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Berlengas The Berlengas are a small Portuguese archipelago located about 10/15 km west of Peniche.The centermost beach in the Berlenga Island, also known as “carreiro do mosteiro”, and is situated in the wharf where the boats that link the island to Peniche dock. The small Berlengas archipelago is constituted by the Berlenga Grande Island and the adjacent reefs, the Estelas and the Farrilhões-Forcados, classified as a Natural Reserve since 1981.
The Berlenga Beaches are almost in their pure wild state, hence are usually difficult to access and possess a small or almost inexistent sandy area. It is said that by this beach was once situated an ancient Monastery built in the beginning of the 16th century that got destroyed and abandoned due to the many pirate attacks. One of the main attractions is the small beach of Carreiro's Monastery, where you can enjoy a few hours of sun during the summer or even bathe in its peaceful and clear water in shades of transparent green. It is also noted the many small beaches that exist around the island, where you can enjoy a little more privacy. The beach, of great natural beauty, with golden sand and crystalline waters, is the favorite spot of the swimmers that, especially in August, travel to Berlenga in order to find a calm and relaxing place, where nature is still the rule. The beach does not have any amenity whatsoever. The São João Baptista Fort construction was ordered in 1651 due to its strategic location. It is said that in this island existed a Monastery since 1513 that assisted the sailors and the many shipwrecked victims due to this coast violence. The monastery would have been successively attacked by pirats, which led to its abandonment.
Already in the 19th century the Fort is abandoned, serving as support for the fishing activities in the region. On the 20th century, the Fort was transformed into a hotel unity that was also abandoned after the troubled times of the 25th April revolution in 1974. Nowadays the São João Baptista Fort works as a “shelter-house”, a kind of Bed and Breakfast, and is one of the accommodation places of the archipelago, offering twelve main rooms and eight on the walls, as well as a convenience shop and a restaurant.
Source: Guia da Cidade Web link |
