Setúbal
Portugal City Travel Guide: Setúbal
City Guide I
Turismo I Arrival
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Setúbal
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Castelo Sao Felipe
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- Portugal's third port.
- 50km south of Lisbon.
- Home to the amazing Igreja de Jesus.
- Lively old town centre with good nightlife.
- Good beaches withn easy reach.
- Dolphin watching in the Sado estuary.
- Local population of 120,000 people.
- Area noted for its local wine and seafood.
Setúbal (pronounced shtoo-bal)
is located around 50km south of Lisbon
and is today a major port and industrial center - without an overly industrial feel.
Setúbal's most famous site is the amazing Igreja de Jesus
(open 9am-1pm; 2-5pm; Tues-Sun). Designed by Diogo de Boitaca (whose
other work includes the Monsteiro dos Jerónimos in Belém)
this incredible church was completed in 1491 and is known as the
first Manueline building in Portugal. The high altar is surrounded
by blue and white azulejos tiles. The nearby Galeria da Pintura Quinhentista (admission free) displays many of the treasures of the Igreja de Jesus.
The Castelo São Felipe was built to protect the coast
in the late sixteenth century and parts of the castle have been
converted into a luxury Pousada
(guesthouse) complete with a Baroque chapel lined with azulejos
celebrating the life of King Philip. The bar, excellent restaurant
(known for its local seafood cuisine and muscatel wine) and rampants
are open to non-guests, which have great views of the Sado estuary
and Tróia peninsula.
Setúbal's other attractions include the pedestrianized parts
of the old town especially the streets around Rua A. Castelões,
the Museu do Trabalho Michel Giacometti (admission free)
which contains traditional agricultural implements collected from
around Portugal and even a complete 1920s Lisbon grocery, and the
Museu de Arquelogica e Etnografia (admission free) houses
a mishmash of exhibits including Roman mosaics and local crafts.
Other things to do around Setúbal include a visit to the
local beaches on the Tróia peninsula which can be
reached by car ferry from the town, or head farther west to the
far-less touristy beaches of the Parque Natural da Arrábida,
including Galapos, Figueirinha and Praia de Albarquel. The park
is famous for its varied wildlife and the granite ridge Serra da
Arrábida which provided the stone for the Igreja de Jesus.
Parque Natural da Arrábida can be reached by bus from either Setúbal
or Sesimbra - a pleasant seaside town popular as an escape from
Lisbon.
Boat trips are a popular excusion with trips up the River Sado in traditional vessels used to transport salt or watching the bottle-nosed dolpins in the river.
There are also numerous organized tours for wine-sampling, cycling
or walking in the area with full details on all local activities available from the tourist office.
Setúbal Tourist Offices
Municipal turismo Praça do Quebedo (tel. 265 534 402) located
near the train station.
Regional turismo Travessa Frei Gaspar (tel. 265 539 120) located
off Avenida Luísa Todi; interestingly the turismo has a glass
floor revealing a Roman fish condiment factory below.
Getting to Setúbal
There are frequent bus services to Lisbon
(Praça de Espanha) as well as to Évora and Faro.
There are daily trains to Setúbal from Lisbon. You first need to catch a ferry
from Terreiro do Paço to Barreiro across the Tejo: the bus is quicker.
Setúbal easily connects with Lisbon via the A12/IP1 and
A1 motorways and to Faro and the Algarve
via IC1 or E1/IP1.
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From the Airport
The nearest airport is in Lisbon.
Featured Hotel
Estalagem
Do Sado Hotel - 5 Star, banquet and conference facilities available
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this hotel
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Setúbal has excellent seafood restaurants - try the western end of Avenida
Luísa Todi.
Setúbal is known for its local muscatel. the late night bar scene is also centered on Avenida Luísa Todi.
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The average high June temperatures for Portugal is between 22C and 26C.
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Setúbal
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