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Last Updated: Jan 21st, 2009 - 22:25:00 |
You may have heard of the VW AutoEuropa outside Setúbal, Portugal, the home of the new Volkswagen Scirocco. However, Setúbal has a lot to be proud of beyond cars. It is birthplace of the famous Chelsea soccer coach José Mourinho, the devilish Portuguese poet Manuel Maria Barbosa du Bocage, and singer Luisa Todi. Setúbal is the birthplace to Portugal's famous Manueline style, named after King Manuel I (1495 to 1521), and the city was also once the top producer of salt in Europe.
Setúbal is located on the northern bank of the Sado river estuary, about 26 miles south of Portugal's capital, of Lisbon. A colony of dolphins now lives in the Sado River, making nature and the wilderness even closer.
On arrival in Setúbal, one can't help but notice the wealth of the city's Roman remains. On the Travessa de Frei Gaspar ancient roman water tanks for the fish processing industry were used throughout the 1st to 5th centuries to make a favorite Roman food item called garum, a fish paste that was considered delicious.
Looming above the city is the Fortaleza de São Filipe (Fort of St. Philip). It now hosts tourists rather than cannons as a modern Pousada hotel. The 16th century fort was constructed to defend the port from passing marauders, and it enjoys a privileged position at the mouth of the River Sado. It is the work of the Italian architect Filipe Terzio and was built at the orders of King Filipe II to protect the entrance to the Sado estuary.
In the Largo de Jesus, we find the city's most striking monument, the Convent and Church of Jesus (15th century). The Igreja de Jesus is a remarkable Gothic church with interior columns carved in Arrábida pink stone from a nearby quarry. The architect Diogo Boitac designed this early example of the Manueline style in 1494. If you peek inside the late 15th century church, you will discover that this is first building in Portugal’s late Gothic architectural style known as Manueline. The church evokes famed voyages of Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral with its ornamentation. Turn up around lunchtime and succumb to the temptations of the grilled fish at the restaurants along the river. Only the freshest fish will be found since the city still boasts a good-sized fishing fleet. This is no great surprise since the city is the third largest port in Portugal, and it is well sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean.
The 16th Century Cathedral Santa Maria da Graça opens a window on beautiful azulejo tiles from the 18th Century. Museu de Setúbal can be found in the Mosterio de Jesus with a wealth of religious relics and paintings. Part of the collection is dedicated to a local poet, the 18th Century Portuguese poet named Bocage.
The nearby Museu de Arqueológia e Etnográfia has an interesting collection of items discovered in the immediate region, from Bronze Age from pots to items used to process cork. Although Setúbal had fallen on hard times, it has now risen to a new golden era.
A century ago, Setúbal was an important center for Portugal's fishing industry, sardines in particular. However it is hard to find good sardines today because the factories are all gone. At the same time, Setúbal was once acclaimed for its pink salt but that industry dried up as well. With its industrial and fishing industries in decline, tourism became more important, and with the white cliffs of the coast of Arrábida Natural Park nearby, the city has access to some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe.
To the southwest of Setúbal is the Reserva Natural do Estuário do Sado, a nature reserve park of vast stretches of mud flats, lagoons, and pine tree forests. To the west of the town is the quaint Portinho da Arrábida, a large cove with a south-facing beach protected from the north winds by a high slope. Halfway up this slope is a solitary 16th Century Franciscan Monastery that enjoys one of the most restful views in Europe. Restored by the Fundação Oriente it is now used as a Study Center. Nearby there is a small 17th Century Fort that houses a small Sea and Marine Biology Centre.
Just outside Lisbon, rising up from the seashore, Arrábida Park presides over a striking coastal landscape. Its highest point is at Serra do Risco, a magnificent 380-meter high cliff. Guided walks or mountain biking are just two of the ways to explore this rare example of an unsullied Mediterranean landscape and vegetation. The "Circuito das Serras" jeep-tour is the swiftest way of getting to the Park's highest points, or you might try the "Circuito dos Arrozais" tour that takes in part of the Sado River estuary.
If you continue towards Palmela, you will find the Maria I fountain that points the way to the Castle built on an abutment jutting out from the Serra da Arrábida. Donated by Afonso Henriques to the Military Order of Santiago de Espada, and recently restored, the view from its walls is truly magnificent. Inside, there is the tiled Convent and the Church of Santiago.
On the old road to the Algarve is the town of Alcácer do Sal that was once the capital of the now extinct province of Al-Cassr. It was regained from the Moors in the 12th Century by the Christian forces. The castle and the Convento de Santo António was built in the 16th Century, but was destroyed in 1755 by an earthquake. The castle has been restored into a comfortable Pousada enjoyed by overnight visitors to the region.
Immediately to the north of Setúbal is the proud town of Palmela with its high castle walls sitting on the crown of the hill. In the 12th Century, Dom Afonso Henrigues gave this town to the Order of Santiago for their headquarters. The Igreja do Convento de Sant'Iago, which was originally built in the 15th Century, suffered considerably from the destructive 1755 earthquake, but it has recently been restored. Part of it was made into a Pousada, and from its high vantage point, the view from the walls stretch back to Lisbon and far into the Alentejo.
Although it is confusing, there are two "Azeitão". One is the small village of Azeitão to the northwest, which is home to the Quinta do Bacalhau and the Quinta das Torres, both 16th Century towns are full of charm and history. The first is famous for its wine and the second for its hospitality as a country inn.
The second is the Vila Fresca de Azeitão, a town surrounded by large country estates. Here you will find the church of São Simao (St Simon) that features a fine 16th century example of Nossa Senhora da Saude (Our Lady of Health). In the nearby Quinta das Torres, there is now a country hotel (and an excellent choice for somewhere to spend the night) located in the 16th century mansion, Be sure to take a walk through the gardens that are particularly beautiful. At teatime try the divine tortas de Azeitão with a cool glass of fruity muscatel wine, tasting as sweet as love itself.
A visit should also be paid to admire palace at the Quinta da Bacalhoa (Palace of Bacalhoa Farm), which dates from the final quarter of the 15th century and is one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture in Portugal.
Take a walk in the hills, underwater snorkeling, sea fishing or try the produce of these waters and a fresh grilled fish or some shellfish. You can also put on a pair of sturdy walking boots, pack your lunch, and discover some of the hidden gems in the hills as they swoop down to the Atlantic. Discover the Capuchin monastery in the middle of the forest. In Setúbal marina, take a trip on a traditional salt galleon in the Sado estuary or along the Arrábida coastline.
At the Sado Estuary Nature Reserve you may catch a glimpse of a pod of dolphins, or you may see them in the river that can be seen from the Setubal castle, oblivious to everything else around them. Who can blame them for choosing the fabulous deep blue swimming-pool of the Sado Estuary as the setting for their own jumping and diving competitions.
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Keywords: Setúbal, Portugal, fort, estuary, church, Largo de Jesus, Manueline style, Museu de Arqueológia e Etnográfia, sardines, estuary, dolphins, ClassBrain, country reports, countries, Sado, Arrábida
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