The Reserve is over 10 820 ha, between Sesimbra and Setúbal. It was created in 1976 to protect the natural and human patrimony of the region. The limestone mountain extends over 35 km south of Setúbal's peninsula. The highest point is 499 m. The south hillside of the mountain goes down to the ocean and is very steep, the coast has several small beaches. The vegetation consists of numerous pines and cypress as well as flowers, lavender, etc.... The north hillside is less rustic, there are vineyards, orchards and olive trees, as well as pines. There you find the "quintas" - great big properties, some of them are hundreds of years old. They are mainly used for wine production today. At a crossing there are two roads, one of which goes towards Portinho da Arrábida, a sheltered beach, very popular.
There you will find the Nossa Senhora da Arrábida 17th century Fort as well as an oceanography museum. Then the road continues up to Setúbal's entrance. The other road goes up the mountain and from the top, one has a beautiful view over the hilltops, the coast, the ocean and the Sado estuary wetlands, home to numerous migratory birds. Right by the road you will notice the Convent da Arrábida, built in 1542 by the Franciscans and that now belongs to a private foundation. The road goes on a little further up the hill and then goes down towards a cement plant and towards Setúbal.
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Convento da Arrábida |
Portinho da Arrábida |
From the top you can admire the Tróia peninsula: a vast fine sand peninsula that blocks the estuary of Sado, lined with dunes and covered with pines, it is very popular with national and international tourists. Now there is a big tourist complex with hotels, golf courses, villas, swimming pools. To access it you have to either go by ferry-boat or take a southward road. In Tróia are the remains of the roman city built at the end of the 1st century B.C. There are relics from graves, the ruins of a temple decorated with frescoes, and of public baths. Besides there is also an industrial complex dedicated to the curing of meat and fish.
Then we arrive in Setúbal
Setúbal is situated on the right bank of the Sado river estuary and now has a population of 100 000 inhabitants. From a long way back the Sado estuary drove the populations to come and live in this region: the Iberians, the Celts, the Phoenicians, the Romans and the Moors. Its name comes from Cetóbriga, a city situated on the right bank of Sado, an extension of which Tróia would be. Later the city is said to have been moved towards the north bank because of the sand movements.
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Setúbal sea port |
The development of Setúbal then began and to this day it has not stopped. In the 13th century the port was already one of the most important in Portugal, and in the 14th century it was necessary to build a defensive system for the city. Business, industry and agriculture also developed. The expedition for the conquest of the city of Alcácer Ceguer in the North of Africa left from Setúbal, and D.João II got married to D.Leonor here as well. The 1755 earthquake destroyed a lot of the city but reconstruction began at once. This town is situated between the North and the South, with a fishing and a commercial port, not too far from Lisbon. Setúbal had, at the time of industrialization all the conditions required to become one of the most important cities of Portugal. Which it still is even today, with an industry that occupies 43 % of the working population. Around Setúbal one finds all the various types of industries: cementworks, shipbuilding, wood transformation, paper making, ceramics, food industries, metal products, assembling of cars, etc. Setúbal is at the same time an old and a modern town which had its role in history and conquered its place in the modern country.
