Setúbal: Travel and tourism

Although including densely urbanized areas which sometimes act as «dormitories» for people who work around the capital, like Almada and Barreiro, for example, this district also includes small fishing ports and markets, with a great variety of fish and seafood, and unspoilt natural reserves.

Of the first, Sesimbra is a charming example, with its sheltered bay and narrow steep streets. It is a popular holiday resort, in Summer, and lies on the slopes of the Serra da Arrábida, where a natural park was established in a small range of mountains. Here you can enjoy a wild and beautiful landscape, where birds and shrubs and trees thrive, and, on the southern slopes, espectacular views over a limpid sea.

For those who search peace and quiet, exploring the natural reserves of the Tagus and Sado river estuaries is another option.

Palmela, known for its wine, holds an enormous castle on a hilltop which dominates the views over the Serra da Arrábida and hosts the Pousada do Castelo de Palmela; another breathtaking view can be seen from the huge cliffs of Cape Espichel, a desolate promontory where the land suddenly ends before the Atlantic Ocean.

South of the district, on the way to Algarve, you can stop at the ancient town of Alcácer do Sal, with its Moorish castle turned into the Pousada de Dom Afonso II, or visit Sines, the birthplace of the discoverer Vasco da Gama, surrounded by sandy beaches and picturesque villages.