Seixal, a place of history, gastronomy, tours and much more.

Seixal is a riverside area in Portugal Dream Coast with economical, cultural and social potential for tourism. Several activities like canoeing (several clubs and associations), Boat trips that is possible to participate (three unique boats, the oldest one is previous to 1914), Museums with expositions during all year.

Seixal has lots a biggest history, for example Quinta da Fidalga, founded on XV century where the brother of Vasco da Gama (Called Paulo da Gama) observe the construction of caravels that would be used on the Maritime Route do India discover.

With several restaurants, the gastronomy is amazing and was the Tagus River (know in portuguese has Rio Tejo) the main influence. Dishes like Fried Eel (Enguias Fritas) , Eel Stew (Ensopado de Enguias) among others area delicious for tourists and locals in Seixal . A place to visit during your weekend break or in your holidays. Travel to Portugal Dream Coast.

Hans Christian Andersen's visit to Setúbal

Hans Christian Andersen visited Setúbal in 1834 and described it as a "terrestrial paradise".

A keen traveller, he was already 61 years old when he came to Portugal to visit his two childhood friends, who had the beautiful house "Quinta dos Bonecos" near Palmela in the region of Setúbal.

He used to write travelogues and his visit to Setúbal inspired him to write the book "A Visit to Portugal" as wonderful as his fairy tales, which to this day continue to delight children and adults all over the world.


Some extracts:


The region at the foot of the Serra da Palmela is more picturesque. Soon ahead is Setúbal, the St Ubes of the English, where endless orange groves cover the whole valley between Palmela, São Luís and the Serra da Arrábida out towards the sea.”

"“(…) The carriage in Setúbal was waiting for us, and so too were the newspapers, which we started reading with great interest in order to find out what was happening in the world. (…) While blood was being shed and death rattles were being heard in other countries, peace reigned over Portugal, a country far from those dangers. And I felt and enjoyed that tranquility, that beauty and peace.”

"Lights shone in the white houses of Setúbal. (…) All this beauty could never be reproduced in a painting or described in words.”

“ (..) after breakfast it was time to say goodbye. Jorge O’Neill joked and smiled but I felt sad. I wondered if we would ever meet again and I was sure that I would never visit this faraway and beautiful country again, where I had felt so well and at home.”

“When, God willing, I am once again walking

Among the beech trees in my homeland,

My thoughts will often return

To the beautiful country that is Portugal.”

Visit our website to know more about Setúbal:

Portugal Dream Coast

Join us on Facebook

We work hard to promote the beautiful location of Setúbal in Portugal to the world and to bring you the best the region has to offer.

Join us on our new Facebook page and share it with your friends, we'll appreciate that. :)

Just click the link below or the image on the left:

Portugal Dream Coast - Yours in Setúbal

World Tourism Day in Palmela

The World Tourism Day happens each year on September 27 and this year it will commemorate its 30th anniversary.

Palmela is the chosen location in the region of Setúbal to commemorate this day and revitalize all the local traditions of the region. Focusing on the Moscatel of Setúbal, on this year’s event you’ll have the chance to taste and buy this wonderful wine as well as interacting with the many wine experts of the region.

Know more about this event here: World Tourism Day

Alvalade Medieval Fair

Held annually, this event in Alvalade, south of the district of Setúbal near Sines, relives the Middle Ages with arts and crafts, food, games, jousting tournaments,costume contests, and more.

There could hardly be a more perfect setting for a truly authentic historical event that will capture adults and children’s’ imagination of life in medieval times. The entire town will be dressed to look like medievel times really incorporating the spirit of the event.

Know more here: Alvalade Medieval Fair

Wine Vintages Festival in Palmela

On the 1-7 September it will take place on the Palmela Castle the Festival "Wine Vintages" in its 48th edition.

It is one of the premier events in Setúbal that celebrates the region having the most well-known and reputable wines of the country. It has become hugely popular and a regular sell out attracting ten thousand people, many of whom return year after year. It is an opportunity for you to taste and buy the region's best wines as well as interacting with many wine experts of the region.

Click to know more about this fantastic event: Wine Vintages Festival in Palmela

Loving Setúbal, Loving Golf

Each year more and more people around the world come to Portugal and to the Setúbal region to play Golf and this happens for a reason. With some stunning Golf courses and breathtaking views, it has everything you need for the perfect Golf holidays, including one course designed by the famous Robert Trent Jones.

Know more about it here: Golf in Tróia

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.

Tróia International Golf Cup 2010 - in August!

Between the 26th and 28th August it will take place in the region of Setúbal the Tróia International Golf Cup, one of the most important Golf events taking place in the summer time in Portugal.

If you're a Golf lover you simply cannot afford to miss this event. It will take place at the Tróia Golf Championship Course, considered amongst Golf players to be one of the best top golf courses of the world and was considered by “Golf World” magazine to be one of the best 100 Golf courses of Europe. Robert Trent Jones Senior designed the course and it opened for play in 1980.

The 368-metre par four 3rd is one of the finest sea holes in Portugal but there are more stunning holes in this course. The holes are laid out on the dunes whilst magnificent pinewoods line most of the fairways on the inland side. The course is challenging but whilst playing the player has charming views across the sand to the magnificent blue Atlantic.

This is a magnificent time of the year to visit Tróia not only to see this event but also because of the stunning climate and everything the region has to offer in terms of travel holidays.

Why not combine your Golf passion with a visit to the stunning Tróia white sandy beaches and enjoy the wonderful Portuguese food available? Contact us if you with to know more.

Curious? See for yourself:

Setúbal Guide in Portugal: Travel to Tróia

Reachable by a 10 min. ferry ride from Setúbal, this narrow sand-strip south of Lisbon is one of Portugal's best-kept secrets. Boasting 18 km of white sandy uninterrupted beaches and some of the cleanest bathing conditions in the country, Tróia is a true holiday paradise for couples and young families alike. It also has a range of moderately-priced apartment complexes, a tennis centre, several swimming pools and the well-known 18-hole championship golf course.

What to do in Tróia?

• Beach, beach, beach! 18km of white sandy beaches with clear blue water. Here we promise you won't find the heavy crowds of the Algarve. If you're in need of a relaxing beach break, this is the place to be.
  
• Water sports: Beach volley, kitesurf, swimming, sailing, windsurfing, scuba. There is a sailing school and a scuba-diving school where you can rent a sailing boat and equipment and also have lessons , with a range of classes for varying abilities.
  If you chose scuba diving, a popular activity, there is many diverse types of fish and underwater sea life to see. Water sports here are a truly unique experience since is where the river meets the sea.
• Golf: The Troia Golf course is considered amongst Golf players to be one of the best top golf courses of the world and was considered by “Golf World” magazine to be one of the best 100 Golf courses of Europe. Robert Trent Jones Senior designed the course and it opened for play in 1980. The 368-metre par four 3rd is one of the finest sea holes in Portugal but there are more stunning holes in this course. The holes are laid out on the dunes whilst magnificent pinewoods line most of the fairways on the inland side. The course is challenging but whilst playing the player has charming views across the sand to the magnificent blue Atlantic. There are also Golf lessons available.
• Tennis: There is a tennis academy in Troia with 10 green courts for you to play day and night. They also offer tennis lessons if you want to learn a new sport while on holidays!
• Roman ruins: If you want to know a bit of history as well, you can also visit the 16th Century Roman ruins in Troia. Some very important finds have been made since excavations began in 1850. The main visible features are fish-salting tanks as large as 3 metres square, port buildings, tombs and baths with traces of mosaic and marble lining.
• Luxury resorts: In Tróia there are several luxury resorts with plenty to offer like spa treatments and shows, if you want to take advantage of the best Tróia has to offer.
  
• Restaurants: In Tróia there are several beach restaurants and snack bars where you can taste the famous fish dishes and seafood of the region of Setúbal whilst enjoying a stunning view of the Setúbal bay and Arrábida mountain, in a really relaxing environment.

Staying in Tróia is a good option if you visit the region of Setúbal, combining relaxation, stunning views and also easy access to the city of Setúbal and the other locations around.

Join us on Facebook and see lots of photos of Tróia.

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:

My dream coast Newsletter

Soon we'll be having a Newsletter with tons of what-to-do-ideas, tips, news, quizzes and other fun stuff about the Setúbal region. Sign our newsletter now and be the first to receive the news straight into the confort of your email. :)

Send an email to info@portugaldreamcoast.com with your first and last name, email address, job title and country and you'll receive a confirmation email back.

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.

Your Summer Holidays in Setúbal

3 minutes of watching this and you'll want to get on a plane straight out here... :)

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.

Portugal Dream Coast tribute to one of us!

Tribute to Jose Mourinho, that has Setubal as his homeland.

Festroia in June - Cinema Festival in Setubal

Festroia is an international cinema festival that takes place every year in Setubal at Forum Luisa Todi, since 1985. This year it will take place on the 4-13 June.

The festival's competitive section is open to films from countries producing less than 30 features per year. The festival produces an award ceremony every year in the first week of June. The main award is the Golfinho de Ouro (Gold Dolphin).

This year the festival will also place a tribute to Slovak cinema, revealing that, although the Czech Republic and Slovakia are separate countries since 1993, the spirit of Czechoslovakia, that united them for decades, is still alive in art.

This festival usually brings together many well-known personalities like Pedro Almodovar, Robert Mitchum, Kirk Douglas, Christopher Walken, Mickey Rooney, Dennis Hopper, Lauren Bacall, Francesco Rosi, amongst others. Festroia is also part of FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations) that also included the Cannes festival.

It is a great opportunity to visit Setubal, watch some good films, meet new people and even spot some celebrities!

Setubal. Beautifully Yours

Your holidays in Setubal

Roxette video recorded in Troia

Did you know that Roxette's music video "Anyone" was recorded in Troia?