Peniche Portugal

My whirlwind tour of Portugal had taken me thus far to Lisbon (night 1), then headed north to Óbidos and Leiria (night 2) where we turned back around and headed south along the coastal route so we could enjoy a night in Peniche before making a quick stop over in Ericeira.

Our AirBnB was located opposite some sand dunes in a large apartment complex in an area devoid of cafes, it would seem. We headed across the road into the sand dunes, then explored for a bit while deciding a walk into the main part of town would be our best option at a worthwhile lunch. A half hour later we would find Café do Mercado, then pick up our walking again as we explored and returned towards the apartment in preparation for a long walk on the beach. Friends from Oregon, now living nearby, would be meeting us for dinner near Bar do Bruno on Baleal Beach.

After enjoying a lovely evening eating at a bar on the beach, we retired for the night and set out the next morning in search of a padaria. We parked and walked towards the Fort of Peniche before finding a local spot that would do the trick. Men smoked outside in front of the entrance, while other locals watched the morning news indoors. While it wasn’t amazing, it did the job and we felt sufficiently satisfied to return to the car so we could explore the circumference of the peninsula.

Our stops would take us to Praia do Carreiro de Joanes and the Miradouro Cabo Carvoeiro. I especially enjoyed the ladder into the rocks that offered a gorgeous window facing the sea northwesterly.

From here we would head by car to Ericeira, just over an hour away, to meet up with an old acquaintance I had last seen in 1990.