🇵🇹 Setubal and Troy: hidden gems of Portugal

Just 50 km from Lisbon there is, in my opinion, an underrated  pearl by tourists – the city of Setubal. I love this place for its cute historical center, restaurants with the freshest seafood, atmospheric market and Troy – a peninsula with magnificent sandy beaches.

And although Setubal has a rather provincial face, partly even industrial, this port city has its own special charm. There are a lot of shabby, dilapidated houses here, but order and celebration reign all year round in the historical heart. And what are the local landscapes worth: the hilly landscape and the Sado River flowing into the ocean! I'm sure you'll like it here. 

A. Castle of St. Philip (Forte de São Filipe)

The best point to appreciate the scale of Setúbal: by Gali port standards, it is a fairly large city – about 100 thousand inhabitants. Climbing onto the terraces of the castle, you can see the urban development, the riverbed with the port, the hilly valley of nature reserves – this view fascinated me.

As for the fortress itself, it was built in the 16th century by order of the Portuguese monarch Philip II. The castle is located so that ships sailing to Setúbal can be seen many miles away – this served as protection from pirate attacks. The fort is a five-pointed star. The interiors of the castle are decorated with tiles from the 18th century. Entrance to the fortification is free. On the territory of the fortress there is now a hotel with a restaurant.

B. Temple of Jesus (Igreja de Jesus)

The most beautiful and oldest surviving building in Setubal. The temple is made in the Portuguese analogue of the Gothic style – Manueline, and is decorated with columns made of pink stone. The Church of Jesus was built in the 15th century. It was part of a nunnery. The monastery itself did not survive; the cause of destruction was the notorious earthquake of 1755.

C. Bocage Square

As you approach Setubal's main square, named after the famous Portuguese poet, don't miss the big black cat. A huge beast watches tourists from the roof of the tourist information center.

The city hall is located in a purple building with an arched terrace. You can look inside – on the ground floor there is a small museum telling about the riches of the region: fish, meat, wine and more.

In my opinion, Bocazhi Square is the most beautiful in the city: colorful old mansions, paved sidewalks, palm trees, a fountain and the Church of St. Julian (Igreja de São Julião). Setubal fishermen, by the way, sponsored the construction of a temple in this place back in the 13th century. The cathedral has undergone many reconstruction changes. The church acquired its current appearance in the 18th century.

Enjoy the view of the square by ordering a glass of Moscatel de Setúbal, a sweet fortified Muscat wine, from one of the local cafes.

D. Square Dr. Francisco Soveral 

And now I suggest you look deep into the historical heart of Setubal, walk along the narrow streets with old houses, where there are numerous shops and restaurants. Please note that when the shutters of retail outlets are lowered, bright graffiti appears on them – this makes the streets even more interesting. 

Once you find yourself in the tiny square dedicated to Doctor Soveral, you will immediately notice a curvaceous bronze woman. Portuguese sculptor João Duarte created a whole series of lovely ladies for Setúbal. In this public garden there is a woman with a chair – a favorite photo spot for tourists. Through the arch is a traveler with a suitcase. Behind her, in the park near Avenida Luisa Todi, is a lady on a bicycle.

E. Mercy Square (Largo da Misericórdia)

And in this spot, on a bench by the fountain, you will see the fourth sculpture – a dreamy lady. The monument is called “Sweet Life”. 

Near the square there is Friar Gaspar Street (Travessa de Frei Gaspar). There, in house number 10, there is a tourist center. Enter it and pay attention to the floor – it contains hidden excavations of an ancient Roman fish-salting factory. I left an additional mark on the map.

F. Church of Santa Maria da Graça

The temple stood on this site back in the 13th century. But the current elegant and rather modest appearance of the church dates back to the 16th century. The interior decoration is much more luxurious: hand-painted ceramic tiles from the 18th century, elaborate gold carvings. The Church of St. Mary is the main – cathedral – church of Setúbal.

G. Viewpoint of São Domingos (Miradouro de São Domingos)

What is interesting here is not so much the view, although it is really good, but the gazebo itself, richly decorated with ceramic tiles. A quiet and beautiful place where you can drink coffee and have a snack – there is a restaurant near the pergola.

Then turn onto Fantasia Street (R. da Fantazia) and from there immediately go right down the steps – this will lead you to the port. 

H. Port of Setúbal

The port itself is boring, but its embankment is worth your attention. Firstly, there is a pier there, from where bright lime ferries depart. For 9 euros they can take you to the Troia Peninsula (free return). Secondly, tickets are sold here for one of the popular activities in Setubal – dolphin watching. The ticket will cost 40 euros. Dolphins love to swim from the ocean to the mouth of the Sado River in the evenings to feast on fish. True, no one can guarantee that you will definitely see them.

Walking along the embankment and looking at the fishing boats, you will come to a composition of colored dolphins. Near it you will see many restaurants. Freshly caught fish and seafood are prepared here. Be sure to try fried cuttlefish (Choco Frito), a local delicacy.

I. Monument to Fried Cuttlefish (Estátua do Choco Frito)

And then take a photo with the cuttlefish running away from the frying pan. On the wall nearby are depicted other gifts of the local waters. 

By the way, if you go further along the embankment, you will see two more sculptures – one dedicated to fishermen, and the second to sailors. Behind them will be the city beach (Praia da Saúde), I marked it on the map.

Livramento Market

Please note that the market is only open until lunchtime. Plan a visit here before walking around the city or the next morning. I'm not a fan of markets, but I liked the Setubal market. 

There is an amazing atmosphere and exceptional order: the territory is divided into zones, each of which is indicated by a thematic sculpture. Trading counters with all sorts of sundries, fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood are located against the backdrop of a huge azulejo – this panel is more than two hundred years old.

Somewhere in the center of the market splendor, closer to the fish departments, find a place with oysters. They are grown nearby – on the Sado River. Fresh and incredibly tasty! You can try shellfish without leaving the cash register, complementing your meal with a glass of wine – the perfect start to the day!

Troy Peninsula

You can get to this heavenly place by water bus, which in Setúbal is called a catamaran. For those who want to be transported to the peninsula with a bicycle or their own car, there is a separate pier. For hikers – the one right next to the port building. Travel time is 20 minutes. Ships operate almost 24 hours a day.

Troy separates the river from the ocean. The long beach sand spit is located on the Atlantic side. The water, according to the classics, is cold, but if you take a running start, you can take a plunge. That's exactly what I did. 

It’s a little wild and empty to call the beaches of Troy fashionable, but that’s exactly what the Portuguese say about them. On the plus side: in such a large area you won’t have to lie shoulder to shoulder with other vacationers. Of the minuses: there are few areas with sun loungers and the umbrellas on them are small. This is a problem for me – I don’t like to bake in the sun.

Therefore, I spent a significant part of my time in the restaurant. But don't count on there being many of them here. The beach and its territory are a protected area that cannot be developed. 

Be sure to look deep into the peninsula! There you can already feel a good level: a lot of green areas, sports grounds, cool hotels with swimming pools, street food and a scattering of restaurants, grocery stores and boutiques, concerts and open-air cinema.

The Troy Peninsula is connected to the mainland. If you go here with a car, you can then continue on land – towards Sines and the incredibly picturesque beaches of the Alentejo region. I talked about them in a separate article.