Setubal (Portugal) is a small picturesque town located on the Atlantic coast. It is an important port in a country with a developed industry. However, every year thousands of tourists come here to admire nature, taste exotic fish and seafood, and get acquainted with the rich cultural and historical heritage of Setubal.
General information
The city is the center of the municipality of Setubal, where 122.5 thousand people live. Setubal is located on the peninsula of the same name, at the mouth of the Sadu River and covers an area of 170.5 square kilometers.
Historical background
The ancient Romans were the first to settle on the territory of the modern city of Portugal, and the ruined military camp and salt factory remind us of their stay in Setubal. During the heyday of the Roman Empire, salt was used as currency, and factories for the extraction and processing of white currency were actively built in Setubala. Here they extracted and salted various types of fish and were engaged in the production of clay products.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, Setubal fell into decline and after some time passed into the possession of the Portuguese monarch Afonso Henriques. In the 14th century, the city began to be fortified in order to protect it from pirates, and three centuries later the fortress of St. Philip was built. By this time, sea navigation was actively developing in Setubala. In 1755, an earthquake completely destroyed the settlement, but it was quickly rebuilt.
What to see in Setubala?
The city is located in an area with an amazing climate – Setubal borders the National Park and adjoins the Sadu River. Tourists are attracted by ancient, narrow streets, small houses, antique shops and picturesque, green gardens. In Setubala, architectural and historical sights — monuments of different cultures and epochs-get along harmoniously.
Interesting fact! Flocks of dolphins swim in the Garden, and you can enjoy a stunning sight in the evenings.
Cathedral of Santa Maria de Graz
It was built in the 13th century, and in the 16th century the building was reconstructed and decorated with unique tiles. There is a church on Santa Maria Street next to the Baroque Museum. From the outside, the building looks elegant and quite massive. The edges of the cathedral are reinforced with bell towers, and the entrance is decorated with a colonnade. The interiors are decorated with exclusive ceramic tiles made in the 18th century and gold carvings.
Useful information:
- Address: Largo Santa Maria;
- opening hours: from September 16 to May 31, the church is open daily from 9-00 to 20-00, from June 1 to September 15, you can visit the cathedral from 9-00 to 22-00.
Monastery of Jesus
Another significant attraction of Setubal. The building, designed in the Gothic style, attracts visitors to the city with surprisingly refined columns made of pink stone.
The temple is located in the northern part of Setubal and was built more than 500 years ago. Funds for the construction were donated by Monarch Joao II. 4 years later, the king died without waiting for the completion of construction work, but King Manuel I continued to control the construction of the church. 5 years after the construction began, nuns already lived in the church. In the main chapel of the monastery there is a tomb of the founder of the shrine – Giusta Rodriguez Pereira.
Next to the temple is Jesus Square – this territory was given to the monastery in the 16th century by the king’s illegitimate son Georges de Lancaster. There is a cross in the center of the square.
Inside, the walls of the church are decorated with tiles depicting the life of the Virgin Mary. The monastery has a gallery with a collection of local artists from the 15th and 16th centuries.
- Address: R. Acácio Barradas 2, 2900-197 Setubal, Portugal.
- Opening hours: Tue-Sun from 9: 00 to 18: 00, break from 12: 30 to 14: 00.
Serra da Arriba National Park
One of the most picturesque sights of Setubal (Portugal), which locals and tourists call the pearl of the city. A huge park area (11 thousand hectares of land + 5 thousand hectares of sea) is located at a distance of 40 km from the capital of Portugal between Setubal and Sesimbra.
Interesting fact! Arriba in translation is a holy place for the ascension of prayer.
The park is notable, first of all, for the amazing Mediterranean vegetation that adorns the hills, the proximity of the ocean and the bright sun. It is also a place with a wide variety of fauna: about 650 identified invertebrates, namely 106 spiders, 445 beetles, 61 butterflies, 37 ants. Arrabida-an area with a small number of trees and an open sea wind is not very rich for nesting birds, but it becomes especially important in late summer, during migration.
From the highest point, you can enjoy a magnificent panoramic view of the flat surface and the Atlantic Ocean. In the southern part of the hill, a monastery was built in the 16th century, and today there is a branch of the Oceanography Museum.
The main place where all tourists strive to get is the bay of Portinho da Arrabida. People come here to relax on the beach, go diving. There are other beaches on the territory of the natural attraction.
Useful tip! On the beach, you can rent a boat and take a trip along the coast.
Along the coastline there are cafes and restaurants where you can eat delicious food, as well as picnic areas.
Mercado do Livramento Market
Make sure to set aside time to visit this market. You can find it near the Luis Todi Square. This is a surprisingly atmospheric place where you can buy fresh vegetables, fruits, pastries and, of course, fish and seafood.
The market area is divided into themed shopping malls, each of which is marked with a corresponding sculpture. You didn’t even know about most of the fish species represented in this place of trade.
Special attention should be paid to the traditional Portuguese tile — it is more than two hundred years old.
Useful to know:
- it is better to come to the market in the morning, when there are most products on the shelves;
- there is a clean toilet on site;
- Mercado do Livramento is closed on Mondays and is open from 7 to 14 on other days;
- There is also a coffee shop and cafe on site.
Louis Thodey Central Avenue
A wide, well-groomed avenue, surrounded by greenery. Its pedestrian part is bordered on both sides by roads. Walking is best done in the evening, but if you can stand the heat well, you can take a walk during the day, sit in the shade of trees, eat in a restaurant or cafe, look into shops, admire sculptures. The avenue is more like a park area than an ordinary city street. Paid parking is available near the avenue.
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St. Philip’s Castle
The attraction is located on a hill, in the upper part of Setubal. Construction work began in the late 16th century, when the country was ruled by monarch Philip I. The fortress has an unusual architecture-the shape of a five-pointed star. It was believed that this form would most effectively protect the settlement from attack by enemies and pirates.
Inside, the castle walls are decorated with tiles from the 18th century, painted by a famous Portuguese master. After the disaster of 1755, the fortress was restored and included in the list of national monuments of the country. Today, a hotel is located on its territory. Travelers note that the attraction is worth visiting at least for the sake of the view of Setubal.
Opening hours: Tue-Thu and Sun – from 10 to 18, Fri and Sat – from 10 to 20, Monday-closed.
How to get to Setubal from Lisbon
The main airport of the country is located in Lisbon, so most tourists go to Setubal from the capital. There are several ways to get to Setubal.
By bus
Buses depart from Lisboa Sete Rios Station. The journey takes about 45 minutes. The ticket price is 6 euros. Flights run approximately 1 hour apart, with the first flight at 7-30 and the last at 19-30. Setubal is served by Rede Expressos buses. You can buy tickets and view the current schedule on the website www.rede-expressos.pt.
By train
Departure point-Sete-Rios station. The journey takes about 55 minutes. Tickets cost from 3 to 5 euros. Departure frequency – every hour, starting from 5: 49 am. Comfortable Fertagus double-decker trains run to Setubal. you can buy tickets online at www.fertagus.pt/en.
By ferry
The ferry is a great way to get around if you are planning a sightseeing tour to Setabul and live in the capital. Lisbon has three berths for ferries, but towards Setubal transport runs only from the pier Terreiro do Paço (Terreiro do Paso) or Praça do Comércio (Praça do Comercio).
The journey time is about an hour, the ticket price is from 3 to 6 euros. Ferries depart from the marina every 20 minutes to go to Barreiro, where you need to change to the train that goes to Setubala. Trains depart every quarter of an hour, and the journey takes about 30 minutes.
Taxi
The most comfortable, but not the cheapest way to get from the capital to Setubal is to book a transfer. In this case, you will be met directly at the airport building or arrive at the hotel. The cost of the trip will cost 30-40 euros.
By car
The trip by car will take about 35 minutes, you will have to drive a little more than 49.5 km. The cost of the trip is from 6 to 10 euros.
Weather and climate
The warm Atlantic current forms the weather of Setubal. It has a warm, comfortable climate.
In winter, the average daytime temperature is +10°C, and in summer it varies from +25 to +33 °C. The rainiest weather is observed in spring and autumn. The rainiest period is from May to September. During this period, the weather is most favorable for visiting Setubala – the heat is almost not felt, as a refreshing breeze blows from the ocean.
As for the water temperature, it is quite low, only +17 °C, the Antarctic Ocean off the western coast of Portugal is noticeably colder than in the Mediterranean Sea.
Interesting facts
- According to USA Today, the Portuguese Mercado do Livramento was included in the list of the best markets in the world in 2015. It is always clean, smells of fresh food, and prices are much lower than in supermarkets.
- The city has its own official website: https://visitsetubal.com.
- Setubal is often called the most” delicious ” city in Portugal.
Setubal (Portugal) will not leave anyone indifferent. It is enough to walk its streets to feel the centuries-old history. Ancient buildings and modern buildings, perfectly smooth sidewalks and old paving stones, stylish hotels and old factories are peacefully coexisting here. Be sure to visit the restaurants and cafes of Setubal, try national dishes and fine wines of Portugal.
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