There is a small church overlooking the ocean in Ericeira where the royal family of Portugal said goodbye to their homeland forever.
Ericeira
The small city of Ericeira, Portugal has a population of about 10,000 people, but that number swells when the surf is high. Ericeira has been designated as a World Surfing Reserving, the only place is Europe to receive the honor.
But, the history of Ericeira predates the WSR honorary by thousands of years. Phoenicians established a trading post here 3,000 years ago and Romans used it for fishing 2,000 years ago.
Manuel II of Portugal
King Manuel II ascended to the throne of Portugal when his father, King Carlos I was assassinated in Lisbon by anti-monarchist republicans. His reign was short-lived however. Less than 2 years after becoming king, on October 5th, 1910, a revolution led by anti-monarch republicans toppled the government, forcing the royal family to flee Portugal.
King Manuel spent his last night in Portugal in the sumptuous palace in nearby Mafra. The next day, he went to Ericeira where he departed Portugal forever, living out the rest of his life in England, a longtime Portuguese ally.
The spot where Manuel :”The Unfortunate” sailed away was the fisherman’s Praia dos Pescadores, just below the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Boa Viagem.
The little church has a slightly interesting interior with some nice floor to ceiling tile work. Outside, there’s a plaque commemorating Manuel leaving his country as the monarchy died and democracy took hold (at least briefly before 40 years of dictatorship.)
Getting to Ericeira
If you’re in Lisbon, Ericeira is the perfect day trip. It’s only 40 minutes by bus from the Campo Grande station. Make sure you check the schedule as there are others buses that go Ericeira from Campo Grande but they take the long way (90 minutes).
Depending on where you start in Lisbon, it’s about a 40 minute drive. There’s no train station in Ericeira.
The bus station is about a 20 minute downhill walk to town. Ericeira itself is very walkable with windy, cobblestone streets and some hills. If you want to visit the beaches, there are lots right in the city, but getting to Praia Ribeira d’Ilhas, the best surfing spot, is about a 40 minute walk. Better to take the beach bus which stops right at the beach.
About the Author
Brent Petersen is the Editor-in-Chief of Destination Eat Drink. He currently resides in Setubal, Portugal. Brent has written the novel “Truffle Hunt” (Eckhartz Press) and the short story collection “That Bird.” He’s also written dozens of foodie travel guides to cities around the world on Destination Eat Drink, including in-depth eating and drinking guides in Portugal. Brent’s podcast, also called Destination Eat Drink, is available on all major podcasting platforms.
