Berlengas
A Different Day on the Silver Coast
Just off the coast from Peniche lies one of the more unusual places you can visit during a stay on Portugal's Silver Coast: the Berlengas Islands.
We visited Berlengas ourselves during the summer, and it is an experience I can recommend if you have half a day available and would like to see a very different side of the area.
It is beautiful, different – and there are a few things worth knowing before you go.
What are the Berlengas?
The Berlengas are a small group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, around 10 kilometres off the coast of Peniche.
The archipelago consists of three groups of islands and rocks – Berlenga Grande, Estelas and Farilhões-Forcadas. Berlenga Grande is the main island and the one you visit on the regular boat trips from Peniche.
The islands form a protected nature reserve, known for their dramatic cliffs, clear water, seabirds, small coves and unusual rock formations.
For most visitors, I would consider Berlengas primarily a late-spring and summer experience rather than a typical winter excursion. Regular boat services generally operate during the warmer part of the year and are always dependent on sea and weather conditions.
Getting there – and a word about the Atlantic
Boats leave from Peniche, and there are several operators and different types of boats.
Some are fast boats or catamarans, while others make the crossing at a more leisurely pace. Depending on the boat, the crossing typically takes somewhere between approximately 25 and 50 minutes.
And there is something you should know.
This is the Atlantic Ocean.
When we left Peniche, everything initially felt quite calm. Once we got out into more open water, however, the waves became considerably more noticeable – and there were a few serious bumps along the way.
We travelled on a catamaran and enjoyed the experience, but if you really dislike being on a boat or are particularly sensitive to seasickness, Berlengas may not be the excursion for you.
How much time should you allow?
For me, Berlengas is perfect as a half-day excursion.
Most operators offer both morning and afternoon departures, with the complete trip taking around four hours. This normally gives you approximately three hours on and around Berlenga Grande, which is plenty of time to explore the island, take the additional boat trip and walk back from the fort.
If you would also like to spend some time swimming or relaxing on the small beach, those three hours naturally become more useful. There are several opportunities to get into the wonderfully clear Atlantic water around the harbour and beach.
Choose either the morning or afternoon departure and keep the rest of your day free for something else.
In summer, Berlengas is popular – very popular. Don't expect to have the island to yourself. But there is a reason people come here. The scenery is beautiful, the water is clear, and the whole experience is very different from anything else you can do along this part of the Portuguese coast.
I would add the small boat trip
When booking your trip, I would recommend adding one of the smaller boat tours around Berlenga Grande.
The smaller boat takes you close to the extraordinary rock formations, into caves and through some of the narrow openings in the rocks that you simply cannot experience from the main boat.
You also sail around Forte de São João Baptista, the spectacular 17th-century fort built almost into the rocks below the island, giving you a completely different perspective of it from the water.
There are plenty of good opportunities for photographs along the way.
Get off at the fort – and walk back
At the end of the small boat trip, you can normally choose between staying on the boat and returning to the harbour or getting off at Forte de São João Baptista.
If you are reasonably fit, I would choose the second option.
Take some time to look around the fort and then make your way back across the island. But be prepared: the first part is the hard part. From the fort, there is a long climb up a stone staircase before you reach the higher part of the island.
Once you get up there, you are rewarded with some of the best views of the excursion – looking back down over the fort, the Atlantic and the dramatic coastline.
From there, the walk back towards the harbour is much easier and takes you past some beautiful views of the island's small coves and clear water.
Between the caves, the fort and the views from above, this is probably where you will take your best photographs of the day.
The walk involves steps, slopes and uneven paths, so good footwear is a sensible idea.
Practical tips
BerlengasPass: Visiting Berlenga Grande requires separate registration through the official BerlengasPass system. This is in addition to buying your boat ticket, so remember to arrange both.
Food and drink: You don't need to carry lunch with you. There is a small café/restaurant close to where you arrive on the island where you can get something simple to eat, coffee, cold drinks or a beer.
Don't expect a sophisticated restaurant experience – facilities on the island are quite basic and prices naturally reflect the isolated location. Bringing a bottle of water and perhaps a few snacks is never a bad idea.
What to bring: Comfortable shoes, sun protection, water and your phone or camera. If the weather is good, consider bringing swimwear as well – there is a small beach and several opportunities for a refreshing swim. If you are prone to seasickness, it is worth preparing for the boat crossing too.
Book ahead in summer: Visitor numbers on Berlenga Grande are controlled to protect the nature reserve, and July and August in particular can be busy. I would not leave the boat or BerlengasPass arrangements until the last minute.
Useful links
We travelled with BerlengaTur on their catamaran and had a good experience. They also offer the additional small boat trip around the caves and rock formations.
Registration for access to Berlenga Grande:
Another operator offering crossings and additional tours around the island:
Another option for crossings and island tours:
My recommendation
If you have a day without golf and would like to spend half a day doing something completely different, Berlengas is an interesting excursion – particularly during the warmer months.
I would choose either a morning or afternoon trip, add the small boat tour around the caves and rock formations, and – if you are comfortable with the climb – get off at the fort and walk back across the island.
Allow around four hours for the excursion itself, plus your journey to and from Peniche.
It is not something I would try to squeeze in before or after a round of golf. Make it your activity for a golf-free day, enjoy the Atlantic, the scenery and the experience – and you will still have plenty of the day left when you return.
Jorgen/Living on the West Coast of Portugal
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