Things To Do in Setubal
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Setubal Attractions
Peninsula de Tróia
Tróia is a long, sandy peninsula across the Sado River estuary. It's accessible by ferry from Setúbal. The pine-studded strip of land is the site of one of Portugal's largest tourist enterprises: the Tróia Tourist Complex, 7570-789 Carvallal, Grândola (tel. 26/549-90-00), with high-rise apartment-hotels and a par-72, 6,374m (20,907 ft.), 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones. Other sporting facilities include seawater swimming pools, watersports facilities, playgrounds for children, and about a dozen tennis courts. You can rent bicycles to tour the island or go horseback riding. Additionally, the beaches are some of the best south of Lisbon, and the waters are unpolluted.
You can rent an apartment on the island if you'd like a seaside holiday. Further information is available from Sonae Turismo SGPS, S.A., Rua do Viriato 13, 1060 Lisboa (tel. 21/011-91-00; www.sonaeturismo.com).
Cetóbriga, on the peninsula, contains ruins of a thriving Roman port. Excavations began in the mid-19th century. The city, dating from the 3rd and 4th centuries, was destroyed by the ocean, but traces of villas, bathing pools, a fresco-decorated temple, and a place for salt preservation of fish have been unearthed. Cetóbriga's ruins are about 2.5km (1 1/2 miles) from the site of the present tourist development of Tróia but are worth seeing only if you have time. Otherwise, the simple foundations of long-gone buildings are too minor to merit a special visit.
To reach Tróia from Setúbal, buy a ticket from Transado, Doca do Comércio (tel. 26/549-40-35), off Avenida Luisa Todi at the eastern sector of the waterfront. At least 36 ferries run throughout the day. The trip takes 15 minutes and costs 1.05€ for adults and children. Taking a car costs 7€ each way. For information, call tel. 26/523-51-01.
- Religious Site
Convento de Jesús
This church is a late-15th-century example of the Manueline style of architecture. Of particular interest are the main chapel, the ornate decorations on the principal doorway, and the Arrábida marble columns. Hans Christian Andersen called the monument "one of the most beautiful… - Museum
Museu da Setúbal
Adjoining the Igreja de Jesús, this unpretentious town museum houses some early-16th-century Portuguese paintings, as well as Spanish and Flemish works and contemporary art. The museum is also rich in antique azulejos (hand-painted tiles) and has a large antique coin collection, plus…
Setubal Shopping
Setúbal offers enough outlets for local handicrafts to keep any devoted shopper busy for at least a full afternoon.
Fortuna (tel. 21/287-10-68), a ceramics factory and technical school, dominates the hamlet of Quinta do Anjo, 6.5km (4 miles) northeast of Setúbal. To reach it, follow signs to Palmela. São Simão Arte (tel. 21/218-31-35), a leading competitor, manufactures ceramics that are glazed and painted fancifully with renditions of flowers, vines, and woodland animals, some of them mythical. The store is the focal point of the hamlet of Azeitão, 15km (9 1/3 miles) northwest of Setúbal. Both offer factory tours and ample shopping opportunities.
Setubal Nightlife
The densest concentration of nightlife options lies near the western terminus of Avenida Luisa Todi, the road leading west to a string of beaches. The most intriguing is Scandall, Avenida Luisa Todi (no phone). A series of rooms with elaborately vaulted ceilings (which long ago sheltered a convent) offer several bars and musical atmospheres. Although most of the place seems designed for talking and drinking, one room functions as a dance club. It's open daily from 11pm until dawn.
Another rich concentration of nightlife options is in the seafront village of Albarquel, less than 2km (about 1 1/4 miles) west of Setúbal. Try the late-night eatery Restaurant All-Barquel, Praia de Albarquel (tel. 26/522-19-46), which caters to night owls of all ages.
