Berlengas
Protected Granite Archipelago And UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (2011) With Seabird Colonies, Sea Caves And The Fort Of Sao Joao Baptista · Peniche, Leiria
The Berlengas are a small granite archipelago about 10 km off Cabo Carvoeiro at Peniche, a nature reserve since 1981 and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2011. Only Berlenga Grande can be visited: a reddish, treeless island of cliffs, coves and seabird colonies, with a small beach and a cluster of fishermen's houses at the landing, a lighthouse on the high point and, on a rock islet joined by a stone causeway, the seventeenth-century Fort of Sao Joao Baptista. People come for the boat trip, the clear cold water for snorkelling and diving, the sea caves such as the Furado Grande, the thousands of gulls and shearwaters, and a day far from the mainland. Landing needs a BerlengaPass booked online as well as a boat ticket, and visitor numbers are capped. The honest caveats: the season is short, the crossing is often rough and seasickness is common, there is almost no shade and little food, and summer weekends sell out weeks ahead.
Berlenga Grande island, about 10 km off Cabo Carvoeiro, reached only by boat from the harbour at Peniche, Peniche, Leiria, Portugal
Seasonal. Boats run roughly from mid-May to September (the 2026 season opened on 9 May - confirm), several departures a day from Peniche harbour in July and August, fewer at the edges, with afternoon returns; all sailings depend on the sea. Landing requires the BerlengaPass, an online reservation and small per-person, per-day fee run by the ICNF, with about 550 visitors allowed at a time - book the pass AND the boat, weeks ahead for summer weekends. The island itself has no gates; the fort keeps limited hours.