If this is your first time in the sleepy surfing town of Peniche, you will soon notice that there isn’t a whole lot going on over here. It’s mostly surf, sleep, eat and repeat. But there are enough shops around to get your essentials and even a souvenir or two.
If you’re like most surfers, who live for the waves, and are staying here on a budget, this guide will help you refuel and recharge for your next session.
And for those in town with your ocean-addicted other half, who prefer to get your kicks on dry land, this handy guide should also satiate your desire for distraction.
Read on to find our local’s guide to shopping in and around Peniche.
- Best for groceries on a budget
For a small town, Peniche seems to have a rather large selection of supermarkets for grocery shopping. However, the price of food could cost more depending on where you shop.
For food shopping on a budget, ALDI and LIDL have the most reasonably priced groceries in town. They may not have a large selection, but the essentials are well-covered. Do check online for their weekly specials, which usually have some surprising and interesting offers, especially for more exotic ingredients.
ALDI
LIDL
- Best for a wide selection of groceries
Continente is a local supermarket chain where you’ll find a larger selection of essentials and dried goods. If you can’t find what you’re looking for in ALDI and LIDL, chances are, you’ll probably find it here. Well’s, the local wellness chain store, is also located in the same building if you’re looking for specialty skincare products or over-the-counter medication.
Continente
- Best for exotic ingredients
If you’re looking for ingredients to cook a Thai curry or an Asian-inspired dish, you’d probably have to look a bit harder around town. Asian ingredients are not easy to find here, but they are available if you know where to look.
Try Intermarché, the French retail chain, which has a wider selection of Asian pantry ingredients such as oyster sauce, Siracha, rice noodles and more at a reasonable price. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can head to Dynamic in Atouguia de Baleia, which is about five to ten minutes out of town, to have a browse.
Intermarché
Dynamic
- Best for local crafts and souvenirs
If the conditions are not ideal for the day and you’re in search of some distraction, then head to Obidos, about 27 km away. This medieval town has an intriguing history with links to the Knights Templar. You can walk through narrow cobblestoned streets, and browse shops selling Portuguese souvenirs, crafts, t-shirts with Knights Templars-inspired designs and more. When you need to rest your feet, there are lots of cafés and restaurants for chilled drinks and nibbles.
Obidos
- Best for a high-street fashion fix
Have nothing to wear? Experiencing a serious wardrobe malfunction? Peniche may not have the fashion-forward item you need, so you’ll have to head to Caldas da Rainha, about 35.3 km away. The La Vie mall has high-street brands such as Bershka, Pull & Bear and Springfield for retail therapy. Here, you’ll also find a large Sport Zone for sportswear and a Flying Tiger Copenhagen for quirky items.
La Vie
- Best for traditional crafts
Flying home soon and need to get a unique gift? Bordallo Pinheiro in Caldas da Rainha is a famous ceramic maker in Portugal and their nature-based designs are as Portuguese as you can get. Lica Faiancas has an amazing selection of this brand of ceramics, which are made in the Bordallo workshop in Caldas da Rainha.
Lica Faiancas
Of course, no Peniche shopping guide would be complete without mentioning a surf shop or two and these are a few of our favourites.
- Best for something uniquely local
Fatum Surfboards has been a Peniche institution for around 30 years and has a great selection of boards built for local conditions, and shaped right here in Peniche by Gero and team. Visit their showroom and shaping workshop to see what’s in stock, catch the shaping process in action, order a custom surfboard or pick up some great locally designed surfwear and accessories.
Fatum Surfboards
- Best overall shopping experience
Surfers Lab in Baleal might appear small from the outside but the ground floor has a carefully curated selection of surf fashion and its hidden basement is bursting with boards, accessories and everything a surfer could ever need. It’s also the exclusive Peniche stockist of DHD surfboards and Firewire surfboards including Slater Designs, Rob Machado designs and more. Best of all though, they’re super friendly and knowledgeable, and you’re bound to bump into some of their staff in the water, so they’ve got plenty of great local tips on surf spots and conditions.
Surfers Lab
- Best mix of Portuguese and international brands
The Bunker Peniche is the newest surf shop in town and the only one with a live shaping bay, with a viewing window, where you might catch renowned local shaper Razman crafting his works of art. Other than Razman boards made-to-order or available straight off the rack they’re also stockists of Envy Surfboards, an iconic Portuguese brand, plus some of the top international shapes from the likes of Sharpeye, Tokoro, Donald Takayama and more. They’ve also got a unique selection of fashion and wetsuits, thanks to their partnership with Vissla.
The Bunker Peniche
- Best for earth-friendly alternatives
Tucked away in a garage under the above-mentioned Dynamic Shopping Complex you’ll find what is more a workshop than a surf shop, but definitely one worth checking out. Steve Surfboards creates beautifully handcrafted surfable works of art including hand planes, Alaias and surfboards, made from sustainable wood and upcycled foam blanks that have been rescued from damaged boards. They also offer a great selection of used boards waiting to be given a second life, craft workshops and custom carpentry.
Steve Surfboards
And in case you need something to carry all that shopping, or just can’t wait to get started, be sure to visit our online surfwear and souvenir shop, for a selection of locally designed products including the eco tote bag featured in the image at the top of this guide.
Click here to start your Peniche shopping experience now.