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Baleal Beach — Rocky shoreline overlooking Baleal Beach and the surfPhoto: Alexkom000 · CC BY 4.0 · edited
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Baleal Beach

Beaches ·Ferrel
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#7Beaches in PortugalMost reviewed in Ferrel
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About

Baleal Beach has fine white sand beside a small peninsula, formerly an island, linked to the mainland by a sandbar. It lies 3 km north of Peniche, in the parish of Ferrel, within Peniche municipality.

More photos 11

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Baleal Beach — Sandy beach and surf beside houses on the rocky coast Alexkom000 · CC BY 4.0 · edited
Baleal Beach — Sandy beach and surf beside houses on the rocky coastBaleal Beach — Baleal Beach framed by a natural opening in the rocksBaleal Beach — Baleal's sandy coastline and cliffs in the evening lightBaleal Beach — Surfers in the waves beneath houses along the beachBaleal Beach — Sanderling walking on the wet sand by the shoreBaleal Beach — Sun setting beside a rocky headland over the oceanBaleal Beach — Tidal water winding across the beach at sunsetBaleal Beach — Sunset over the shoreline from an elevated viewpointBaleal Beach — Clouds glowing above rocky tidal pools at sunsetBaleal Beach — Sunlight reflecting on wet sand beneath dark cloudsBaleal Beach — Golden sunset breaking through clouds over the surf

Shorts

Why go

  • Surf at Prainha, Lajido or Cantinho da Baía; north-facing Prainha has a gently sloping seabed and regular waves.
  • The rocky fort site offers views toward Peniche, the Berlengas and the northern coast.

Season and conditions

  • Baleal can be visited throughout the year. Summer is especially favourable for calmer water on the southern side.

Safety

  • Near Lajido, the sea can become rough and hazardous for swimmers.

History

Baleal was once used to cut and carve whales migrating toward northern seas. The island had no underground water, which explains the fountain’s location on the mainland. Two badly damaged wall sections survive from the unfinished fort.

  1. French invasionsGeneral Thomières ordered a fort begun at Baleal’s northern tip; it was never completed.
  2. 1861José Joaquim Soares, a Lisbon native who spent summers in Baleal, paid for a fountain on the mainland east of the island.
  3. 1965The fountain ceased to be Baleal’s only water supply.
  4. Late 1960s–early 1970sSurfing was already practised at Baleal.
  5. 1980sSurfing became more established.

How to get there

  • CarReach Baleal via the A8, IP6 and N247. The beach is at Avenida da Praia, Ferrel. The only road into Baleal crosses the sandy causeway.

Sources: Baleal Island - Wikipedia · Peniche - Wikivoyage (do) · Alex Surf school · About | Alex surf school · Baleal - Wikipedia · Baleal - Wikipedia · Baleal - Wikipedia · checked 29 Sep 2026

Where
Avenida da Praia, Ferrel

Plan from here: Evening walk →

Questions and answers

When is Baleal Beach open?

The beach is open 24 hours daily.

Can you bodyboard at Baleal?

The bay and northern coast have conditions for bodyboarding.

What legend is associated with Santo Estêvão Chapel?

A legend links an image of Nossa Senhora das Mercês in the chapel to a rescue from captivity in North Africa.

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