Ericeira

Ericeira () is a civil parish and seaside community on the western coast of Portugal (in Mafra municipality, located 35km northwest of the center of Lisbon, about 45km by road) considered the surfing capital of Europe. It is also one of only two European spots among the World Surfing Reserves because of its exceptional coastline conditions. Ericeira's population in 2011 was estimated in 10,260, covering an area of 12 km<sup>2</sup>.

Ericeira was a popular summer retreat for many of Lisbon's families in the 1940s and 1950s. Today, it is a popular destination for local and visiting tourists, as well as surfers from around the world (owing to the forty beaches with good conditions in the area). One legend suggested that Ericeira was the terra de ouriços (land of ouriços), owing to what was assumed to be an abundance of sea-urchins along the beaches. One of these was the King of Ericeira, a young hermit based in the Chapel of São Julião, south of the village of Ericeira, who passed himself off as Dom Sebastian. In fact, Charles Lepierre, a chemical engineer referred to Ericeira's beaches as "a focus of the major concentration of iodine in all of the northern Portuguese coast". The customshouse in Ericeira supported an area extending from Cascais to Figueira da Foz, and the port was the fourth most important in the country, after Lisbon, Porto and Setúbal. It was about 3:00 in the afternoon of 5 October 1910, when the 20-year-old monarch, accompanied by Queen Amélie of Orleans and Queen Mother Maria Pia, arrived from Mafra. Arriving by car, escaping from the recent Republican revolution in Lisbon, the king was bound for the royal yacht D. Amélia offshore. The details were later immortalized in 1928 by Júlio Ivo, then president of the municipal council of Mafra (during the presidency of Sidónio Pais, who explained: "...the automobiles stopped and the Royal Family got out, they followed the Rua do Norte to the Rua de Baixo, to the narrow lane that connects the two roads, almost in front of the Travessa da Estrela...On arrival at the Rua de Baixo, the Royal Family went in the following order: at the front, King Manuel; followed by Maria Pia, then Amélia... the King...climbed aboard the boat using crates and baskets of fish...the flagman signalled with his hat, and the first boat, the Bomfim, carrying the blue and white flag on the stern, followed by the rowers, taking the King...the crowds along the coast were immense. Everyone silent, but many with tears running from their eyes...The King was very pallid, Amélia animated, Maria Pia was overwhelmed...The boats had hardly come alongside the yacht when in the village there appeared, coming from Sintra, an automobile with civil revolutionaries, armed with carbines and bearing bombs, which they later indicated they were prepared to throw at the beach if they had reached it at the time of the departure...".

Geography

Along its northern border is Coxos Break point, known as one of the best professional surfing areas in Europe, and not an area for beginners. Tourism-related businesses ranging from foodservice to hospitality, as well as commerce and fishing, are the main activities in the town.

Ericeira is the home to Portugal's first/largest surfing association/club, the Ericeira Surf Clube. Founded in 1993, it developed from the surfing unit of the Ericeira Naval Club, which organized local, regional and national competitions in surf, bodyboard, kneeboard and longboard throughout the years. In addition, the Surf Club began a school to train local athletes and visiting tourists who wanted to learn how to surf.

In the 2020s especially after the global pandemic, the town has become popular with internationally mobile freelancers - so called digital nomads - who are increasingly engaging with the local population, with co-working spaces, online community groups and meetups such as Open Coffee Ericeira becoming increasingly popular.

Architecture

thumb|235px|right|The late 15th century Chapel of Santa Marta Ericeira

Civic

Café Arcada ()
Casa da Avó Lúcia
Ericeira Casino ()
Estate of the Leitões ()
Estate of Serrão Francão ()
Fountain of Cabo ()
Fountain of Dolphins ()
Fountain of São Pedro ()
Fountain of Triton ()
Park of Santa Marta ()
Pillory of Ericeira ()
Hospital of the Misericórdia ()
Postal, Telegraph and Telephone (CTT) of Ericeira ()
Primary School of Ericeira ()

Military

Fort of Milreu ()
Fort of Nossa Senhora da Piedade ()

Religious

Chapel of Santa Mara ()
Chapel of Santo António ()
Chapel of São Sebastião ()
Church of the Misericórdia ()
Church of São Pedro ()

Culture

The local philharmonic orchestra, currently named Filarmónica Cultural Ericeira, has existed since 1849.

Sport

The beach of Ribeira d'Ilhas, which routinely hosts a round of the ASP World Tour Surf Championship and is widely regarded as one of the best beaches in Europe for this sport, is located to the north of the town. In 2011, Ericeira was chosen by the WSR to be one of the World Surfing Reserves, together with Malibu and Santa Cruz in California, Manly Beach in Australia, and Huanchaco in Peru. The local council have redeveloped the Ribeira d'Ilhas foreshore to commemorate and show their support for the importance of surfing to the local culture and economy.

The Grupo Desportivo União Ericeirense, widely referred to as Ericeirense (which means “from Ericeira”), has a football team and was founded on 1 December 1921. Matheus Nunes, as a footballer, and Luís Freire, as a coach, are among the most successful persons in the sport who once were part of the team.