Peniche- a short drive by car from Figueira da Foz

Well-known as a surfing hot-spot, Peniche is also worth a day-trip visit for non-surfers who will enjoy the hustle and bustle of this busy finishing harbour with its surrounding beaches, including the sandy Baleal. Three hours by bus (€13.50), or an hour and a half by car, Peniche is easily accessible from Figueira da Foz.

Undoubtedly the most famous building in Peniche is the sixteenth Century fortress, which was used as a political prison as recently as the 1970’s controlled by Portugal’s dictator Salazar and his secret police to imprison political opponents. Today the fortress still stands, with views stretching out across the Atlantic Ocean and the new addition of a museum commemorating local history.

If you’re in Peniche then make sure you visit the Berlengas Islands, which are accessible by ferry from Peniche harbour. The biggest island in the group is a nature reserve home to thousands of species of sea birds. The deep waters surrounding the island are ideal for deep-sea fishing and diving or the gentler diversion of a boat trip around the rock formations and secret grottoes that encircle them. One of the best experiences of a trip to the Berlengas Islands is a boat trip through the Furado Grande, a sea tunnel that has been described as ‘breathtaking’.