Sesimbra: Travel and tourism

A small fishing town spreading through narrow and often steep streets which is a resort chosen by many inhabitants of Lisbon to spend holidays or to simply enjoy one of the many restaurants with exquisite seafood and fresh fish, always quite full even in Winter.

Colourful fishing boats can be seen in the small harbour and, high above the town, beautiful views are obtained from the Moorish castle, restored in the 18th century.

From Sesimbra, visitors can drive to Cabo Espichel: a desolate promontory where great cliffs drop suddenly into the sea and the land ends. Extraordinary views of the ocean and the coast can be obtained from here, and tourists can also visit the imponent 17th-century church of the Santuário de Nossa Senhora do Cabo, although it now has become quite abandoned.

Sesimbra also lies on one of the sides of the Natural Park of the Serra da Arrábida mountains, with its variety of wildlife and beautiful wooded landscape in sheltered slopes that overlook the sea.

In this natural reserve, don't miss the once franciscan monastery of Convento da Arrábida, hidden among trees and dating from the 16th century, and the Sea Museum in the small Fort of Santa Maria, at Portinho da Arrábida (on crowded season, park your car and walk: traffic on the narrow, winding, steep road can become very difficult).