Praia do Pedrógão – In the King’s forest by the Ocean…
The village
Praia do Pedrógão is an authentic, laidback sea-side village. Located on the famous Silver Coast in Portugal, it is a place where you’ll mostly find portuguese families spending their holidays, enjoying each other’s company in a restaurant or a petisqueira, the fresh food and the ever present iodium filled air of the ocean.
We are now one of the 80 beaches in Portugal to have our very own webcam live 24/7. In the big league now!
BEACH CAM NOW LIVE!!!
Information about the tides can be found here. Generally low tide means yellow flag.
Please don’t confuse Praia do Pedrógão with the village of Pedrógão Grande, which is in the same district but they are very much two different things. The later is towards the interior and has it’s own charm.
Our village freely translated is called The Beach of the Very Big Rock. The very big rock owns the beach and the entire village.
View of the town from the South Beach
Sunsets like these are no exception!
Now you know why it’s called the Silver Coast. No filter or enhancements used!
“Olá Meeuw!” – only dutch portuguese will get this joke.
When everyone is gone home for the night but you decide to stay a bit longer.
Also don’t confuse Coimbrão town with Coimbra city. Although there are historic reasons why the names are similar, Coimbra is a big city with Portugal’s oldest University and in a different district of it’s own. Our Coimbrão although strictly speaking would mean Big Coimbra, is much smaller.
The local inhabitants association AMA (Associação Moradores Amigos Casal Ventoso Praia do Pedrogão) has an active association and a local sea-side beach lounge with a relaxed atmosphere, great vibe and great food and drinks for friendly prices. The other local association is called Liga dos Amigos da Praia do Pedrogão (LAPP).
View from AMA Bar
If you are French speaking, or don’t mind the sometimes akward google translation, please check out this nice page (French)about the village.
You won’t find fancy restaurants or staff that address you in English or Brasileiro portuguese. But you will find a friendly atmosphere, wonderfull produce and the feeling of having gone back in time when life was less complicated. You’ll find the typical pastelarias, cafe’s and restaurants but with a sea view.
Apart from the beach, the village itself has two parts, the central-northern part with the old core, including the central market and the newer area at the south of town. The South part has more flats whilts the Central-North has more regular one to three story appartments and small houses.
Praia do Pedrógão is about relaxing, or if you prefer, about exploring the great suroundings.
Take a 6 km walk over the sandy beach either to the north or to the south in the direction of Vieira de Leiria, or grab a bike and proceed to Lagoa de Ervideira (Ervideira Lagoon) on a special cyclist lane next to the main road, making sure you’ll get there safe and sound.
Costa da Prata Magazine has a great youtube channel with different videos of the area.
But it’s also still a traditional fishermans village, where the fisherman go out to sea and return with a bountifull cath of fresh fish in what is known as the traditional Xávega art of catching fish.
In summer, many people from the surounding areas come to Praia do Pedrógão for the Sardine Festival, their end of term holidays or for a summer camp. There is even a summer carnival here which you wouldn’t expect.
You won’t find loud and drunk tourists making a mess, but you’ll find lot’s of friendly locals that know how to throw a party where all are welcome. The town has been home to a yearly large silent disco, which in a way is typical of this town, have lot’s of fun but keep it decent and family safe.
Like an island between the green sea of Leiria’s pinewoods and the Atlantic Ocean, Pedrógão beach offers a wide sandy shore, the benefits of iodine, Xávega artistry, and peace.
The forest itself (Pinhal de Leiria or Pinhal d’El-Rei) planted it the 13th century to provide for wood for building ships to explore the world , has, like many more in Portugal taken a beating in october 2017. A very sizeable part (80%) burnt down, most likely due to ill-intent, but active new planting of pine and other trees is ensuring the forest returns to it’s former glory.
The Estrada Atlântica (Atlantic Road) and its long bike path, and its proximity to the Ervedeira lagoon, are two more attractions of a seaside resort that was awarded three quality prizes: the European Blue Flag, the Accessible Beach Flag (from the Instituto Nacional da Reabilitação) and the “Gold Quality” flag (from Quercus – an environmental organisation).
The camping site is in the southern part of Pedrógão, where the southern entrance to the village meets the road that crosses the woods towards Figueira da Foz. It has good roads that allow you to get to Pedrógão, the beach and other places: southwards, Vieira de Leiria; and northwards, Osso da Baleia.
The camping site also offers a field where visitors can play handball, indoor soccer, basketball, volleyball and tennis, as well as a playground for children.
DISCLAIMER
This is a non comercial site. We have no business interest in any of the businesses or activities presented. Our only aim is to promote this great small sea-side village.
Praia do Pedrógão 