Setúbal

Setúbal is a city in Estremadura, Portugal, on the northern bank of the Sado River estuary. The city is connected with the nearby Arrábida hills natural park, which offers an unspoiled nature and beautiful beaches on the Atlantic Ocean. A dolphin colony inhabits the Sado River. Across the river on the south bank lies the peninsula of Tróia, a place with vast white/golden sand beaches where several luxury hotels and resorts have been built. The Tróia peninsula can be sighted from the city, across the river. Albarquel, Figueirinha, Galápos, Galapinhos, Creiro and Portinho da Arrábida are some of the city's many beaches, located in the north bank of the estuary, at the very beginning of the Arrábida hills.

Understand

Setúbal (s(ih)-TOO-bahl, /sɨ.ˈtu.baɫ/) is a coastal town, known for its fishing activities, traditions and industrial area. It's the capital of the Setúbal district. You might also want to check out Serra da Arrábida, for the nature part of Setúbal.

Setúbal is notable for the industries of pulp, paper, cement, fertilizers, pesticides, other phytopharmaceutical products, thermal power, shipbuilding and ship repair. There is a lot of automobile assembling industr. The Port of Setúbal was the 4th busiest port in Portugal in 2012, with 7.4% of the cargo throughput in the country.

Visitor information

Get in

By plane

The nearest airport is Humberto Delgado Airport (IATA: LIS) in Lisbon.

By train

You can access Setúbal by trains from Lisbon, and most towns in the surrounding area. You also have lots of trains from anywhere to Lisbon, if there is not a direct train to Setúbal, you might want to consider getting one to Lisbon, and then to Setúbal. Also, if you are already downtown in the vicinity of Praça de Comércio, you don't have to backtrack to any of the rail stations, but can instead take a ferry from Terreiro do Paço terminal to Barreiro across the river and pick up a train from there; it's a different branch than the Lisbon-Setúbal line, and the combined travel time would be about the same.

  • 🌍 Setubal Railway Station (Estação Ferroviária de Setúbal), Estrada dos Ciprestes - Edificio REFER. Setúbal central station where the Fertagus and CP- Comboios de Portugal train companies operate. (updated Jul 2021)
  • 🌍 Praça do Quebedo station, Largo da Estação Ferroviária, Praça do Quebedo. (updated Jul 2021)
  • 🌍 Apeadeiro de Praias do Sado-A, Rua Principal das Praias do Sado. CP Services: Lisbon Urban Trains; Lines: Sado Line. (updated Jul 2021)

By car

It shouldn't be a problem to find your way, Setúbal is a major town in the area, so, if you are around, you will have signs to point out your way. It is approximately 48 km (30 miles) south of Lisbon.

By bus

There are buses that serve from Lisbon to Setúbal every day and almost every hour a day, if you're in the capital it won't be a problem. There are also buses that serve the surrounding area towns.

By boat

The Tróia is a peninsula near Setúbal, and that is probably the only way to commercially reach Setúbal by boat.

  • 🌍 Ferry Tróia (Atlantic Ferries), ☏ +351 265 235 101, . The ferry terminals are located at Doca das Fontainhas, in Setúbal and Cais Sul in Troia (next to the Soltroia urbanization). Average Ferry time travel: 25 minutes.
    The Catamaran terminals are located in Cais 3, in Setúbal and next to the Marina of Troia. Average Catamaran time travel: 15 minutes.     (updated Mar 2019)
  • 🌍 Taxi Boat, ☏ +351 913 292 058, . Taxi-boat service to Tróia as well as to the beaches of Setúbal. (updated Jul 2021)

Get around

On foot

The historic center of Setúbal, as well as the adjacent Avenida Luisa Todi, are flat and great to walk around, and where you can find a number of attractions, including the Livramento Market, the Convento de Jesus and the Setúbal Museum, on your way. If you can, stop for a meal at one of the many restaurants there.

By car

It is mandatory to take a tour, by car, motorbike or tuk-tuk, through Serra da Arrábida. Start at the end of Avenida Luisa Todi and walk through the Arrábida Natural Park where you will pass by fantastic beaches and stop at the viewpoints with a magnificent view over the Bay, considered one of the most beautiful bays in the world.

By bus

Buses serve the whole town and are generally OK on schedules and quality.

By Tuk Tuk

By scooters
  • 🌍 Trotinetes elétricas Bolt (Bolt Electric Scooters). The parks are located on Avenida Luísa Todi, in the east and west, in the Parque Urbano de Albarquel, in the squares of Bocage and do Brasil, in the ferry dock, in the Convento de Jesus and in Avenida Rodrigues Manito. (updated Jul 2021)

See


Stroll through downtown Setúbal on foot and discover the best of the city. Just ask how you can get to Avenida Luísa Todi, and the rest will work out just fine. You can see some of the nicer monuments, architecture and daily life there. Also, at the end of the venue you will enter Arrábida. And anywhere to the sides is filled with shops and typical streets with humble tascas (small coffee shops) where some of the best seafood in the country is served at cheap prices.

  • 🌍 Livramento Market (Mercado do Livramento), Avenida Luisa Todi 173, 2900-462. (updated Mar 2019)
  • 🌍 Castle of S. Filipe (Castelo de São Filipe), Estrada do Castelo de São Filipe, 2900-300. 16th century castle on the north bank of the Sado river, overlooking the city, classified as a National Monument of Portugal. (updated Mar 2019)
  • 🌍 Moinho de Maré da Mourisca (Mourisca Tidemill), Herdade da Mourisca. Tu-Su 09:30-19:30, M closed.. The Mourisca Tidemill, located in Sado Estuary Nature Reserve, is one of four known tidal mills in the Sado Estuary, and is in a prime location for birdwatching. (updated Mar 2019)
  • 🌍 7ª Bataria do Outão - Coastal Battery, N379-1. Abandoned Coastal Battery overlooking the entry into Setubal's harbor and the sandy coast southwards. Amazing views and ghostly buildings. Free. (updated Jul 2021)
  • 🌍 Igreja do Convento de Jesus (Monastery of Jesus of Setúbal), Largo de Jesus. National monument. free. (updated Jul 2021)
  • 🌍 Interpretation Center of the Common Bottlenose Dolphin of Sado Estuary (CIRES), Avenida Luísa Todi 470. M-Su 09:30-20:00. This interpretation center has an exhibition on the Sado Estuary Common Bottlenose Dolphin colony, the only one in a Portuguese estuary and one of only three communities of these mammals residing in the European maritime space. Free. (updated Jul 2021)
  • 🌍 Arrábida Nature Park. (updated Jul 2021)
  • 🌍 Palácio e Quinta da Bacalhoa, Estrada Nacional 10, ☏ +351 916 485 206. The visit to the Palácio da Bacalhôa is carried out on a guided tour, with an average duration of 1h30; Guided tours: 10:00 and 15:00 (other times on request). Price: €8. (updated Aug 2021)
  • 🌍 Estação Arqueológica do Creiro (Roman ruins of Creiro). (updated Aug 2021)
  • 🌍 Miradouro do Portinho da Arrábida, Estrada Nacional 379-1. Free. (updated Aug 2021)

Do


You might want to go to Arrábida to enjoy nature at its best in the Setúbal area, but be careful, it's really not that hard to get lost there. Also, in Avenida Luisa Todi, and if want to experience the typical morning for many people, you can go to the fish market and see things around. Theatre Luisa Todi, if you are a theatre fan; shows will be in Portuguese, though.

You can also go for a walk in Albarquel Urban Park, near the Luisa Todi avenue.

  • Watch football at Vitória FC. In 2020 they fell foul of registration requirements and were double-relegated to Campeonato de Portugal, the third tier of soccer in the country. Their home ground Estádio do Bonfim (capacity 15,000) is next to the park.

Dolphin watching tour

Visit Wine Cellars

Beaches
  • 🌍 Galapinhos Beach (Praia de Galapinhos), Rua Círio da Arrábida, ☏ +351 265 545 010. Galapinhos beach, in the Arrábida Nature Park, in Setúbal, was considered the most beautiful beach in Europe in 2017 by European Best Destinations. Travelers from all over the world decided it was "the most beautiful beach in Europe, the perfect beach in unspoiled nature". Free. (updated Jul 2021)
  • 🌍 Figueirinha Beach (Praia da Figueirinha), Rua Orlando Curto, ☏ +351 265 545 010. Beach in Serra da Arrábida. Free. (updated Jul 2021)
  • 🌍 Albarquel Beach (Praia de Albarquel), Estrada da Rasca, ☏ +351 265 545 010. Beach in Serra da Arrábida. Free. (updated Jul 2021)
  • 🌍 Galápos Beach (Praia de Galápos), Rua Círio da Arrábida, ☏ +351 265 545 010. Beach in Serra da Arrábida. Free. (updated Jul 2021)
  • 🌍 Creiro Beach (Praia do Creiro), Rua Círio da Arrábida, ☏ +351 265 545 010. Beach in Serra da Arrábida. Free. (updated Jul 2021)
  • 🌍 Coelhos Beach (Praia dos Coelhos), Rua Círio da Arrábida, ☏ +351 265 545 010. Beach in Serra da Arrábida. Free. (updated Jul 2021)
  • 🌍 Saúde Beach (Praia da Saúde), Avenida José Mourinho, ☏ +351 265 545 010. Urban beach in Setúbal. Free. (updated Jul 2021)

Walking tours
  • 🌍 Parque Urbano de Albarquel (Albarquel Urban Park), Avenida José Mourinho, ☏ +351 265 545 010. Open 24 hours a day. At the foot of the Arrábida mountain range and next to the Sado river, this green space, with about four hectares, offers a fantastic view over the Sado river estuary and the Tróia peninsula. Ideal place for the practice of sports, where cycling is allowed, it houses the Municipal Center of Marcha e Corrida de Setúbal (Setúbal walking and running center). This park, in addition to a viewpoint, also has a children's playground, restaurant, café-bar with a terrace and an exhibition gallery. Free. (updated Aug 2021)

Speleology

Tourist caves and dissemination of speleological heritage in Setúbal

  • 🌍 Lapa de Santa Margarida (St. Margaret's Grotto). (updated Aug 2021)
  • 🌍 Gruta da Figueira Brava (Figueira Brava Cave). The Gruta da Figueira Brava is an obligatory stop for those who do not suffer from claustrophobia, as it was there that traces of the Neanderthal Man were found. (updated Aug 2021)

Learn

There are several schools in Setúbal, and a polytechnic institute that is becoming nationally famous for its quality. It offers courses on the most varied areas ranging from Sports to Business Administration, Nursing or Mechanical Engineering.

Buy

There are many shops spread around the city, as normal. In the Luisa Todi area you will find many small shops and bigger clothing shops mostly. And there is the Shopping Center Alegro Setúbal, for your bigger needs.

Regional products

Eat

There are many typical restaurants where you can eat good grilled fish and typical food. There's also a good deal of fast-food shops and pizza places. You can also find Indian and Japanese food.

Budget

Mid-range

Drink

There's a nice selection of bars in downtown Setúbal.

Sleep

Most hotels and accommodation you can find are probably downtown (once again, Luisa Todi Avenue) and there is also a hotel near the Bonfim, which is near the bus station.

Budget

Mid-range

Splurge

Stay safe

Setúbal is considered a generally safe area but it has some of the major problematic neighbourhoods in the country.

There are some parts of the city you might want to avoid, but the shabbiness will warn you of that. By day even in those parts you shouldn't have any problems, but be cautious. Take the usual precautions, mostly at night, in downtown Setúbal, but usually you won't have a problem. Avoid being alone but if you find yourself in that situation, just walk in very well lit places and with many people around or call/grab a taxi to take you to your destination.

Go next
Routes through Setúbal
Lisbon ← Almada ←  NW  SE  → Alcácer do Sal → Faro


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