A former fishing community, Ericeira is believed to have originated from Ouriceira, it self a derivative of Ouriço, referring to the name for sea urchins.

Situated along a coastline with several surfing beaches, in 2011 Ericeira became a World Surfing Reserve. The local council have redeveloped the Ribeira d’Ilhas area showing their support for the importance of surfing to the local culture and economy.

The Escape: On 05 October 1910 the royal family left Portugal’s Mafra Palace to Brazil escaping from the republican revolution that had taken place the day before in Lisbon.

Manuel II, at the time with 20 years old, accompanied by his mother, Queen D. Amélia, and by his grandmother, Queen D. Maria Pia, coming from Mafra, came by car in the village to embark on the D. Amélia Yacht to escaped.

The details of what happened that day in Ericeira is reported below by Júlio Ivo, Mayor of Mafra:

“(…) the cars stopped and the royal family dismounted, going from Rua do Norte to Rua de Baixo, through the narrow lane that connects the two streets(…) , and whoever accompanied him, went up to the boat, using crates and baskets of fish (…) The signalman signaled with the hat, and the first boat, Bomfim, carrying the blue and white flag at the stern, entered the water and followed the oars, leading El-Rei (…).

The affluence in the Ribas was immense. Everything was silent, but tears flowed from many eyes (…)

El-Rei was very pale, D Amélia was in a mood, D. Maria Pia, overwhelmed (…) The boats had not yet docked at the yacht when a car with civilian revolutionaries, armed with rifles and bombs, who said to shoot to the beach if they had arrived in time for boarding (…) “.