Berlengas Islands Day Trip from Lisbon: Boat Caves & Nature

The Peniche Fortress, or São Francisco Fortress, is a fortified structure of bastioned origin that served as a military square and citadel for the town of Peniche, located in the western region and at the southern end of the Leiria district in Portugal, which has been classified as a National Monument since 1938. The fortress is situated on the southern slope of the Peniche Peninsula, on the cliffs, between the fishing port to the east and the Furninha Cave to the west. Currently, the fortress houses the Museum of Resistance and Freedom, which is part of the Portuguese Museum Network.

Berlenga Island, or Berlenga Grande, is divided into two parts, almost entirely separated by a seismic fault that, to the north, gave rise to the so-called Carreiro dos Cações and to the south to the Carreiro do Mosteiro. The larger part of the island is called Berlenga and represents more than 2/3 of the island's total surface area; the smaller part is called Ilha Velha (Old Island). It has an area of 78.8 hectares, approximately 1.5 km in length, 0.8 km in width, and a maximum height of 85 meters. Here you will find the Duque de Bragança Lighthouse, the São João Baptista das Berlengas Fort, Carreiro do Mosteiro Beach, and restaurants.

It is thought that Óbidos was built by the Celts around 308 BC. Although an attempt at domination by the Phoenicians failed due to Celtic resistance, the Celts eventually surrendered to the Romans, who conquered this "first-rate land". However, taking this territory was not easy, as there was considerable resistance near the fortification, especially on the eastern side. Seeing that entry from this direction was impossible, the Romans lifted the siege and captured the town by water. To do this, they embarked from a port to the north (today, Barra de S. Martinho) and sailed to the town walls through the mouth of the Foz do Arelho.