Berlengas islands: frequently asked questions

From €19.90 return with the Viamar ferry company. On Civitatis, the ferry with 2 or 3 free hours costs €25 (€29 undiscounted) and the trip with the caves by boat, €35. Reserve fee extra. Full prices.

From 9 May to 30 September. In low season and on weekdays, one departure at 11:00 returning at 17:00; in high season (11 July to 6 September) and on June and September weekends, two: 10:00 → 16:00 and 12:00 → 18:00. Table by season.

There is no scheduled service outside the May-to-September season, according to the ferry company’s website.

With the ferry company, the return is fixed six hours after departure: about five hours on the island. With the Civitatis ferry, two to three free hours; with the caves trip, about three and a half hours in all. Customers warn that 3–4 hours “is short if you snorkel and walk to the fort”.

About 45 minutes of open Atlantic from Peniche (30 minutes according to the caves trip listing). With a swell it rolls: “several waves that were quite impressive, but it is safe”, one review says.

It depends on the day. Check the wind first, sit at the back, watch the horizon and, if you are prone to it, take something before boarding. It usually gets chilly on the way back: bring a windbreaker.

The Viamar ferry leaves from Cais da Ribeira (arrive 20 minutes early). Civitatis bookings meet at Peniche marina, and the snorkelling at Casal da Ponte. Where to board.

In summer, yes, weeks ahead: the ferry company warns that “summer weekends sell out weeks in advance”, and the reserve’s daily cap rules. The caves trip cancels free up to 48 hours before; the ferry, up to 24.

Sea grottoes at the base of the cliffs (Furado Grande, the Blue Grotto, the Elephant cave...) seen only from the water, in a small boat with a window in the floor, for 25–30 minutes depending on the tide. Included in the €35 trip or bought on the island as an extra.

There is a restaurant and a bar at the fort, according to reviews. Nothing else: bring water, and there is no shade either.

The beach and the fishermen’s quarter are next to the pier and need no walking. The rest of the island climbs by stairs (“about 200, steep”) and the guided walk is expressly not advised for anyone with walking difficulties. Under-6s pay no fee.

Whether to sail and whether to enter the caves is the operator’s call. If they cancel, you get another date or a refund; if you cancel, it is free up to 24 or 48 hours before depending on the product.