Setúbal is a city in the Lisbon Region, 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 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.
Get in
By plane
Lisbon/Portela
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.
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.
- 1 Catamaran Tróia, ☏ 351 265 235 101, ✉[email protected]. Atlantic Ferries.
Get around
Buses serve the whole town and are generally OK on schedules and quality.
- 2 Zé da Mota Tuk Tuk Tours, Avenida Luísa Todi 279, 2900-429, ☏ 351 919 145 558, ✉[email protected].
See
The city of Setubal lacks in attractions. There isn't much to see in the city, but a lot to admire in the surrounding areas: the Castle of Palmela, the Tróia Peninsula (quite adorable beach and architecture with the new luxury resorts), Serra da Arrábida (combining mountain areas, picnic spaces and the beach), the beautiful beaches and traditional fishing places in Sesimbra, the ancient but modern big cities of Almada and Seixal (closer to Lisbon) overlooking the Tejo (Tagus river), are all quite nice & lovely.
Downtown Setúbal is probably the place to go if you want to see the best parts 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.
- 1 Livramento Market (Mercado do Livramento), Avenida Luisa Todi 173, 2900-462.
- 2 Castle of S. Filipe (Castelo de São Filipe), Estrada do Castelo de São Filipe, 2900-300. A 16th- and 17th-century fortress on the north bank of the Sado river, overseeing the city. The fortress was converted into a luxury hotel.
- 3 Casa da Baía (Bay House), Avenida Luísa Todi, 468, 2900-456 Setúbal, ☏ 351 265545010.
- 4 Moinho de Maré da Mourisca.
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 Bonfim park; it's near the bus terminal, and near the Luisa Todi venue.
- 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.
- 1 Vertigem Azul (Blue Vertigo), Rua Praia da Saúde 11D, 2900-572, ☏ 351 265 238 000, ✉[email protected]. Dolphin watching
Beaches
- 2 Galapinhos Beach (Praia de Galapinhos).
- 3 Figueirinha Beach (Praia da Figueirinha).
- 4 Albarquel Beach (Praia de Albarquel).
- 5 Galápos Beach (Praia de Galápos).
- 6 Creiro Beach (Praia do Creiro).
- 7 Coelhos Beach (Praia dos Coelhos).
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.
- 1 Livramento Market (Mercado do Livramento). 07:30–14:00. Fresh food market.
- 2 Bolacha Piedade, Avenida Luisa Todi 592.
- 3 Pedaços de Mar, Rua Vasco da Gama 34, ☏ 351 265 533 019. Tu–Su 10:00–23:00, closed M.
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
- 1 Tasca Kefish, Praça Machado dos Santos nº8, 2900-178, ☏ 351 265553493, ✉[email protected].
- 2 Taberna Típica o Pescador II, Travessa Álvaro Anes 8, ☏ 351 265 533 369.
- 3 Tasca do Xico da Cana, Travessa Seixal, 10, 2900-174, ☏ 351 265 233 255.
Mid-range
- 4 490 Taberna STB, Avenida Luisa Todi 490, 2900-456, ☏ 351 934760982, ✉[email protected].
- 5 Novo 10 Restaurant, Avenida Luísa Todi 420, 2900 - 455, ☏ 351 265 525 212, ✉[email protected].
- 6 La Famiglia, Rua. do Barão do Rio Zezere 5, 2900-593, ☏ 351 937 510 969.
- 7 Adega Leo do Petisco, Rua da Cordoaria 33, 2900-333, ☏ 351 265 228 340.
- 8 Pérola da Mourisca, Rua da Baía do Sado 9, 2910-014, ☏ 351 265 793 689.
Splurge
Drink
There's a nice selection of bars in downtown Setúbal.
- 1 Bar Absurdo, Avenida José Mourinho 24, 2900-633, ☏ 351 91-9838978, ✉[email protected].
- 2 Taifa, Avenida Luisa Todi 558, 2900-456, ☏ 351 265 231 642, ✉[email protected].
- 3 Corktale - Winebar, Rua Plácido Stichini 2, 2900-558, ☏ 351 265 410 297.
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
- 1 Hotel Ibis Setúbal, Rua Cidade de Porto Seguro, 2910-831, ☏ 351 265 700 900, ✉[email protected]. 2-star hotel.
- 2 Hotel Laitau, Avenida General Daniel de Sousa, 89, 2900-345, ☏ 351 265-752672, ✉[email protected]. 2-star hotel.
- 3 Hotel Mar e Sol, Av. Luisa Todi nº 606, 2900-457, ☏ 351 265534868. 2-star hotel.
- 4 Hotel Campanile Setúbal, Rua das Caravelas, 2910-706, ☏ 351 265 752 672, ✉[email protected]. 2-star hotel.
- 5 Hotel Manteigadas (Hotel A Seleção), Rua da Manteigada nº2, 2910-241, ☏ 351 265 709 650, ✉[email protected]. 2-star hotel.
Mid-range
- 6 Solaris Hotel, Praça Marquês de Pombal, 12, 2900-562, ☏ 351 265 541 770, ✉[email protected]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. 3-star hotel.
- 7 Hotel Aranguês, Rua José Pedro da Silva, 15, 2910-575, ☏ 351 265525171, ✉[email protected]. 3-star hotel.
- 8 Hotel Novotel Setúbal, Rua Alexandre O'Neill, 2910-781, ☏ 351 265 739 370, ✉[email protected]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. 4-star hotel.
- 9 Luna Esperança Centro Hotel, Avenida Luísa Todi, 220, 2900-452, ☏ 351 265 521 780, ✉[email protected]. 4-star hotel.
- 10 Hotel do Sado Business & Nature, Rua Irene Lisboa, 1, 2900-028, ☏ 351 265542800, ✉[email protected]. Check-in: 16:00, check-out: 11:00. 4-star hotel.
Splurge
- 11 Pousada do Castelo de Palmela (Palmela Castle Inn), Avenida Cavaleiros Santiago e Espada, 2950-317 Palmela, ☏ 351 212 351 226, fax: 351 212 330 440, ✉[email protected]. This historic luxury hotel is on top of an imposing hill, and it is one of the best architectural fortresses in Portugal, specially known for its location and the views that it has to offer.
- 12 Pousada Castelo Alcácer do Sal, Castelo de Alcácer do Sal, ☏ 351 265 613 070, fax: 351 265 613 074, ✉[email protected]. The Pousada de Alcácer do Sal, D. Afonso II, is in the thousand year old Alcácer castle that overlooks the river Sado, which runs through a vast green valley.
Connect
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.
Cope
Go next
| Routes through Setúbal |
| Lisbon ← Almada ← | NW  SE | → Alcácer do Sal → Faro |