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The Pessegueiro Island is situated about 250 meters from the current line of the coast. The island, in form of vessel, has a length of approximately 340 meters and a maximal width of 235 meters. It is partially covered with sand of dunes and schist. Its formation probably dates from the last glaciations (Wurmiana) when the level of the sea went down about 120 meters in relation to the actual level.

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PESSEGUEIRO ISLAND preserves many archaeological vestiges that reflect vicissitudes of the navigation along the southern coast of Lusitania, between lll^rd/V^th centuries B.C. and V^th century A.D.

The unsuccessful project to create an artificial harbour, conceived at the end of the XVI^th century A.D., also left vestiges on the island.
The channel that separates it from the continent represents one of the principal factors of the human occupation, while it offers excellent conditions for a natural harbour. Its localization, half-distance between the cape of St, Vincent and the estuary of the Sado, in the context of a coast with little shelter, gave to those installations, first in the iron age and, later in Roman times, a characteristic harbour featuring a commercial warehouse, as well as helping navigation .

In this time, the island was a center of fish preparation and conditioning. From this time, with the vestiges of the pits of salting recently discovered, remains the name of "Pessegueiro" (which comes from Latin term "piscatorius" or "piscarium").