Visiting
BERLENGAS:
Check This Guide Before Your Trip
Seeing that it is going to need more space than a mere paragraph within Peniche Guide, I decided to make an individual guide for Berlengas. So here we go. Enjoy!
Often overshadowed by more popular tourist destinations, Berlengas captivates nature enthusiasts, history buffs, and adventure seekers alike with its crystalline waters, rugged cliffs, and rich biodiversity.
(Looking like plain pieces of land covered with rocks and only patches of grass/steppe in the middle of a vast ocean, with not so much going on at first sight, Berlengas may feel like a place not so much worth visiting at first to some of you. But that’s not the case.
And this Guide will help you get to know Berlengas.
Get to Know Berlengas
Also known as Berlengas Nature Reserve due to the special fauna and flora, Berlengas Archipelago has been considered a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2011.
Berlengas Archipelago was also the first protected area of the country when, in 1465, King Afonso V of Portugal banned hunting on the main island (Berlenga Grande). (Now talk about a “King”. Ronaldo? Pff.. If I were Portuguese, I would be so proud to have a king so conscious about environment centuries ago. Hats off for that.)
Although small, Berlengas didn’t go unnoticed throughout the history.
It is known that Berlenga Grande was inhabited even 3000 years before by men. Named as Isle of Dream and Isle of Saturn by ancient geographers, Berlengas have been visited, or attacked by Vikings, Moors, Ottomans, French and English privateers in the past.
The Archipelago consists of 3 islands: Estelas, Farilhões, and Berlenga Grande (being the main island).
The largest of all, Berlenga Grande is the only one habitable, allowing a visit. It was divided almost in 2, due to a seismic fault and therefore consists of 2 parts today: Old Island (the smaller part) and Berlenga (the larger part). The crack between these to pieces is called Carreiro dos Caçoes (the path of Dogfish) giving the distinct 8-like shape to the island.
In 1513, Hieronymites (Order of St. Jerome, a.k.a. “Jerónimos” in Portugal) founded a Monastery on Berlenga Grande to provide services such as to aid shipwrecked people.
Aside from its original purpose, the Monastery had a place in one of the most -how can I say- “tragiromantic” legends (a Romeo&Juliet-like love story) in Portugal.
(Oh, also, get used to seeing monasteries even at places that seem inhabitable places. They were everywhere, mates. Though, coming from lands where you have structures as Sumela Monastery -do take a look- I am not surprised at all at the “divine love” these guys had.)
Anyways, having missed out the logistics part when building a monastery in the middle of an ocean, Jeronimos, in the forthcoming years, have been beaten by many factors such as isolation, diseases, constant attacks from the privateers… Finally when all the religious orders were abolished the monastery was abandoned and slowly deteriorated barely leaving any remaining to this day. (It used to be where a small restaurant called Mar e Sol is currently located.) The stones left from the Monastery were used to construct the Fort of São João Baptista.
The only populated area on the island is the fishermen’s neighbourhood with few houses, a restaurant and a mini market. In the low season, only lighthouse keepers and ICNB vigilants stay on the island.
See “Accommodation” section below for more about staying on Berlengas.
What to Do/See in Berlengas
Take a Nature Walk
Start from the Fishermen’s District and explore the island using the hiking trails.
Although certain types of seagulls predominate on the island, you may be lucky enough to observe other creatures in their own environments. Not to mention the view.
A few structures you will discover on the way are as follows:
Fort of São João Baptista
The first thing you will notice as you approach the island is this polygonal fortification.
The construction of the Fort started in 1655 and according to a resource survived and attack by 3 Ottoman ships while it was under construction. It received attacks from several privateers including the Spanish and French in the following years as well. And in most of them, defended itself successfully.
Fast forward to 20th century, the Fort lost lost its military function.
Today, some places inside the castle are used as one of the limited guesthouses on the island where you can spend the night. If you are going to enter the visiting areas, there is a fee of 1 Eur which is used for the fund of protection of the island.
Berlengas Lighthouse (Farol de Duque de Bragança)
Guess who had it built?
Those who answered “Marquise of Pombal” you guys rock! (I have a small admiration for him because of his visionary mindset, as long-time followers of the blog know.)
The lighthouse, which started to be built in 1758, has been guiding sailors through the Atlantic waves ever since.
You can visit the lighthouse free of charge on Wednesdays between 14:00 and 17.00.
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Enjoy Some Beach Time
There are several beaches in Berlengas, but the most comfortable one in terms of its proximity to social facilities is Carreiro do Mosteiro Beach. Its name comes from its proximity to the old monastery, so if you cannot remember, just ask for Berlenga Grande beach. A sweet little beach and -as the island is full of cliffs- one of the safest ones.
Other Water Activities
As well as its on land, Berlengas offers underwater beauties to discover. Therefore you can find many water activities from scuba diving to snorkeling in crystal-clear waters surrounding Berlenga Island. Enthusiasts will be captivated by the underwater landscapes, vibrant marine life, and submerged caves.
Check here for some of the exciting activities you can try.
And of course, Enjoy "Coffee with a View"
There is a very cute restaurant on the island that is called “Mesa da Ilha”, belongs to Berlenga Bed & Breakfast but as we planned to try another restaurant in Peniche that we set our eyes on before, I couldn’t eat here.
But if you thought I would ignore Berlengas for my coffee of the day, you are so wrong. (I have a goal of marking every place I have visited with my coffee, y’all.) While waiting for our return boat to dock, I sipped my coffee and meditated silently, thanking the nature for all it had been giving to us.
How To Get To Berlengas?
To preserve indigenous environmental conditions, access to the islands and the traffic around is conditioned, and only a certain amount of visitors a day is allowed to visit. You need to get an authorisation (BerlengasPass) via ICNF and pay tourist tax of 3 euros to be able to visit the island otherwise you may face heavy fines!
To avoid the logistics, I suggest using local tour companies located along the port. The islands are around 30 minutes with speed zodiac boats and the round tickets start from 22 Eur. FeelingBerlenga was the company that I used (and as far as I know the most preferred one among many visitors. Along with starter pack they have other packs such as visiting the caves, diving and guided tours.
Mind you though: If you easily get seasick, you may want to take some precautions as the trip may be quite bumpy!
Explore Berlengas Tours
Accommodation
As mentioned earlier above, the only area seperated for needs and living is the fishermen’s neighbourhood and around with few houses, a restaurant and a mini market. In the low season, only lighthouse keepers and ICNB vigilants stay on the island.
Although Peniche would probably be more convenient when it comes to accommodation, Berlengas also have an option as well. If you want to stay the night on the Island, you can check following place:
If you want to have more options, you may want to consider staying in Peniche.
You can find all my suggestions in Travel Guide to Peniche
Search Accommodation Deals in Berlengas
Useful Links & Resources
- Booking.com : For all your reservations in a faster, safe and secure way.
- GetYourGuide: For the best tours around attractions and having fun activities. You can also skip the lines by purchasing tickets to the main monuments in advance.
- TripAdvisor: To find boat trips, excursions and other activities (as well as restaurants) in Berlengas
See all my TRAVEL RESOURCES & TOOLS to plan your trip.
All right folks! That’s all I have to tell you about Peniche. I hope it will be useful for your trip. (Even if you read it without leaving your seat, at least we visited a different place with you today.)
Don’t forget to share your comments with me and share this guide with somebody that you’d like to take with you.
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