During our stay on the Atlantic Coast of Portugal, just north of Lisbon, we decided to explore some of the villages in the region. So on a cloudy morning, we headed north of Vila Louro to Peniche, a town poking out of the coastline into the ocean.
We arrived mid-morning in what seemed to be a rather sleepy town, very little people were in the street and the shops weren’t open yet.
In the lookout for other human beings, we got guided by the sound of voices to Peniche indoor market.
The place had a fantastic art-deco architecture with the painted tiles indicating the different stalls (fishmongers, fruits, etc.).
This place was a vintage explosion of colours.
We headed deeper into town enjoying the tranquillity of the streets and the odd beauty of some decrepit buildings.
Having the town to ourselves, it felt like life could be simpler and more tranquil in a place like this.
and bag – Missoni.
We felt happy and relaxed as if our brains were finally unwinding and that, for a split second, our biggest challenge in life was to find a decent terrace to sit at with a coffee.
We kept exploring the street before reaching the beautiful Fortaleza de Peniche.
Fortaleza de Peniche is a 16th-century fortress which was also used as one of dictator Salazar’s notorious jails for political prisoners. Hard to believe with such joyful colours and beautiful architecture!
The fort is mainly painted in yellow which creates the most beautiful contrast against the blue sky and indigo sea.
We took the time to explore the place and visit some of the darkest corners which thanks to the sun-like colour wouldn’t look grim or daunting even if they were trying.
We took a last moment to enjoy the view before heading down to the port.
In Peniche port, old sailing ships are neighbours to tiny fishing boats.
Even the lifeguard office is charming!
A few minutes north of Peniche is Baleal Beach which is very famous among surfers. Neither Andrew or I can surf but we thought we would go and see what more talented people can do with a board.
We were welcomed by the weirdest meteorological phenomenon, on the beach side it was bright and sunny, on the ocean side it was completely misty!
It was fascinating to witness for tourists like us! If you know Baleal Beach please make sure to comment below to explain what that phenomenon is, I would love to learn more about it!
We watched the surfers vanishing into the sea.
As you can see, we weren’t the only ones impressed by the weather and the surfers’ skills!
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Claire Imaginarium 