It is located on the southern slope of the Peniche peninsula on the cliffs between Forte de Peniche and Cabo Carvoeiro, facing the sea, District of Leiria, Central Portugal
The Peniche peninsula presents a geological succession of strata of sedimentary carbonate rocks from the Jurassic Age, a unique systematic record of 20 million years of Portuguese geological history.
The Peniche peninsula is a unique ecosystem considered the best place in Europe to observe bird migration.
Studies of the Peniche stratotype state that the Iberian Peninsula in the Early Jurassic was an island and the areas that now include the cities of Coimbra, Lisbon and Peniche were sea.
A history recorded in rocks dating back to the early Jurassic (200 million years ago) and more recent life on the blue planet, the city of Peniche has undergone several changes and mutations over the centuries.
The continental areas were already inhabited by dinosaurs and the Iberian Peninsula was located close to the northern part of the American continent and is the largest rock record from that period in Portugal related to a marine era that began 190 million years ago, before the formation of the Atlantic Ocean.
The oldest part of the city of Peniche is located in the rocky area and the most recent industrial part on the isthmus (tômbolo) at its western end is Cabo Carvoeiro and at the eastern end there is an extensive beach that is Baleal.
Peniche was an island, but in the Middle Ages silting caused its union with the mainland, giving rise to a tombolo and historical sources speak of an island in Peniche that was an important port.
The Roman presence was a reality in the Berlengas Archipelago (nature reserve).
In the Middle Ages it had great economic development due to its port, considered at the time of D. Dinis one of the most important ports in the kingdom.
The economic flourishing enabled a profitable fishing activity based on the capture of species such as whales (the cetacean that actually gives the town its name) which allowed the administrative autonomy of this territory from the neighboring town of Óbidos.
In the Contemporary period (19th - 20th century) we see the consolidation in the municipality of Peniche of an economic and social structure based on the exploitation of agricultural resources and intense fishing activity that has lasted until the present day.
In the century. In the 20th century, there was a rapid and profound transformation of fishing in which traditional vessels and capture techniques gave way to modern trawlers and productive purse-seine fishing.
The evolution can be seen in the development of several industries associated with fishing, such as freezing, salt production, the canning industry, shipbuilding and vineyard cultivation, which complement the production of this peninsula.
The places of geological interest on the Peniche peninsula are: Papôa, Praia do Portinho da Areia do Norte, Ponta do Trovão and Praia do Abalo, Miradouro dos Remédios at Cabo Carvoeiro and Gruta da Furninha.
Papôa is located on the north coast of Peniche and is home to a small limestone peninsula and a volcanic crevice known as Papôa Islet, that is, this rock formation presents a karst model, a very popular fishing spot with beautiful views of the sea.
The islet of Papôa marks the beginning of Baleal beach, a paradise for surfers when the wind blows from the southeast and also an excellent place for bird watching.
Peniche is the best place to observe migratory birds in Europe: the European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis), the laughing gull (Larus atricilla) or the tern (Sterna dougallii).
Praia do Portinho da Areia do Norte is a privileged place to admire the Berlengas Natural Reserve from afar.
Ponta do Trovão is located in the northern part of the Peniche peninsula, emerging on a rocky shore surrounded by a small U-shaped cove that forms Praia do Abalo beach.
Ponta do Trovão presents a succession of carbonate sedimentary rocks from the Jurassic Age that constitute a continuous testimony of 20 million years of Portuguese geological history.
At the Remédios viewpoint in Cabo Carvoeiro there is a beautiful karst landscape formed by rocks of various shapes where tourists frequently pass through and has a very rich natural heritage in terms of landscape and geomorphology.
The Furninha cave located on the south coast of the Peniche peninsula is a natural cavity occupied during the prehistoric period and is the most important in the municipality.
In 1880, the cave was found by researcher Joaquim Nery Delgado used as a shelter and necropolis, a prehistoric site made up of a vast archaeological heritage: bones of various hominids including Homo Sapiens (Neanderthal Man), traces of fauna from the Quaternary period (fish and mammals), lithic utensils (axes, arrowheads, polished stone axes), bone utensils and various Neolithic ceramics (the famous hanging vases from Gruta da Furninha).
The Peniche Peninsula is Portugal's geological paradise made up of natural wealth: rock outcrops, fossils, minerals, geological structures, geosites in a constant process of transformation that must be preserved.
The Peniche peninsula is a unique ecosystem considered the best place in Europe to observe bird migration.
Studies of the Peniche stratotype state that the Iberian Peninsula in the Early Jurassic was an island and the areas that now include the cities of Coimbra, Lisbon and Peniche were sea.
A history recorded in rocks dating back to the early Jurassic (200 million years ago) and more recent life on the blue planet, the city of Peniche has undergone several changes and mutations over the centuries.
The continental areas were already inhabited by dinosaurs and the Iberian Peninsula was located close to the northern part of the American continent and is the largest rock record from that period in Portugal related to a marine era that began 190 million years ago, before the formation of the Atlantic Ocean.
The oldest part of the city of Peniche is located in the rocky area and the most recent industrial part on the isthmus (tômbolo) at its western end is Cabo Carvoeiro and at the eastern end there is an extensive beach that is Baleal.
Peniche was an island, but in the Middle Ages silting caused its union with the mainland, giving rise to a tombolo and historical sources speak of an island in Peniche that was an important port.
The Roman presence was a reality in the Berlengas Archipelago (nature reserve).
In the Middle Ages it had great economic development due to its port, considered at the time of D. Dinis one of the most important ports in the kingdom.
The economic flourishing enabled a profitable fishing activity based on the capture of species such as whales (the cetacean that actually gives the town its name) which allowed the administrative autonomy of this territory from the neighboring town of Óbidos.
In the Contemporary period (19th - 20th century) we see the consolidation in the municipality of Peniche of an economic and social structure based on the exploitation of agricultural resources and intense fishing activity that has lasted until the present day.
In the century. In the 20th century, there was a rapid and profound transformation of fishing in which traditional vessels and capture techniques gave way to modern trawlers and productive purse-seine fishing.
The evolution can be seen in the development of several industries associated with fishing, such as freezing, salt production, the canning industry, shipbuilding and vineyard cultivation, which complement the production of this peninsula.
The places of geological interest on the Peniche peninsula are: Papôa, Praia do Portinho da Areia do Norte, Ponta do Trovão and Praia do Abalo, Miradouro dos Remédios at Cabo Carvoeiro and Gruta da Furninha.
Papôa is located on the north coast of Peniche and is home to a small limestone peninsula and a volcanic crevice known as Papôa Islet, that is, this rock formation presents a karst model, a very popular fishing spot with beautiful views of the sea.
The islet of Papôa marks the beginning of Baleal beach, a paradise for surfers when the wind blows from the southeast and also an excellent place for bird watching.
Peniche is the best place to observe migratory birds in Europe: the European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis), the laughing gull (Larus atricilla) or the tern (Sterna dougallii).
Praia do Portinho da Areia do Norte is a privileged place to admire the Berlengas Natural Reserve from afar.
Ponta do Trovão is located in the northern part of the Peniche peninsula, emerging on a rocky shore surrounded by a small U-shaped cove that forms Praia do Abalo beach.
Ponta do Trovão presents a succession of carbonate sedimentary rocks from the Jurassic Age that constitute a continuous testimony of 20 million years of Portuguese geological history.
At the Remédios viewpoint in Cabo Carvoeiro there is a beautiful karst landscape formed by rocks of various shapes where tourists frequently pass through and has a very rich natural heritage in terms of landscape and geomorphology.
The Furninha cave located on the south coast of the Peniche peninsula is a natural cavity occupied during the prehistoric period and is the most important in the municipality.
In 1880, the cave was found by researcher Joaquim Nery Delgado used as a shelter and necropolis, a prehistoric site made up of a vast archaeological heritage: bones of various hominids including Homo Sapiens (Neanderthal Man), traces of fauna from the Quaternary period (fish and mammals), lithic utensils (axes, arrowheads, polished stone axes), bone utensils and various Neolithic ceramics (the famous hanging vases from Gruta da Furninha).
The Peniche Peninsula is Portugal's geological paradise made up of natural wealth: rock outcrops, fossils, minerals, geological structures, geosites in a constant process of transformation that must be preserved.
