Setúbal's Guide: Travel to Sines

Sines is a county of the Setúbal region located 150 km south of Lisbon at the very centre of South-western Portuguese coast. Bordering the sea and the countryside, Porto Covo is a picturesque village with some of the most beautiful and preserved Portuguese beaches, protected by the natural park of Sudoeste Alentejano & Costa Vicentina.

The town's history dates back to Roman times when it was called Sinus. Over the years t established good tradition relations with some of the Mediterranean nations and thrived.
Sines is the birthplace of explorer Vasco da Gama (1469-1524), discoverer of the sea route to India in 1497/98. The house where he was born has been recostructed as a museum.

What do do in Sines?

• Historic centre: Sines’ historic centre goes along the cliff, from the Castle to the Fortress of Revelim, and remains charming, in spite of all the changes in the land. Besides the magnificent views to the Atlantic, in all its length, we must highlight, among the points of interest, the shopping streets, around the ancient medieval axis (Rua Cândido dos Reis and Rua Teófilo Braga), the Largo dos Penedos (with the ancient watch-tower, where fishermen watched the sea) and Rua Vasco da Gama, where the manor house that caused his expulsion from Sines was supposed to be.
• Fishing Harbour: The history of Sines was, until 35 years ago, the history of a fishing village. Nowadays, in spite of not having the importance of times past, fishing continues to employ hundreds of men and to give the bay of Sines a charm and colouring unique in Alentejo. Before or after your meal, in summer or in winter, a visit to the fishing harbour and to the marginal avenue of Beach Vasco da Gama may be an incursion to the emotional centre of the city.
• Porto Covo: Porto Covo is one of the most beautiful villages of the country, and, for certain, one of the most beautiful coasts, also a jewel of popular architecture. Visit the Ilha do Pessegueiro, the channel of Pessegueiro Island was used as a harbour of refuge by the Carthaginians and the Romans in the difficult climb of the coast of Alentejo.
• Beaches: In Sines you have many different types of beaches to chose from.

1. Family beaches: The Beaches of Morgavel, Vale Figueiros, Grande of Porto Covo, Ilha do Pessegueiro and S. Torpes, which, in the last few years, were rewarded with the Blue Flag of Europe, are excellent due to their natural characteristics, and due to the possibility of receiving the whole population, from the children to the elders.
2. Naturist beaches : Praia do Salto (Beach of Salto). Located between Cerro da Águia and Cerca Nova, with a private and peaceful environment, it is part, since 2002, of the restricted group of naturist beaches officially recognised in Portugal.
3. Historic beaches: Praia Vasco da Gama (Vasco da Gama Beach): Integrated in the urban tissue of the city of Sines and testimony of the main events of its history - from the pirates attacks to the embarkation of D. Miguel to Brazil -, it is part of the face of Sines and of the heart of its people. Adjoining the Fishing Harbour, it remains charming and deserves to be visited, both in the summer and in the winter. Its marginal avenue is much used for walks and jogging.

• World Music Festival: The Festival Músicas do Mundo (FMM), organised by the City Council of Sines, since 1999, is the most important event of the cultural year in Sines and the biggest of the kind in the country. Held, every year, in the last week of July, in the historic scenery of the Castle, FMM gathers the most important names of the world circuit in world music, jazz and blues.
• Art Centre: An architecturally innovative space (the Aires Mateus architects’ project was awarded the AICA/MC 2005 prize), are held exhibits, concerts, theatre plays, book presentations, and so on. Guided visits available.
• Archaeological museum and Sala's Treasure: It can be visited within the walls of Misericórdia Chapel, a building immediately next to the Mother Church and the Castle. It’s an historical church, rebuilt in 1585 by D. Felipe I and reconverted to cultural functions in the 1990’s. The museum includes pieces from the Palaeolithic to the Baroque period.

Join us on Facebook and see fantastic photos of Sines.

 Coelho´s beach on Arrábida Hills

Very nice and quiet beach surrounded by forest.
Coelho´s beach on Arrábida, Setubal its a small cove paradise situated at the foot of the Natural Park of Arrábida, white sand, gentle and bathing transparent and peaceful.
It has a small bar support and because is small, there era not place for too many people. The access could be direct, via Galapos beach or by boat.
Parking: Outdoor hard, very limited parking.
Hunting underwater fishing, swimming, scuba dive

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We invite you to spend some of your vacations and holidays time visiting Arrábida Hills and Troia. We invite you to visit Setubal and to visit Portugal. Just take your flight to Faro airport or Lisbon Airport, reserve accommodations, hotel, choose a restaurant and activities and welcome to Portugal Dream Coast.

Today and Tomorrow at Setúbal Music Festival

This weekend will be amazing with the Setúbal Music Festival during 3 days, that started today at 10:30am at Luisa Todi Avenue with the Parade Nature of Setúbal . At afternoon, Songs from Setúbal will be played at Anunciada Auditorium and the major act of the day goes to the Music in the Court of King. D. Denis, The Troubatour King (1261 - 1325) at Convento de Jesus in Setúbal.

Tomorrow , Songs of the World (Salão Nobre Paços do Concelho, 10h30), The Portuguese Guitar and the Lusophone World Jungle Planet (Coreto, Av. Luisa Todi, 12am), Songs of Setúbal (Auditório José Afonso, 6pm) and the amazing Gulbenkian Chorus at 9pm on the Church São Julião.

The Setúbal Music Festival will end on Sunday, check the schedules here. Last show will be be played J.S.Bach Suite nr1 in G Major, Takemitsu Toward the Sea and Gareth Farr Kembang Suling - Three Skectches of Asia , with Pedro Carneiro (born in Azeitão).

Traditions, Tastes and Azeitão Aromas

From 20th till 22nd May it will happen an amazing event in Vila Nogueira de Azeitão, with wine tasting, regional products and tasty food. This event is called "Tradições, Sabores e Aromas de Azeitão" (translation : "Traditions, Tastes and Azeitão Aromas").

Between conversations of the taverns and rural life, its the 2nd edition organized by Junta Freguesia S. Lourenço with the support of Municipality of Setúbal. Music, traditional games, workshops and thematic parade´s, its activities that you will have besides Street Theater called "O Manel da Horta e suas Marias na Taberna do Jacinto", "Árvores, verdes Árvores" and "Espanta-pardais".

This event will have guided tours to Home-Museum José Maria da Fonseca, with Wine tasting during the three days of the event. You should make a reservation through hotline 212199930.

WIN A WEEKEND IN SETÚBAL WITH OUR WEBSITE!

We're happy to announce today the launch of the new website Portugal Dream Coast!

To commemorate we're offering you a wonderful weekend for two in a romantic windmill in the Arrábida mountain. All you need to do is visit the site Portugal Dream Coast, answer the question and enter the prize draw. :)

If you wish to give us feedback about the website, ask questions, give suggestions or just say Hi!, we would like to hear from you, please contact us.

Gourmet Fish Festival in Setúbal

Setúbal is well-known for its gourmet dishes and delicacies, and is considered by many to be the main location in the world to eat fish dishes. If you travel here, join us from today and until Sunday on the "Gourmet Fish Festival" taking place in the region.

Here's the day-to-day program for the activities taking place in Setúbal and Tróia:

Thursday 01 July

From 6pm: Beninning of the festival, with presentations and a workshop regarding the fish and wine in the region of Setúbal.
9:30pm: Showcooking with the Spanish chef Sergio Perez.
10:30pm: Theatre presentations

Friday 02 July

1:30pm - Gourmet lunch "Wine and Cooking with chefs Sergio Perez (Spain) and Luís Lopes (Portugal)
From 18:30pm: Workshop about wine with Mário Louro
9pm: Showcooking with chef Chakall (Argentina)
23pm: Chill out - Covers Saxofone

Saturday 03 July

1pm: Showcooking with the chef Xavier Mathieu (France)
From 2:30pm: Several food workshops with an oyster tasting session
7:30pm: Showcooking with chef Gemelli (Portugal)
9pm: Gourmet dinner with chef Flávio Morganti (Italy)
10:30pm: Stand-up comedy
11:30pm: DJ Party

Sunday 04 July: Sweden, France, Italy and Spain between Setúbal

1pm: Wine and cooking with chef K C Wallberg (Sweden)
2pm: Lunch with all chefs (with Fado music being played)

At Tróia: Golf tournament "Viva o Peixe"
Boat trip in the Sado river

Setúbal's Guide: Arrábida Mountain

Over the last few weeks we've been telling you about several lovely locations in the region of Setúbal. Now we want to tell you about one very special location considered by many as simply the heart of this region.

The originality of the scenery and harmony of Man in his environment reveal a perfect integration of the two in a natural and socio-cultural context which surround it.

These chalky hills have the only surviving example of primitive Mediterranean vegetation. Tucked away in the heart of Arrábida's Natural Park, the formation goes back 180 million years. The soil and mild climatic features, considered the best in Portugal, have produced a lush vegetation rich in species. The park covers the Arrábida Hills, which mediterranean-like vegetation and microclimate resemble Adriatic locations.

Although the 50km-long ridge of the Arrábida attains a maximum of only 501m (Alto do Formosinho), the views from the top are truly spectacular, giving the impression of much greater altitude. The strategic position of the Arrábida Marine Park makes it an ideal laboratory to travel for studies on marine biodiversity and climate change.

What to do in the Arrábida mountain?

Beaches: Relax on the sand at Portinho da Arrábida, a delightful small beach nestled in a bay with calm, crystal blue-green water that is excellent for swimming and diving. Make a visit also to Figueirinha, it looks out over the Bay of Setubal and has the beautiful backdrop of the Serra da Arrábida hills. The popularity of this beach is aided by both the ease of access and the calm waters and is suitable for windsurfing at low tide, when a cove is created by a sandbank.
Walking Tours: Travel here and dive yourself into the wild landscapes of the Arrábida mountain on a guided walking tour which offers you a chance to capture the true essence of the region.
Sports: Mountain Biking, hiking, sea kayaking are some of the many sports you can practise here, since the mountain and the bay below offers perfect conditions for these sports.
Jeep tours: This is the most popular safari trip practiced in the surroundings of Lisbon,with stopovers in places for fantastic views of the mountain and the ocean.. Tip: Combine the tour with a wine and cheese tasting.
Photographing: With a beautiful and breathtaking scenery, the Arrábida mountain is the place to travel and to be for landscape photographers.
Arrábida Monastery: Built on 1542 by Frei Martinho de Santa Maria, this monastery is hidden between the lush vegetation. Used by religious orders in the past, it has the "old monastery" with some rooms built inside the rocks and the "new monastery" where later was built the kitchen, library, watch tower and other rooms. The monastery is currently owned by the Orient Foundation, with many cultural events taking place.
Just relaxing: This location is perfect if you're looking for the tranquility and peace that only the contact with nature offers. A perfect place to meditate, relax or just listen to the nature sounds.

And why not combine several activities together to make the perfect holidays?

The Natural Park of Arrábida is an area of excellent views, culture, history and hundred-year-old traditions as well as having an economic importance regarding tourism. Add it to your travel guide!

The nature park (land and sea) is currently being proposed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site and was a "Gift to the Earth" by the Portuguese government through WWF in the International Year of the Oceans (1998).

Visit us on Facebook and watch the video with stunning photos from the Arrábida mountain.

Setúbal's Guide: Travel to Sines

Sines is a county of the Setúbal region located 150 km south of Lisbon at the very centre of South-western Portuguese coast. Bordering the sea and the countryside, Porto Covo is a picturesque village with some of the most beautiful and preserved Portuguese beaches, protected by the natural park of Sudoeste Alentejano & Costa Vicentina.

The town's history dates back to Roman times when it was called Sinus. Over the years t established good tradition relations with some of the Mediterranean nations and thrived.

Sines is the birthplace of explorer Vasco da Gama (1469-1524), discoverer of the sea route to India in 1497/98. The house where he was born has been reconstructed as a museum.

What do do in Sines?

• Historic centre: Sines’ historic centre goes along the cliff, from the Castle to the Fortress of Revelim, and remains charming, in spite of all the changes in the land. Besides the magnificent views to the Atlantic, in all its length, we must highlight, among the points of interest, the shopping streets, around the ancient medieval axis (Rua Cândido dos Reis and Rua Teófilo Braga), the Largo dos Penedos (with the ancient watch-tower, where fishermen watched the sea) and Rua Vasco da Gama, where the manor house that caused his expulsion from Sines was supposed to be.
• Fishing Harbour: The history of Sines was, until 35 years ago, the history of a fishing village. Nowadays, in spite of not having the importance of times past, fishing continues to employ hundreds of men and to give the bay of Sines a charm and colouring unique in Alentejo. Before or after your meal, in summer or in winter, a visit to the fishing harbour and to the marginal avenue of Beach Vasco da Gama may be an incursion to the emotional centre of the city.
• Visit to Porto Covo: Porto Covo is one of the most beautiful villages of the country, and, for certain, one of the most beautiful coasts, also a jewel of popular architecture. Visit the Ilha do Pessegueiro, the channel of Pessegueiro Island was used as a harbour of refuge by the Carthaginians and the Romans in the difficult climb of the coast of Alentejo.
• Beaches: In Sines you have many different types of beaches to chose from:
  

1. Family beaches: The Beaches of Morgavel, Vale Figueiros, Grande of Porto Covo, Ilha do Pessegueiro and S. Torpes, which, in the last few years, were rewarded with the Blue Flag of Europe, are excellent due to their natural characteristics, and due to the possibility of receiving the whole population, from the children to the elders.
2. Naturist beaches : Praia do Salto (Beach of Salto). Located between Cerro da Águia and Cerca Nova, with a private and peaceful environment, it is part, since 2002, of the restricted group of naturist beaches officially recognised in Portugal.
3. Historic beaches: Praia Vasco da Gama (Vasco da Gama Beach): Integrated in the urban tissue of the city of Sines and testimony of the main events of its history - from the pirates attacks to the embarkation of D. Miguel to Brazil -, it is part of the face of Sines and of the heart of its people. Adjoining the Fishing Harbour, it remains charming and deserves to be visited, both in the summer and in the winter. Its marginal avenue is much used for walks and jogging.

• World Music Festival: The Festival Músicas do Mundo (FMM), organised by the City Council of Sines, since 1999, is the most important event of the cultural year in Sines and the biggest of the kind in the country. Held, every year, in the last week of July, in the historic scenery of the Castle, FMM gathers the most important names of the world circuit in world music, jazz and blues.
• Art Centre: An architecturally innovative space (the Aires Mateus architects’ project was awarded the AICA/MC 2005 prize), are held exhibits, concerts, theatre plays, book presentations, and so on. Guided visits available.
• Archaeological museum and Sala's Treasure: It can be visited within the walls of Misericórdia Chapel, a building immediately next to the Mother Church and the Castle. It’s an historical church, rebuilt in 1585 by D. Felipe I and reconverted to cultural functions in the 1990’s. The museum includes pieces from the Palaeolithic to the Baroque period.

Join us on Facebook and see fantastic photos of Sines.

Setubalbay - International Swim Marathon in June

Organised by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) it will take place in Setúbal on the 26th June the 2010 10k Marathon Swimming World Cup which will be held in the Setúbal Bay, in front of the Albarquel Urban Park.

On its 5th edition, this competition takes place each year in Setúbal and this year is part of nice races in three different continents.

The Portuguese people possess an outstanding passion for open water sport due to the proximity with the sea and maritime heritage and the choice for Setúbal to host this event is due to the beautiful natural environment of the Bay of Setúbal.

The event will be held over the Olympic distance of 10km and will attract the best national and international open waters swimming specialists.

Spectators will be able to follow all the event from close up and there will be a dedicated area decorated for the occasion, with entertainment from DJ's.

The event will take place at 4pm but if you're coming to Setúbal and are an open water enthusiastic like us, you'll get the chance to participate and compete over the same course in the open event held at 11am on the day. How cool is that?

A flying display by the Aerobatics Team will complete the programme of activities planned for the afternoon.

Join us on Facebook and see photos from last year competition.

Setúbal's Guide: Travel to Palmela

Palmela is a charming small town centred around a fortified castle at an altitude of 1200 metres at the edge of the Arrábida mountain range, 40km south of Lisbon and 10km north of Setúbal and it's a semi-rural town, right in the middle of Portugal's biggest urban area.

Portugal’s first king, Afonso Henriques, captured Palmela from the Moors in the mid-12th century after a surprise attack on the King of Badajoz. Its past strategic importance is evident given that the views from here are astounding, taking in vast expanses of farmland, the Sado estuary to the south and even Lisbon to the north.

Palmela lies at the heart of one of Portugal’s richest wine growing regions, reflected in the lively local annual festivities and the wines of this region have achieved international awards in several festivals like Bordeaux's.

What to do in Palmela:

• Castelo de Palmela: You cannot come to Palmela without a visit to the famous Palmela Castle. Originally a Moorish stronghold, with magnificent views on a spur of the Serra da Arrábida, the castle was constructed following the reconquest in the 12th century and remains a solid example of fine military architecture of the time. A monastery was also added to house the faithful of the Order of Santiago, and it is this part that has been painstakingly transformed into possibly Portugal’s most desirable pousada.
• Festa das Vindimas: Taking place on the first Sunday of September to celebrate the wine harvest, the town’s annual wine harvest festival (Festa das Vindimas) is one of the liveliest occasions in the region.
• Arrábida National Park: Palmela is also an excellent base for exploring the natural assets of the Arrábida National Park where ancient forests contain much wildlife and the secluded monastery.

As a curiosity, some famous individuals such as Hans Christian Andersen were briefly hosted in Palmela.

Join us on Facebook and see more photos of Palmela.

Sports Illustrated 2010 swimsuit issue photographed in the Setúbal region

The 2010 edition of the sports magazine "Sports Illustrated" was photographed in Portugal. It included models like Cintia Dicker, Jessica White and Bar Refaeli.

Some photos were taken in the capital, Lisbon, and other photos were taken in the
breathtaking scenery of the Setúbal region, at the Portinho da Arrábida beach and in a wine cellar in Azeitão.

See the "making of" video:

Setúbal's Guide: Travel to Sesimbra

Sesimbra is an oceanfront, picturesque fishing village in a sheltered bay overlooked by a Moorish Castle that offers wonderful views from its ramparts.

Is about 40km due south of Lisbon and is situated nestled at the foot of the hills of the Arrábida mountain and inside a sparkling blue bay, protecting it from cold northerly winds.

In the old town is a 17th century fort overlooking the sea, a good starting point for a scenic walk before hitting the beach that, although crowded in the summer, has unpolluted waters ideal for swimming. Sesimbra is a pretty place to escape and a wonderful place to eat fantastic fish, stroll on the promenade or relax on the stunning beach with its enticing clean blue water.

Sesimbra retains much of its fishing village atmosphere. The many local churches are still regularly full of the faithful praying for a good catch and the safe return of their men. In late afternoon the fishing boats return and there's a fish auction on the dockside. That same fresh fish can be sampled at one of the several restaurants along the shore. Tuna and Swordfish are stars in the local menu.

Fun things to do in Sesimbra:

• Cabo Espichel: An impressive and mystical promontory with breathtakingly large cliffs which drop almost vertically several hundred feet into the Atlantic. The views of the coast and ocean are stunning.
  
• Medieval Castle: At the top the hill behind the town, on the site of a Moorish fortressDom Sancho II, stands the restored medieval castle built in the 13th century which also encloses a 12th century church, Church of Santa Maria, and affords wonderful views from its ramparts.
• Hills of Arrábida: Glorious views of the coast and the countryside abound as you drive along the knife-edge ridge in this nature reserve which hides in its abundant flora.
• Beach: Hit one of the many beaches around Sesimbra. One of them, named Lagoa de Albufeira , is an excellent location to practice windsurf, kitesurf, surf, scuba diving, or simply relax on the white sand.
  
• Shopping: Alongside the sea promenade there's several shops with local products,
  
• Restaurants: Dine in one of the many beach-front fish restaurants after taking a relaxing evening stroll along the promenade.
• Nightlife: In the Summer, people enjoy just going out. There is street animation, live music and some trendy bars.

The countryside of Sesimbra is covered with an abundance of rosemary, myrtle, cistus and thyme which give it that characteristic 'vacation' smell. You can travel by car or reach Sesimbra by buses that leave several times during the day from Setúbal.

There is also a construction plot in this location, should you love Sesimbra to much that wish to build the perfect holiday home.

Visit us on Facebook and see more photos of Sesimbra.

Setúbal's guide: Travel to Álcacer do Sal

This is the first article of the new Setúbal guide. Over the next weeks we'll be explaining a little more of each location of the region of Setúbal and we start with the beautiful city of Álcacer do Sal.

Álcacer do Sal is a dramatic medieval hill-top city located in the South of the Setúbal region, with a population around 6000 inhabitants. Wrought-iron balconies look out over the river and underneath them dwell a variety of cafés and restaurants.

Here is located the beautiful natural Sado river reserve named Reserva Natural do Estuário do Sado and it's also here where the river Sado quietly meets the ocean. It's a city full of history with its medieval and charming streets and a castle at the top. The town’s name comes from the Moorish al qasr meaning ‘the castle’, and the Sal refers to the age-old production of salt in this area.

Besides walking down the medieval cobbled streets and feelings its ancient history, other things to do in Álcacer do sal include:

• Walking tour inside the city seeing many examples of the remarkable Renaissance architecture in Portugal, like the Church of Santiago or the 16th century Convent of Santo Antonio,
• Sailing, Windsurfing and Fishing at the Gaio dam,
  
• Balloon sightseeing tours,
  
• Boat trips alongside the estuary,
  
• Visit to the castle, where mighty ramparts and towers remind us of times when the city played an important part in territorial battles,
• Bird watching in the estuary where you can see many diferent species of birds all year round,
  
• Going on a walking tour around the region (called Passeio dos Negros),
  
• Enjoying the sun and sea at the stunning white sandy beaches at Comporta,
  
• Horseback riding,
  
• Visiting several small villages around the city where you can see many pieces of Arqueology like the Roman remains,
  
• And of course, enjoying the many typical Portuguese cuisine and wines of this region in one of its many restaurants. Álcacer do Sal has also a tradition of desserts which recipes have been secretly hidden for decades and are just delicious. Amongst others are: pinhoada, bolo de mel e pastéis de feijão e amêndoa.
  

See more photos of Álcacer do Sal on our Flickr or join us on Facebook

Zé Mário Mourinho, One of Us

Tribute from Portugal Dream Coast to a special person from Setúbal

Comporta chosen to receive Golf Ryder Cup 2018

Amongst several locations applying in Portugal, Herdade da Comporta with its project Comporta Dunes in the Setúbal region was chosen to host the Ryder Cup in 2018.

An invitation to submit an application was addressed to the Portuguese Golf Federation for over a year, and Comporta will be competing with Spain, France, Germany, Holland and Sweden. The European Tour and the final decision will be taken in the first quarter of 2011.

The Ryder Cup is the third largest sports event worldwide media coverage, with 1.1 billion (tele) spectators, after the Olympic Games 3.7 and 3.4 of the World Cup.

Just for 2018, the Ryder Cup Europe has embarked on a process of applying highly professional and demanding, like other big events like the Olympics, the FIFA World Cup or America.

This is a wonderful event for this region since Golf is one of its main attractions and this comes to emphasize the professional and high level of Golf courses in the Setúbal region.

The good news is you don't have to wait until 2018 to enjoy it. Many other Golf events take place in this region, so why not come and play as well?

Take a look at the video below with stunning Golf images of the region:

Birdwatching in Setubal

Portugal has been a wonderful destination for birdwatching and one of the country’s best birdwatching areas is Sado estuary in Setubal. If you are a birdwatching fan and you haven’t visited this place before, then the range of species here might well surprise you.

The Sado estuary is a Ramsar site of international importance. Here you can watch around 70.000 birds of more then 250 different species, all year round. The estuary incorporates a number of different habitats, ranging from inter-tidal mudflats, salt marshes, salt pans, rice fields, reed beds and river beaches, to sand-dunes, small dams and slopes covered in cork and pine.

Some of the areas of major interest include: Gâmbia, Zambujal, Pinheiro, Monte Novo de Palma, Batalha, Cachopos, Carrasqueira and Comporta.

This sparsely populated region is a vital stronghold for Great and Little Bustards - and excellent for birds of prey, too. Resident Eurasian Black Vultures and Eurasian Griffons share the skies with Spanish Imperial, Golden and Bonelli's Eagles, and by late February, the first Lesser Kestrels should be returning from their winter quarters in Africa.

Greater Flamingo, Glossy Ibis, Squacco Heron, Purple Swamphen and Eurasian Penduline-tit... all are to be looked for. More birds like Black Stork, Calandra and Thekla Larks, Eurasian Crag Martin, Blue Rock-thrush, Spanish Sparrow and Rock Bunting are among other exciting species to watch for as you can listen for the tell-tale chuckling of Black-bellied Sandgrouse flying over the steppe.

Each year this region is attracting more and more people from across the world interested in birdwatching and if you come to Setubal you have a bonus, because you might as well observe the small and unique population of Bottle-nosed Dolphins, resident in the estuary.


There are several birdwatching tours available in the Setubal estuary. Contact us if you're interested to know more.

Watch our It's Spring time in Setúbal video with images of several birds you can watch in Setubal estuary.

Bay of Setubal - One of The Most Beautiful in the World

The bay of Setubal was voted a member of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club. This cut out estuary is leaned with the buttresses of Serra da Arrábida and separates the Atlantic Ocean by the peninsula of Troia. 23000 ha are classified as natural reserve.

As the most important natural habitat for the conservation of the bottle-nosed dolphin, fulfilling one of the nature requirements demanded by UNESCO, The Bay of Setubal will benefit from added values, notably from the international projection of the city.

Its main aims are to link the city to the river and valorize the environment. In particular the Sado Estuary Nature Reserve and the Arrábida Natural Park, which has unique characteristics and contains species that can only be found in areas near the Mediterranean.

There are also excellent beaches, especially Figueirinha, Galapos and Portinho da Arrábida (a magnificent sheltered bay), And on the other side of the River Sado, within easy reach by ferry, there is the Tróia peninsula with about 18 kms of beaches and a golf course.