy in the summer, Carreiro do Mosteiro beach, located next to the island’s port. The waters are so clear that the island’s boats seem to be floating in the air when seen from the top of the surrounding cliffs. 😀
To find out how to get to Berlenga Island, I recommend you check out my dedicated article. There you’ll also find all the tips on what to visit and do. 😉 There are rules to follow, including asking the ICNF for permission to visit.
Note that it is possible to visit Berlenga Island with Get Your Guide or Civitatis, making all your reservations directly on these websites. 1 - Peniche: Berlenga Island Trip, Hiking and Cave Tour 2 - From Peniche: Fast Boat Berlengas Archipelago Round-Trip 3 - From Lisbon: Day trip to Berlenga Island 4 - Snorkelling in Berlenga Island 5 - Beginner's Dive on Berlenga Grande
Map with the best beaches in Peniche
Take part in a Surf Lesson in Peniche
How about catching some waves, accompanied by someone who really knows how to surf? Consider this activity, in particular, which lasts 90 minutes. 😉 Or this one, with Viator.
Don’t forget Travel Insurance
Also, consider getting travel insurance when visiting Portugal, especially if you plan on engaging in hiking and more adventurous water sports. Opt for prevention against any potential mishaps!
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