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Peniche
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Alcobaça Alvaiázere Ansião Batalha Bombarral Caldas da Rainha Castanheira de Pera Figueiró dos Vinhos Leiria Marinha Grande Nazaré Óbidos Pedrógão Grande Peniche Pombal Porto de Mós
Partly enclosed by 16th-century walls, Peniche is almost entirely dependent on the sea. Its fishing industry and port, fishermen, trawlers and seagulls mark the atmosphere of this town, with its whitewashed houses and narrow streets. No wonder it has excellent fish restaurants, also specializing in seafood and shellfish dishes, and that it affords the visitor facilities for deep-sea fishing. On the first weekend of August, during the festivities of Nossa Senhora da Boa Viagem, crowds gathered in the harbour and holding lighted candles greet the statue of the Virgin that arrives by boat. Fishermen's wifes are also known for their skilfulness in making bobbin lace, following an ancient oriental technique. Tourists are also curious to visit the Fortaleza, a 16th-century fortress, overlooking the sea, that was used as a prison during the repressive former regime that ended in 1974. At about two kilometres from Peniche, the Carvoeiro Cape offers spectacular views of the ocean and strange-looking rocks; east of Peniche, Baleal has wonderful and unspoiled beaches. However, one of the main attractions of Peniche is the trip by ferry to the Berlenga Islands, a rocky archipelago where Nature is still in an almost wild state. This reserve is a nesting place for a variety of seabirds and includes beautiful reefs and marine grottoes amidst imposing red granite cliffs.
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