The Silver Coast - The Real Portugal

Few people know much about the recent history of the Silver Coast, but it's well known that until Praia D'El Rey was built on its rugged, unspoilt and savagely beautiful coastline few people outside the Western Region of Portugal appreciated or had even heard of the Silver Coast's natural allure.

The region includes the municipalities of Alenquer, Arruda dos Vinhos, Bombarral, Cadaval, Caldas
da Rainha, Lourinhã, Óbidos, Peniche, Rio Maior, Sobral de Monte Agraço and Torres Vedras but it is much more than an exotic list of names. The Silver Coast is rich in archaeology, from pre-historic caves to Moorish castles and Roman villages, aqueducts and bridges, medieval churches and monasteries, 15^th century forts, 17^th and 18^th century manor houses and a number of fortifications from the Peninsular Wars of the early 19^th century.

For nature lovers, over 120 kilometers of paths have already been established and signposted around Salir do Porto and the protected landscape of the Serra de Montejunto. Or visit the Environment Interpretation Centre on the Berlenga islands (which is Portugal’s only marine nature reserve). North of Praia D’El Rey, the  Óbidos lagoon offers a wide choice of activities for watersports lovers.


Other attractions of the region include its foodie reputation. Although not necessarily famed for its upmarket restaurants (although there are quite a few) instead it offer simple, mouthwatering seafood and fish  in the  small restaurants on almost every street corner or beachfront – including several in Peniche and Lourinhã/Porto Barcas. And the ancient recipes handed down from generation to generation can be tasted in the region’s egg rolls and “cavacas” (light crisp cakes) from Caldas da Rainha, the bean pies from Torres Vedras and the sponge cakes from Landal, Painho and Rio Maior.

The region also has a genuinely fascinating handicraft history and culture, including ceramics from the studio of Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro in Caldas da Rainha and the bobbin lace produced in Peniche.

The Real Portugal

Praia D'El Rey Golf & Beach Resort is in the heart of the Silver Coast, in an area of protected and outstanding natural beauty with unspoilt beaches and villages steeped in history. And unlike the Algarve, the Silver Coast delivers more than just a flavour of the real Portugal. It's a quiet and peaceful region blessed by mild winters and hot summers (cooled by the breezes off the Atlantic) as well as countryside dotted with medieval castles, ruins, manor houses and churches.

Drive along the coastline stretching from Lisbon to Figueira da Foz and you'll see how the Silver Coast (or Costa de Prata) gets its name. Fine sandy beaches shimmer like silver as they are washed by the Atlantic; cliffs, coves and fishing towns dot the coast; orchards, vineyards and tranquil, historic towns and villages are peppered over the countryside.

Another thing you'll notice about this region is how tranquil it is. Roads are empty. Beaches are pristine. Towns and villages run at their own pace. In other words, the Silver Coast is a world away from the hustle and bustle of the Algarve.