Hello friends, I'd like to tell you about an extraordinary journey we took. A trip across the ocean. During our trip to Portugal we decided to visit a unique place called the Berlengas archipelago. These islands are located 10 kilometers from the town of Peniche on a peninsula. Berlengas is primarily a bird sanctuary because there are many birds here, including endemic species found only in Portugal. There are yellow-legged gulls and black-backed gulls. Actually I couldn't tell exactly which ones had yellow legs or black backs. It's the breeding season for the bird chicks, and of course, they get anxious when you enter their territory. However it's hard to intrude on their territory because you can only walk on designated paths and are not allowed to step aside. There are signs everywhere. Yet they still worry for their chicks and make noises. There is a lighthouse at the highest point here.
To understand why Berlengas is an archipelago you need to know that there are several islands here. We visited the largest island, which gives the archipelago its name, Berlinga. There is also Estelas and another island with a complex name. And there are many small islets, which are essentially rock pieces protruding from the ocean. Berlinga is mainly a pink granite rock covered with a thin layer of dry grass where birds nest. The view from this side is a bit hazy, which is good because it's not too hot. And I can definitely say that the most important things here are the birds and the viewpoints. We approached different points to watch the birds, the ocean, the boats and the neighboring islands and enjoyed the views.Then we boarded our boat and sailed around.
By the way a glass-bottom boat tour is quite an entertaining activity. You could call this tour a trip to develop abstract thinking skills because they take you to various caves, each with different names and associations. The first cave wasn't that interesting; it was the Cave of John the Baptist and the fort here, built in the 17th century, is also named after John the Baptist. But the real interesting stuff started after that. For example, there's a rock that looks like a whale or a really impressive one that resembles an elephant's head with a trunk. If you look from the other side, with a good imagination you might see King Kong's head. The most impressive thing was a small tunnel that could be passed through at low tide.
It is clear that the castle here was used for defensive purposes for a certain period. Later it was traditionally converted into a luxury hotel. However due to the lack of regular transportation, as ships only reach the Berlengas islands during the summer months and do not go there in winter or autumn because the ocean is quite rough, this five-star luxury hotel could not sustain its operations. There are a few remnants of rooms here, and some rooms still appear to be in use. But of course it is no longer luxurious. Some features like a lobby with a fireplace, remain. There is a restaurant or cafe where a local talent sings. People are relaxing and we also took a break because what motivated me the most was resting. Then we had to climb a few hundred steps up to the lighthouse and board our ship to return.
The castle has quite a hipster atmosphere with a bar inside offering three types of beer and cider, but not much else. However it is quite a friendly place and has its own unique charm. But since we had to climb 150 meters up afterward, we didn’t drink any beer. The reward for this climb was the magnificent view from the lighthouse. This seems to be the highest point of the island and the lighthouse was built in 1840. Before that probably villagers stood here. Three hours here was more than enough to see all the main viewpoints of the island, enter the castle, take a boat ride and see the caves. If you come for a day you can also dive and kayak in good weather. I really liked this place. I hope you did too. See you on the next trip.
