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Trends in Palmela and Setúbal

In a sunny beautiful day, we have travelled to Palmela and Setúbal more to Lisbon’s south.

Palmela is a urban and rural village covering agriculture and hunting areas. It has a wealthy past of human presence since the prehistory, to the presence of Muslims until 1194 in the Christian kingdom.

Map Palmela Setúbal Moinho de Maré da MouriscaMap with the visited places

The start off point was in Lisbon, crossing the 25th bridge and along the motorway A2 to Palmela we have covered about 40kms.

Bridge Lisbon 25th AprilThe 25th April bridge (source Unsplash)

Then we have visited Palmela Castle at top of the hill, one of the beautiful village attractions. Great part of its construction is linked to the Muslim period between VIII and XII centuries. The castle was a militar fortification being a strategic control point of Sado river Estuary as well as part of Arrábida Mountain and some neighborings plains with connection to Tagus river. It is considered national monument.

Here are some pictures of the North side of Palmela.

Palmela Castle entranceAt Palmela Castle entrance
Castel of PalmelaAround Palmela Castle with circular towers
Torre de menagem Castelo de PalmelaView of Palmela Castle with the Keep and the village downhill
Torre de menagem castelo de PalmelaThe Kepp behind
Merlon Castle of PalmelaThe merlons at North side of Palmela Castle
São Pedro Church PalmelaView of North side of Palmela Castle to the Santo André Church

And more pictures of the south side of Palmela Castle overlooking the part of the Arrábida Mountain, the Troia peninsula and the Setúbal city.

Landscape Arrabida Palmela CastleView to Arrábia Mountain View Troia Palmela CastleView to Setúbal city and at bottom the peninsula of Troia
View Palmela CastleView to the fantastic landscape Alcaçova view Castle of PalmelaView from Citadel in Palmela

 View from Alcaçova PalmelaAt bottom some historic windmills of Palmela

Then, still inside the Palmela Castle we have visited the Archaeological Space of Municipal museum. This sapce has a wealthy archaeological heritage since the prehistory and in particular to the medieval muslim and christian period till the modern period related to Santiago Order. Some examples are the ceramic objects and polished stones. These artifacts are testimony how the populations lived at the time as well as their evolution over time.

Museum Palmela CastleAt Archaeological Space
Museum Palmela CastlePolished stones artifacts
Artifacts Museum Palmela More artifacts, pots and bowls
Ceramic archaeology palmelaArtifact in ceramic

Continuing into the interior of Palmela Castle, we pass through a room and a terrace, called Citadel till the Santiago Church.

Room Alcaçova Castel of PalmelaThe Citadel in the interior of Palmela Castle
Room Alcaçcova Palmela CastleCeiling style at Citadel

Santiago Church was built in the XV century commissioned by the Christian Santiago Order.

Igreja Santiago PalmelaGothic facade of Santiago Church
Igreja Santiago PalmelaParte of the interior from Santiago Church

When we left the castle, we also have visited the ruins of Santa Maria Church, the cistern well and also the old convent of Santiago Order which today gave away to a hotel.

Ruins from  Santa Maria Church PalmelaThe ruins of Santa Maria Church

Well Palmela CastleThe cistern well
Hotel Convento de SantiagoHotel in Palmela Castle

After visiting the beautiful Palmela Castle, we cannot resist the charms of Palmela village.

Thus, in the Largo do Munícipio exists a beautiful building of Palmela council with its facade in arches from XVII century.

Council Palmela Building of Palmela council

We realized the presence of a tank in front of São Pedro Church. In September in Palmela there are grape treading festivals and the blessing of the first must, the grape juice before fermentation. It looked the locals had finished this event minutes before.

Vineyards PalmelaTank for grape treading

São Pedro Church Palmela

São Pedro Church

Still in the village of Palmela in Largo da Igreja da Misericórdia there was time to take a picture of the Pelourinho (1645), symbol of municipal autonomy.

Pelourinho PalmelaPelourinho monument at Palmela village

After the fantastic visit to the castle and the historic village of Palmela, thinking in food was something to target. We have decided to lunch in Setúbal city. From the village of Palmela to Setúbal it is about 8 kms.

The weather was hot around 30 degrees Celsius and it seemed good to have a lunch in the open esplanede at Tavira restaurant. The dishes ordered were seafood rice, golden fish and fried cuttlefish. In our opinion we have made a good choice as everything was delicious.

Restaurant Tavira SetúbalThe good atmosphere at lunch

Seafood rice portugueseSeafood rice

Golden fish Portugal SetúbalGolden fish
Fried cuttlefish PortugalFried cuttlefish

The city of Setúbal has a rich historical and cultural heritage. The Municipal Gallery of Portugal Bank has an exhibition of several oil paintings. Among them, the exhibition of oil paintings set O Retábulo do Covento de Jesus de Setúbal by Jorge Afonso important painter of the renaissance period.

Municipal Gallery Bank of Portugal Setubal Municipal Gallery of Portugal Bank in Setúbal
Retábulo do Convento de JesusO Retábulo do Convento de Jesus de Setúbal

From the Municipal Gallery of Portugal Bank walking to Praça Bocage it is about five minutes. Before reaching Praça Bocage we went along one of the important avenues, the Luísa Todi avenue to drink a cup of Moscatel wine, a typical sweet and fresh wine of Setúbal.

Moscatel  Setúbal wineCheers to Moscatel wine

Praça Bocage SetúbalBocage statue
Praça Bocage SetúbalAround of Praça Bocage
Fonte Avenida Luísa TodiThe fountain at Luísa Tody avenue
Camâra municipal de Setúbal
Building of Setúbal Council

Then, we went to Bonfim Garden about 10 minutes from Praça Bocage. The garden has a large green space and it has the so-called Pasmadinhos de Setúbal the sculptures in honor of figures linked to cultural and socio-economic activity of Setúbal.

Garden Bonfim SetúbalThe lake of Bonfim garden
Pasmadinhos de Setúbal descarregador de peixeNext to the Descaregador de peixe (fish unloader)
Pasmadinhos de Set+ubal Luísa TodiNext to Luísa Todi lyric singer

Pasmadinhos de Setúbal Maria Baía

Next to Maria Baía

Last but not least we have visited the Moinho de Maré da Mourisca (Mill of Tide of Mourisca) about 10 kms of Bonfim Garden.

Moinho de Maré da Mourisca it is a beautiful landscape area part of the Natural Reserve of rio Sado Estuary. As the name suggests, the mill has served in the past for the grinding of cereal and production of flour.

Very interesting are the walks and birdwatch that with help of our binoculars we were able to see some birds.

Moinho de Maré da MouriscaAt bottom the mill house
Moinho de Maré da Mourisca room of exhibitionExhibition of mills devices
Sado river EstuarySado river Estuary
Moinho de Maré da MouriscaThe tranquility in the natural environment
Watchbird Moinhode Maré da Mourisca The birdwatch house
Moinho de Maré da MouriscaThe tranquility in the natural environment

Moinho de Maré da Mourisca sun setThe Sun set and salt marsh at Moinho de Maré da Mourisca

The tour in a sunny day in the lands of Palmela and Setúbal made us live the history, the various cultures and the gastronomy of those regions, as well as relaxing and enjoying the beautiful landscape of rio Sado Natural Reserve.

We loved! We also hope that readers and travel lovers will be inspired by the freedom to travel through these destinations as we live it.

Thanks to Manuel Manero for blogging recommendations

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Rui Vasconcelos

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