Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SETÚBAL PENINSULA
As the mercury rises, the promise of sun, sea and mouth-watering grilled fish lures
lis-
boêtas
south to the Setúbal Peninsula for weekends of ozone-enriched fun. Beach bums
make for the Costa da Caparica's 8km sweep of golden sand to laze on a lounger, dip in the
chilly Atlantic and unwind over sundowners in beachside cafes. The coast gets wilder the
further south you venture and Cabo Espichel is wildest of all - a vertiginous cape thrashed
by the Atlantic, where you can trace the footprints of dinosaurs.
Edging further south, the vibrant port of Setúbal provides a tonic for a UV overdose. It's
a fine place to munch
choco frito
(fried cuttlefish) and spot bottlenose dolphins on a breezy
cruise of the marshy Sado estuary. To the west lies Parque Natural da Arrábida, lined with
scalloped bays flanked by sheer cliffs that are home to birds of prey. It leads to the fishing
town and bay of Sesimbra, laced with cobbled backstreets and overshadowed by a Moorish
castle. The coast is great for outdoorsy types, offering activities from scuba-diving and
surfing to hiking and canyoning.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Costa da Caparica
Costa da Caparica's seemingly never-ending beach attracts sun-worshipping
lisboêtas
crav-
ing all-over tans, surfers keen to ride Atlantic waves, and day-tripping families seeking
clean sea and soft sand. It hasn't escaped development, but head south and the high-rises
soon give way to pine forests and mellow beach-shack cafes. The town has the same name
as the coastline, and is a cheery place with shops and lots of inflatable seaside tack.
Costa da Caparica town focuses on Praça da Liberdade. West of the
praça,
pedestrian-
ised Rua dos Pescadores, with hotels and restaurants, leads to the seaside and a helpful
tour-
ist office
(
Click here
)
. The main beach (called Praia do CDS, or Centro Desportivo de Surf),
with cafes, bars and surfing clubs along its promenade, is a short walk north. The
bus termin-
al
(Av General Humberto Delgado)
is 400m northwest of the Praça da Liberdade; additional stops
are by the
praça
.
Beaches
