TESTIMONIALS! TESTIMONIALS!

Thank you everyone that sent us photos and testimonials troughout the summer of your vacations in Setúbal we have it all here:

Click on the button on the left

Special Promotion: Weekend 17-19 September

Stay at the stunning Quinta de S. Filipe, a luxury hotel in the Arrábida Mountain, for a very special price.

Follow the link: Quinta de S. Filipe

What's On in Setúbal?

Setúbal is a vibrant city and region with lots of events happening troughout the year. On our website we gather the ones you cannot miss, like these ones:

Day of Setúbal - 15 September

Still Living Statues in Setúbal

Click here if you want to be up-to-date with all the events: What's On in Setúbal

Portinho da Arrábida voted one of the 7 natural wonders

First it was the new 7 Wonders of the World announced in Lisbon in 2007. Then Portugal was inspired this year to choose its own seven natural wonders.

We’re proud to announce that the Portinho da Arrábida beach, one of the most stunning white sandy beaches in the Setúbal region has won in the category “Beaches and Cliffs”.

To know more click here: Portinho da Arrábida

What is your favourite restaurant in the Setúbal region?

We're asking our fans on our Facebook page what is your favourite restaurant in the Setúbal region. Want to share your favourite as well or just see people's recommendations?

Join in the conversation:

Setúbal public holiday commemorations

On the 15th September the city of Setúbal commemorates its annual public holiday also known as “Bocage Day” in honour to the Neoclassic poet born in Setúbal in 1765.

Click to know more about this fantastic day: Bocage Day

Summer 2010 in Setúbal (in images)

Beach, Sports, Festivals, Food and music events, and much more took place this last summer in the region of Setúbal in Portugal. See the highlights in this video and visit the website Portugal Dream Coast to know more about this fantastic region!

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

Eurovision Party 2010 in Setúbal – September

After the success of last year’s event, Setúbal will once again host the official Eurovision party in Portugal on the 11th September.

This event will take place at the open air “Auditório José Afonso”, on the Luisa Todi Avenue in Setúbal and will bring together artists from nine different European countries that were contestants from several editions of the Eurovision music contest.

Click below to know more about this event and watch the official video with all the artists that will perform live!

Eurovision Party 2010 in Setúbal

Stay at Quinta de S. Felipe - Arrábida Mountain

Quinta de S. Filipe, located in Setúbal, in the Eastern most part of the Arrábida Mountain range is 44 Km from Lisbon.

This centenary farm, on a hillside, has breathtaking views of the city of Setúbal, São Filipe’s Castle and of the Tróia Peninsula are just across, where the gaze goes beyond Sines (Alentejo’s Coast).

Click to know more about this stunning hotel: Quinta de S. Felipe

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

AND THE WINNER IS...

We have a happy winner of the competition "Win a Weekend". To check it, you just need to visit the competition page:

Win a Weekend

We'll be announcing the winner of the competition on the 24th August on Facebook

The 23rd August is the last day of the competition "Win a weekend in Setúbal" and on the 24th we'll be announcing the winning entry on our Facebook group.

You still have time to enter the competition and win a weekend on a romantic lighthouse in the Arrábida Mountain in Setúbal. Click here to participate: Travel to Portugal

And join us on Facebook to know the winner: Portugal Dream Coast Facebook

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.

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.

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... :)