Villages, history & culture
Lourinhã is Portugal's dinosaur capital, and within an hour of the house are medieval Óbidos, the Berlengas islands, Sintra's palaces and Lisbon.
Right here in Lourinhã
The cliffs around Lourinhã are one of Europe's richest sites for Jurassic dinosaur fossils, which is why the town is known as Portugal's dinosaur capital.
Dino Parque Lourinhã opened in 2018 and is the largest open-air museum in Portugal: woodland trails lined with more than 180 life-size dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures, plus a working fossil lab. It's a brilliant day out for children (and adults). It's open every day of the year from 10:00.
Museu da Lourinhã holds the real treasures, including a nest of dinosaur eggs with embryos discovered at Paimogo beach in 1993, and the bones of Torvosaurus gurneyi, the largest land predator yet found in Jurassic Europe.
History on the doorstep
On 21 August 1808, in the fields of Vimeiro just a few minutes from the house, Sir Arthur Wellesley (the future Duke of Wellington) defeated the French army of General Junot, ending the first French invasion of Portugal. The Vimeiro Battle Interpretation Centre tells the story with weapons, uniforms and finds from the battlefield, and guided battlefield walks can be booked.
Nearby Torres Vedras is the heart of the Lines of Torres Vedras, the chain of forts Wellington built to defend Lisbon, and home to Portugal's most famous carnival, with giant satirical floats and a party that fills the town every February or March.
Day trips
About 25 minutes
A perfectly preserved medieval town inside its castle walls. Walk the ramparts, wander the cobbled lanes and try ginjinha, the local cherry liqueur served in a little chocolate cup. Óbidos is a UNESCO City of Literature with bookshops in unexpected places, and hosts a chocolate festival in spring, a medieval market in summer and a Christmas village in winter.
About 25 minutes to Peniche, then a boat
Explore Peniche's fortress and harbour, then take the boat (around 30–45 minutes) to the Berlengas, a wild archipelago and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with clear turquoise water, sea caves and the 17th-century Fort of São João Baptista. Boats run mainly from late spring to early autumn and visitor numbers are capped, so book ahead.
About 50–60 minutes
Portugal's capital is an easy day trip: trams and viewpoints in Alfama, pastéis de nata in Belém and long lunches by the river. Or head into the hills of Sintra for the fairy-tale Pena Palace and the gardens and mysterious well of Quinta da Regaleira.
A local secret
Lourinhã is Portugal's only demarcated region for aged wine brandy, Aguardente DOC Lourinhã, and one of very few in Europe. Look for it in local restaurants after dinner, or visit one of the producers to taste it at the source.
Drive times are approximate.
Your base on the Silver Coast
Make Casa Bica Vista your base for discovering the region. Ask us for tips on timings, tickets and the best places to eat along the way.
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