Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Terreiro do Paço terminal to Barreiro station (€2.30, 30 minutes), from where there are
cheaper, frequent
urbano
(urban) trains to Setúbal (€2.15, 30 minutes).
Getting Around
Cycling is a great way to discover the coast at your own pace. Hire a bike from Goper.
Car-rental agencies include
Avis
(
265 538 710; Av Luísa Todi 96)
.
WORTH A TRIP
PARQUE NATURAL DA ARRÁBIDA
Thickly green, hilly and edged by gleaming, clean, golden beaches and chiselled cliffs, the Parque Natural da Ar-
rábida stretches along the southeastern coast of the Setúbal Peninsula from Setúbal to Sesimbra. Covering the
35km-long Serra da Arrábida mountain ridge, this is a protected area rich in Mediterranean plants, from olive,
pistachio and strawberry to lavender, thyme and chamomile, with attendant butterflies, beetles and birds (espe-
cially birds of prey such as eagles and kestrels), and 70 types of seaweed. Its pine-brushed hills are also home to
deer and wild boar.
Highlights here are the long, golden beaches of windsurfer hot-spot
Figueirinha
and the sheltered bay of
Galapo
. Most stunning of all is
Portinho da Arrábida
with fine sand, azure waters and a small 17th-century
fort built to protect the monks from Barbary pirates. There are some
quartos
(private rooms) right on the beach
here.
Local honey is delicious, especially that produced in the gardens of the whitewashed, red-roofed
Convento da
Arrábida
( 212 197 620; arrabida@foriente.pt; admission €5; Wed-Sun) , a 16th-century former monas-
tery overlooking the sea just north of Portinho (call ahead to schedule a visit). Another famous product is Azeitão
ewe's cheese, with a characteristic flavour that owes much to lush Arrábida pastures and a variety of thistle used
in the curdling process.
Public transport through the middle of the park is nonexistent; some buses serve the beach from July to
September (around four daily to Figueirinha). Your best option is to rent a car or motorcycle, or take an organised
trip by jeep and/or boat. Be warned: parking is tricky near the beaches, even in the low season.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Sesimbra
POP 38,000
As well as fine sands, turquoise waters and a Moorish castle slung high above the centre,
this former fishing village offers excellent seafood in its waterfront restaurants.
Though the beach gets packed in summer, the town has kept its low-key charm with
narrow lanes lined with terracotta-roofed houses, outdoor cafes and a palm-fringed prom-
enade for lazy ambles. Cruises, guided hikes and scuba-diving activities here include trips
