Fishing and foraging at Foz do Arelho lagoon

Exactly how far north or inland the Silver Coast, or Costa da Prata, of Portugal extends is debatable so for the purposes of this article, I’ll concentrate on the things to see and do around Caldas da Rainha, Òbidos, Alcobaça and Nazaré.

As a beautiful, green, agriculturally rich area of Central Portugal with gorgeous beaches, ancient and interesting towns and villages and activities ranging from wine tasting in windmills to stand-up paddling (SUP) in a lagoon, its hardly surprising that many foreigners are attracted to Portugal’s Silver Coast as a place to spend their holidays or even to relocate to.

In no particular order, here are just 10 of the great things to see and do in the Silver Coast. Feel free to add your suggestions in the comments.

1. Medieval Óbidos village

Whether you dare to walk along the uneven citadel walls or content yourself with a stroll through the central cobbled streets, the picturesque village of Óbidos will charm you.

It does attract tour buses but you only need to venture one or two streets away from Rua Direita to escape other visitors.

Óbidos castle and walls, central Portugal
Óbidos castle and walls, central Portugal

You can get a really good feel of Óbidos on this Medieval Tale & Secrets Spots Walking Tour. A local guide will give you insights into the history of this fascinating village including the Jewish neighborhood.

Many of the day trips from Lisbon into central Portugal include a stop in Óbidos as well as some of the other places mentioned in this article.

This private tour takes you to Fátima, Batalha, Alcobaça, Nazaré and Óbidos.

Alternatively, click on any of these tours for more details.

2. Beautiful Berlenga Island

If you’re prone to seasickness, or have a phobia of birds, Berlenga shouldn’t be on your itinerary. This nature reserve island belongs to the seagulls and other creatures that thrive here. We humans can enjoy wildflower walks, boat trips to visit the caves and snorkelling, as well as an offshore fortress.

Day trips to Berlenga from Lisbon include time in the fishing town of Peniche (see #8 below). This Berlenga Island Small-Group Day Trip gives you the chance to visit the fort and wander through the nature reserve.

Fort of São João Baptista das Berlengas with steps and boats
Fort of São João Baptista das Berlengas with steps and boats

3. Wine tasting

The unique micro climates of the Silver Coast mean there are several wine regions within this area, which is good news if you fancy touring a winery and doing a spot of wine tasting.

Special experiences include wine tasting in a windmill and an original brandy distillery in the 18th century family-run Quinta do Sanguinhal.

Grape crushers and tasting room, Quinta do Sanguinhal
Grape crushers and tasting room, Quinta do Sanguinhal

4. Ceramics and markets at Caldas da Rainha

Once popular for its curative thermal waters, Caldas da Rainha is better known these days for its ceramic production. You can get a broad understanding and appreciation of local ceramics at the quirky Museu da Cerámica or visit the famous Bordallo Pinheiro museum and shop.

Visit Caldas on a weekday morning and you’ll catch the colourful flower, fruit and vegetable market in Praça da República.

Afterwards, you could take a stroll around the pretty Dom Carlos I Park, have a picnic amid the trees or hire a rowing boat to spend time on its lake.

My 2-Week Portugal Discovery Tour includes time in Caldas da Rainha and other Silver Coast highlights – see the itinerary.

Caldas da Rainha streets

Caldas da Rainha streets

You can try this small group 2-hour walking tour of the town which takes in both the market and ceramics.

5. Alcobaça and its World Heritage monastery

The historical centre of Alcobaça is dominated by the 12th century Cistercian monastery which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Not only is the architecture stunning, it contains two of the most important tombs in Portugal, those of its beloved star crossed lovers, Pedro and Inês.

The town centre holds other points of interest, such as a folk museum and a wine museum as well as intriguing squares. See my Alcobaça post for more details.

Detail of tomb of Inês wearing crown, Alcobaça. Photo © Carolyn Miller

Inês, watched over by angels, Alcobaça monastery

6. Foz do Arelho beach

Not being a fan of cold water or waves, except to look at, one of my favourite beaches in Portugal is the one at Foz do Arelho lagoon. While you’re perfectly welcome to brave the elements on the ocean-front beach, I’d recommend sticking to the calm, slightly warmer water in the lagoon.

The surrounding cliffs and countryside as well as a string of beach bars and restaurants add to the appeal.

Foz de Arelho beach, Portugal © Julie Dawn Fox
Foz de Arelho beach, Portugal

7. Buddha Eden sculpture gardens

If you like gigantic sculptures, especially those of an oriental, African or contemporary nature, Buddha Eden is worth a visit.

Owned by the Berardo Foundation, it offers yet another opportunity to share the vast art collection with the public as well as wines from the adjacent Quinta dos Loridos and other wineries in the Bacalhôa group, such as the one in Azeitão.

Buddah Eden Garden
Buddah Eden Garden

8. Peniche fishing village and fortress

If you’re going to Berlenga island, you’ll set off from Peniche but even if you’re staying on the mainland, Peniche is worth a stop.

The fortress was used as a political prison during the Salazar dictatorship and currently houses a museum with a collection of local boats and bobbin lace. By visiting the museum, you also get the chance to visit the cells and visiting room of the prison. Plans have been approved to transform this space into a national museum for the fight for freedom and democracy.

The marina and fishing harbour are hives of activity and the nearby beaches are popular with surfers and families.

Peniche fortress
Peniche fortress

9. Royal Ice Factory/Montejunto

Have you ever wondered how a country like Portugal, which has long, hot summers and relatively mild winters created ice in the days before electricity? I admit, I hadn’t given it much thought until I visited the Royal Ice Factory in the Montejunto mountains north of Lisbon.

It gets bitterly cold up here in the winter so they built shallow pools for collecting and freezing water overnight. The resulting ice was cut into blocks and stored in an underground silo which kept the ice frozen until it was time to transport it overnight by ox cart and boat to the royal court, trendy cafés and select stores in Lisbon in the 18th century so that the wealthy elites could enjoy their fashionably cold drinks and ice cream.

There’s a surprising amount of information in English here and a few marked walking trails nearby.

Shallow pools for making ice at the Royal Ice Factory near Lisbon Portugal
Shallow pools for making ice at the Royal Ice Factory near Lisbon Portugal

10 Nazaré and Sitio

I confess that I have yet to understand the draw of Nazaré, unless you’re a surfer looking for ginormous waves. There is a massive sandy beach in front of the town, which attracts families in summer months and you can still see multi-skirted women drying and selling fish, or peanuts and other snacks from beach side stalls. It just feels like a victim of tourism to me.

Sítio, however, I get. This is a suburb of Nazaré, perched on the cliff with spectacular views of the beach and town. You can either drive up or take the funicular. There are souvenir shops and stalls here, too.

The tiny domed chapel, Ermida da Memória, was built to honour the legendary intervention by Our Lady of Nazaré in preventing local nobleman Dom Faus Roupinho and his horse from careering off the cliff while in pursuit of a deer back in the 12th century.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Silver Coast Portugal – Where is it?

Portugal’s Costa de Prata is not just about the coastline; it extends many kilometres inland from the agricultural lands of Torres Vedras northwards. Maps and websites differ when it comes to its northern limits – just take a look at all the different ‘maps’ of the Silver Coast and you’ll see what I mean.

Some claim it ends near Figueira da Foz while others say it continues as far as Vila Nova de Gaia on the south bank of the Douro River. In my mind, it refers to the area around Peniche, Óbidos, Caldas da Rainha, São Martinho do Porto, Alcobaça, Nazaré and possibly up to Leiria and Pombal but I wouldn’t argue with anyone who wants to add the moniker to the beaches between Figueira da Foz and Porto.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Pin away

10 Things to see and do Silver Coast Portugal. Costa da Prata
10 Things to see and do Silver Coast Portugal

 

Bandstand and fishing boat. 10 Diverse Things To See And Do In Portugal's Silver Coast Area
10 Diverse Things To See And Do In Portugal’s Silver Coast Area

 

Fortress at sea. The beautiful, green area of Central Portugal known as the Silver Coast has loads to offer: glorious beaches, ancient and fascinating towns and villages and activities ranging from wine tasting in windmills to visiting a stunning nature reserve island. Read on for 10 amazing ideas to help you make the most of your time there!
Silver Coast – Portugal, Europe

17 Comments

  1. Hi Julie.

    I agree with all your suggestions but would add Praia da Areia Branca and Ariel Beaches to your list. Just south of Peniche. Beautiful beaches great for surfing and some good places to eat.

    Fran.

  2. Hi Julie. I plan on taking a road trip along the Silver Coast in February and wanted to know if I should expect many sites, restaurants and hotels to be closed for the Winter? I was thinking of using Coimbra as a home base and to drive as far south as Torres Vedras and as far north as Aveiro. I will be flying in and out of Porto and will probably stay there last couple days.

    1. Author

      Hi Roy, it’s mainly cafés and restaurants in beach towns that might be closed for the winter. Coimbra is business as usual, as are the other places you mentioned.

  3. Thanks, Julie, informaive and inspiring as usual. Must get off the sofa and actually go to these places!!

  4. Hi Julie. Thank you for highlighting this beautiful part of Portugal. We have been visiting Area Branca Beach for the last 15 years as we have a family home nearby. I totally agree with your post and would add that a visit to Lourinha and it’s beaches is worth a visit. Quiet but a generous number of good places to eat. I love your blog posts which have been shared with friends planning trips to Portugal.

    1. Author

      Thanks, Francisco. I haven’t yet been to Lourinha so that’s something to add to my wish list

  5. Hi Julie. Thank you for your great articles. We are traveling down from Coimbra to Lisbon by car in January, and want to stay for 2 nights at some small towns between. Could I ask your recommendations?

  6. Thank you! And where I could find the contact information? Direct in Peniche?

  7. Hmmm…..so if we only have time to visit EITHER Batalha OR Alcobaça……..Alcobaça would win out?

  8. Hi there, could you help me? I´ll be in Lissabon from 20 to 24 Sept and would like to visit Berlenga Island. Is there is a possibility do find a boat to get there from Peniche? As far as I understood the “official season” end on 15th Sept

    Thank you in advance

    1. Author

      Hi Katerina, You’d be better off contacting the boat companies directly – some of the smaller boats will still go if the weather is good enough.

  9. Thanks Julie. Great job. I’m looking forward to visiting that area next August. We hope to contact you when we get over there and will give you our itinerary before leaving the States. It will be a scouting trip for our eventual plan to relocate to Portugal. Always great to hear from you.
    Rick Barthlow.

  10. Getting together this evening to look over information for our probable trip to Portugal this October. Will be in touch

    1. Author

      Great, look forward to hearing from you soon, Pamela.

  11. this is one of my favourite areas in Portugal.I spent a couple of weeks here last summer at the obidas lagoon with the family did some travelling around visiting most of the areas you mention in your article I would thoroughly recommend and endorse your words about the area.so much to see and do….

    1. Author

      Thanks, Michael. Glad to hear that you are also a fan 🙂

Over to you. Please share your thoughts in a comment.