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Setubal Guide

Setúbal

Portugal City Travel Guide: Setúbal

Setubal, Portugal.
  • Portugal's third port.
  • 50 km south of Lisbon.
  • Home to the amazing Igreja de Jesus.
  • Lively old town centre with good nightlife.
  • Good beaches within 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 50 km 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 9 am-1 pm; 2-5 pm; Tues-Sun). Designed by Diogo de Boitaca (whose other work includes the Mosteiro 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 Municipal displays many of the treasures of the Igreja de Jesus.

Praça do Bocage.
Praça do Bocage

The spacious Praça do Bocage is the town's main square with a statue of the writer, the fine Câmara Municipal and several cooling fountains. Atmospheric narrow alleys lead off from the square lined with small stores selling local handicrafts. The Igreja de São Julião (St. Julian's Church) stands at the south eastern edge of the square.

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.

Museu de Arqueologia e Etnografia.
Museu de Arqueologia e Etnografia

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 1920's Lisbon grocery, and the Museu de Archeologia e Etnografia (admission free) houses a mishmash of exhibits including Roman mosaics and local crafts.

The Casa da Baía is an 18th century building, a former refuge for orphans and widows, that has been completely restored. It serves now as a cafe, art space and center for local tourism promotion. The building has some lovely outdoor spaces, a shop selling local wines (Moscatel de Setúbal) and other produce such as the delicious, runny Queijo de Azeitão cheese and a small museum space dedicated to the plant and animals found in the area. These include the local Bottlenose dolphins of the Sado Estuary.

Casa da Baía.
Casa da Baía

Markets

The Mercado de Azeitão is a traditional market that dates back to ithe 18th century: agricultural products, clothes, plants, confectionery and handicrafts are on sale on the first Sunday of each month. The market is west of the city on the N10 road. Open 9 am to 5 pm.

The Mercado do Livramento, Avenida Luísa Todi, is a large covered market selling fresh fish, meat, fruit and vegetables, cut flowers, wine, bread and cheese. Open 7.30 am to 2 pm Tuesday to Sunday.

Other similar markets include the Mercado de Nossa Senhora da Conceição on Rua Fernando Garcia and the Mercado 2 de Abril on Rua Mário Sacramento. Both are open 7.30 am to 2 pm Tuesday to Sunday.

Tróia Peninsula, Setubal, Portugal.
Tróia Peninsula
Parque Natural da Arrábida, Setubal, Portugal.
Parque Natural da Arrábida coast

Tróia Peninsula

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.

In summer the beaches get very popular with local tourists.

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. Sesimbra has a couple of historic fortresses. These are the Castelo de Sesimbra perched on a hill above the town and the later Fortaleza de Santiago, now housing a museum.

Also worth a visit are the area's substantial Roman remains. The Acala island ruins were once the largest fish salting center in the Roman Empire and were in use until the 6th century. They are open from October to March, Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am - 1 pm and from 2.30 pm to 6 pm. The rest of the year they are open for guided tours by an archaeologist only in June and September on Saturdays at 3 pm and July and August on Wednesdays and Fridays at 10.30 am.

Boat trips are a popular excursion with trips up the River Sado in traditional vessels used to transport salt or watching the bottle-nosed dolphins 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.

Igreja de Jesus, Setubal, Portugal.
Igreja de Jesus undergoing restoration, Setubal, Portugal
The ferry port area.
Porto de Setubal

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.

There is also a turismo, the Ponto de Informação Turística Municipal do Catamarã, just outside the Porto de Setubal building on Rua Teotónio Banha (tel. 917 430 310).

Station sign on the platform.
Setúbal Station platform, Portugal

Getting to Setúbal

Bus Travel in Portugal

There are frequent bus services to Lisbon (Sete Rios) as well as to Évora (95 minutes) and Faro (4 hours for the quickest buses).

Buses to Setubal also run from Cacilhas and Palmela. From Sete Rios Bus Station Rede Expressos buses to Setubal take 45 minutes and cost 6 Euros. There are buses from 7.30 am to 8.30 pm.

Transportes Sul de Tejo (TST) buses run from outside the main station. These are the 413 to Freeport, the 561 to Campolide and Praça de Espanha in Lisbon, the 562 to Gare do Oriente, the 563 to Praça de Espanha and Gare do Oriente, the 605 to Palmela, the 609 to Vale Ana Gomes, the 614 to Alto da Guerra, the 767 to Azeitão and the 768 to Palmela and Azeitão. The wine-producing town of Palmela, 10 km north, is worth visiting for Palmela Castle.

The town has two main hubs for local and long-distance buses. These are the main bus station (Terminal Rodoviário TST) near Praça do Quebedo Station and Setúbal Station on both the Fertagus line from Roma-Areeiro and Entrecampos and the Sado Line (Linha de Sado) to Barreiro. Transportes Sul de Tejo (TST) buses run from both places. Read more about buses in Setúbal.

Train Travel in Portugal

There are daily trains to Setúbal Station from Entrecampos Station in Lisbon. The private commuter rail network Fertagus connects Lisbon (Entrecampos, Sete Rios & Campolide) with Setúbal over the River Tagus on the Ponte 25 de Abril Bridge.

Car Travel in Portugal

Setúbal easily connects with Lisbon via the A12/IP1 and A1 motorways and to Faro and the Algarve via IC1 or E1/IP1.

Ferries

There are car ferries and passenger catamarans in Setubal 2.5 km across the Sado River to the Tróia Peninsula run by Atlantic Ferries. Ferries leave from Doca do Comércio in Setubal from 7.30 am to 10 pm; catamarans sail from Cais 3 in the center of Setubal from 6.20 am to 4 am.

See www.atlanticferries.pt for further details on departures and fares.

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Setubal, Portugal.
Seaside road, Setubal, Portugal

From the Airport

The nearest airport to Setubal is in Lisbon.

Portugal Hotel & Hostel Accommodation

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Estalagem Do Sado Hotel - 5 Star, banquet and conference facilities available, Rua Irene Lisboa 1/3, 2900-028 Setúbal
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There is a cluster of hotels located near Setúbal Station including the recommended four star Meliá Setúbal Hotel, the Hotel Arangues, three stars and the four star Luna Esperanca Centro Hotel.

See a listing of all available hotels in Setúbal.

Eating

Setúbal has excellent seafood restaurants - try the western end of Avenida Luísa Todi.

Drinking

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 22 degrees Centigrade and 26 degrees Centigrade.
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Map

Map of Setúbal, Portugal.
Map of Setúbal, Portugal
Museu do Trabalho Michel Giacometti.
Museu do Trabalho Michel Giacometti


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