Peniche was an island until sand silted up the channel, and it still feels like one, a stubby peninsula pushed out into the Atlantic with the sea on three sides. About sixteen thousand people live in the town, and fishing is still the main business, with a harbour full of blue and white boats and the smell of grilled sardines drifting along the waterfront. The coast around has become one of the great surf destinations of Europe, thanks to the long swells that arrive at the beach at Supertubos, where competitions are held every year.
The history is more sombre than the surfing suggests. The old fort in the town, built in the sixteenth century to defend the coast, was used as a political prison under the dictatorship of Salazar, and many opponents of the regime were held here in harsh conditions. In 1960, the communist leader Álvaro Cunhal and several others made a daring escape from the fort, which became a legend. The building is now a national museum devoted to resistance and freedom, and it is a moving place.
Off the coast lie the Berlengas, a small archipelago of granite islands that is a nature reserve, reached by boat in summer, with a fort on a rock and thousands of seabirds. The sea here is cold, clear and rich, and lobster and shellfish are local specialities.
The coast road, the N247, which runs from Sintra towards Peniche, is among the best rides in Portugal, and this is its destination. It twists along cliffs and through small seaside villages, past Cabo da Roca, Ericeira and the town of Lourinhã, which is known for its dinosaur fossils. The surface is mostly good, but sand blows across it, and fog and sea mist can roll in suddenly. Wind is a constant companion, and the road can be crowded with weekend traffic in summer.
Fuel and services in Peniche are comprehensive, with stations, shops and many fish restaurants, and Atouguia da Baleia, a few kilometres away, is a quieter option. Order whatever has come off the boat that morning, grilled, with boiled potatoes.
Come in September or October, when the sea is warm, the crowds have gone and the swell begins to build. Walk out to the cape at the end of the day.