Ericeira, perched on high cliffs some thirty meters above a string of sandy beaches, has benefited greatly from its location. A small fishing village whose name derives from sea urchins.
In his guidebook, published in 1910, Baedeker described Ericeira as ‘a fishing village with excellent sea-bathing. In spite of burgeoning development this description still pretty much holds true today. The town’s main beach, Praia do Sul, is often crowded and has less than perfect water quality due to its proximity to the Porto de Pesca (fishing port), but numerous others such as Foz de Lizandro, two kilometres south of the main town and protected by a river that guarantees safe swimming no matter what the condition of the sea, are both unspoilt and uncrowded. The best is probably at São Lourenco, a peaceful hamlet about five kilometres north of the town.
Lately, it is the beaches that have been grabbing all the attention as a burgeoning surf culture increasingly focuses on the quality of Ericeira’s many waves. Portugal’s most famous surfer, Tiago Pires, hails from Ericeira, where there are more than 30 spots that offer good surf. One of these, the renowned beach of Praia da Ribheira d’Ilhas, 3Km north of the town, is now a regular stop on the ASP world surfing tour. In spite of a growing abundance of surf schools, surf shops and local shapers Ericeira has until recently managed to avoid the somewhat hectic atmosphere of the equally famous Peniche.
Ericeira itself is still a laid-back place of cobbled streets, grilled sardines, narrow lanes and whitewashed houses, although with Lisbon less than an hour’s drive south (35Km). Ericeira’s surprisingly good nightlife is well-served by weekend visitors. The main square, Praca da Republica, is lined with pavement cafes and cake shops, while the Rua Dr Eduardo Burnay, which leads from the main square to Praia do Sul, is full of bars and excellent seafood restaurants.
On the northern edge of town, the little mosque-like chapel of São Sebastião stands alone in front of the vast, sandy Atlantic coastline, this small chapel dedicated to St. Sebastian dates back to the 13th century. It was completely rebuilt in the 1700s
The town’s Misericordia church has interesting 17th and 18th-century paintings and gilded baroque woodwork, while the adjoining museum provides an insight into the town’s history with a large collection of model boats, a variety of fishing equipment and a fine collection of old paintings.
