Drone view extract from video courtesy of Shark's Dogde.
When you arrive at the bus station in Peniche, surrounded by industrial warehouses, the plac
e immediately triggers your imagination. Think of how easy it is to transition from processing whales in a darker past to producing movies under an electric blue light.
The docks and port of Peniche host the bus station. All images to follow: dandyvagabonds.com
The docks and port of Peniche host the bus station.
A housing development on the way to Baleal.
Take a deep breath and walk from the bus station towards Baleal island along Avenida da Praia. It will take one hour on foot, and 17 minutes by car. Along the way, you’ll encounter pedestrians, joggers, surfers and bikers on the long pathway bordered by dunes. During peak season, there will be a much larger crowd.
The dunes and long pathway along Praia de Baleal Sul.
It’s April and the sun is at its zenith.
People are rare, and most have stripped off their shirts to resist the merciless heat in the blinding sun. On one side of the road, the dunes hide the 4-km beach, Praia de Baleal Sul. On the other side, an eerie real estate development seems an erected sci-fi mirage in a desert.
From a drone view, you can clearly see a massive housing development that immediately recalls Los Angeles. After all, the city of angels never feared real estate boldness and could produce eerie new villages such as this one.
Even stranger, in the middle of the architectural decorum, one can read from afar: “Shark’s Food”. Post-modern thoughts bring Wim Wenders and David Lynch in one place. How did this surfing heaven lift itself off the ground?
The restaurant belongs to Sharks' Lodge. We must find out.
So, we called up Sharks’ Lodge, the giant resort in the middle of the complex, and still hope to talk to Paulo Barbosa, co-founder of Sharks’ Lodge, CEO at Neptune Warriors, Sharks Crossfit, Sharks Lodge, Sharks Training. He might not answer in 24 hours, says the person at the reception.
Sharks’ Lodge is a 4-star lodge accommodating 49 guests in ‘sumptuous comfort’ one can read on the site: “From a suite dedicated to the Beatles to a roof top swimming pool to a cinema and dedicated massage rooms.” It is located in Ferrel, Rua do Salgado, n.13 [of course]. On the premises, two vintage VW buses, beach cruisers and skateboards are available to rent. Shark's Food, you might have guessed, is the restaurant. Here is how this adventure came about. It all started with a 15 square meter garage surf school. One year later, Paulo and his co-founder bought a 5000 square meter underdeveloped facility. In the winter of 2017, the Neptune Warriors demolished and rebuilt all the interior and named the place Sharks Lodge. In 2018, Neptune Warriors Lda became an official training institution, allowing Sharks Lodge to start hosting professional training courses in diverse areas such as fire department commanders, surf coaches, bartenders, first-aid experts, and more. In 2021, an online learning platform was launched: boss.sharkstraining.com. By the end of the year, partnerships with two universities helped to deliver courses with academic degrees.
In this dramatic geography, the thrill of fiction blends easily with stunning reality. There is no doubt that this corner of the globe will capture the minds of many and surely inspire further architectural wonders.
Less than 1 hour and a half from Lisbon
This series of blogs focuses on Portugal destinations less than 1:30 from Lisbon. Peniche is the highest point of our series. On the Peninsula of Peniche, we will also write about the village of Ferrel, and its feel of Vila do Bispo in the Algarve.
Peniche is located at 94 km from Lisbon, at 1 hour 20 via the motorway by car. It can also be reached in comfortable coaches, either Flixbus or Rede Expressos, for around €9.
Peniche is at: 25 km from Obidos [on our list]
1 h 15 from Lisbon airport by car
4 h 2 min. by car to Sagres via the A2
49 minutes from Nazaré
1 h 4 min. from Ericeira
Cities near Lisbon within less 1 hour 30
1 hr 20 min Peniche | Ferrel | Baleal
1 hr 6 min Obidos
57 minutes Foz do Arelho
55 minutes Alentejo
54 minutes Sesimbra
54 minutes Torres Vedras
45 minutes Ericeira 45 minutes Mafra
40 minutes Cascais
38 minutes Estoril
37 minutes Sintra
29 minutes Cacilhas
29 minutes Almada
27 minutes Costa da Caparica
18 minutes Carcavelos
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