Golf in Troia. Most dificult in Europe

The region of Setubal is the perfect place in Portugal for some Golf holidays. We have 7 excellent golf courses.  Know a bit more about one in Troia:

Troia Golf Course
Considered to be Portugal’s most difficult golf course, Troia is a major challenge to any golfer. It is one of the links designed by the famous Robert Trent Jones and opened in 1982. Its principal obstacle is sand which borders the whole course, where pine trees and wild plants are also found in abundance. Naturally Jones has utilised his trademark bold bunkering, raised greens and some doglegs, which sweep between pine trees. 




The 368-metre par four 3^rd is one of the finest sea holes in Portugal and there are numerous other outstanding holes on this lovely course.
Wedged between the Atlantic Ocean, the Sado Estuary and the Serra da Arrabida the setting of this Golf course is a truly magical inspiration for any golfer that appreciates the surroundings while playing Golf.

Curiosity: When the Portuguese Open came to Troia in 1983, Sam Torrance was the only player to better par for the championship, which is a testament to Troia’s challenge. In 2010 Troia will host the Troia International Golf Cup in August.




DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO FIND THE COURSE:
Drive south on the A2 (IC3) to Setubal. When in Setubal follow the direction signs to the Troia Ferry. After crossing on the Ferry drive south on the EN 253 in the direction of Comporta. You will see on this road directional signs for the course.
COURSE FACILITIES:
Driving Range · Putting Green(2) · Pro Shop · Short Game Practice Area · Restaurant & Bar


REVIEWS:

“I played the course in June 2009 as part of our annual Golf trip and we all thoroughly enjoyed the day. This course is one of the best I have played in Portugal so far. We will certainly be back!”
Scott Londsdale, UK
We invite you spend some of your vacations and holidays time visiting Arrábida Hills. We invite you to visit Setubal and to visit  Portugal.

If need to book, more information, please contact us. www.portugaldreamcoast.com

Wild Dolphins on River Sado, Portugal

They’re friendly, cute and crazy about children. They’re a family of resident dolphins that live in the Sado estuary called “bottlenose”, a very common specie of dolphins. We all love to see dolphins and for many people the only way to do this is by visiting an aquarium. In Troia in Setubal you have the opportunity of seeing them in the wild all year round.
Each dolphin has been identified and has a name. There are at the moment 3 baby dolphins, 5 teenagers and 17 adults. And how are they identified? Using the appearance of dorsal fins to identify dolphins in the wild. Like a human fingerprint, there are no two dorsal fins that are exactly identical. Each has its own unique shape, height, thickness, and notches.


They are very happy to interact with people so if you’re on a boat trip you might get the chance of having them making you a visit. They’re so happy to see people that when they’re at surface they like to show what they can do like graceful jumps, jumping anywhere from 15 to 30 feet above the water. They use side-flopping and upside-down lobtailing to communicate motivation. They are a font of serenity , uplifting the spirits of everyone around.

Don’t miss the chance to visit this lovely family of wild dolphins when you’re visiting Setubal.
Dolphin Watching Boat Tours
There are several boat tours to watch dolphins on the Sado estuary. You can chose to only watch the dolphins or visit other locations by boat on the same day. A great day for all the family!

For bookings, watch video about it  and more information please contact us : http://www.portugaldreamcoast.com


 

Dolphin paintings contest in Setúbal

The City Hall of Setúbal organizes a painting competition. The theme? Will be twenty statues of dolphins in three different positions of the flagship movement of these animals: leaving, flying and entering into the water.

The statues will be manufactured by City Hall and each individual or grupal competitors will have to paint . The organization will provide also materials and space for paintings. Get more details here .

Wild Dolphins - Gallery of Photos

Did you know that sometimes our dolphins also like to visit Setubal?

Click here to see stunning wild dolphins pictures:

Wild Dolphins - Gallery of Photos

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.

Setubal. Beautifully Yours

Commemorations of João Vaz's work in Setubal

On the 27th February at Casa da Baia is going to take place the exhibition and conference "João Vaz and Setubal", to commemorate the work of the deceased João Vaz, a well-known painting artist from Setubal.

If you're visiting Setubal and want to know more about this region this is an excellent opportunity, since the strong bond between this artist and Setubal is present in all of his works. Most of his beautiful paintings are landscapes of the region of Setubal: the salt marsh, the bay, Arrabida, but he also has some more urban paintings of the city as well.

João Vaz (1859-1931) had a very distinct technique and was one of the first painting artists using photographs. Surely an event not to miss.

Setubal photos, from Jose Canelas

"Mourisca"

Jose Canelas photos