What to see in Setúbal: A City of Memories

What to see in Setúbal, Portugal: A City of Memories

Back in May, we were at a restaurant in Setúbal, deciding which fish to order, when I heard someone say: “I haven’t seen you in a while.”

Her face didn’t look familiar, but I knew what she meant. This was one of the many restaurants my dad took me to when I was little.

For over 30 years, he has been commuting to Setúbal to work at a paper factory. Since I was four-years-old and whenever I was off school, I used to join him in the car, cross the bridge to “the other side” and waited eagerly in his office for lunchtime, when I would eat some delicious grilled fish.

Below is a little tour of Setúbal, including things to see and where to eat the best fish in town.

The Fish in Setúbal

Sardines, sea bream, mackerel, and the famous fried cuttlefish, I tried them all in Setúbal.

To this day, fish is one of the things that draws people to this city. In fact, in the early 20th century, Setúbal was one of Portugal’s main fishing ports!

The city has a close connection with water. On one side you have the Atlantic Ocean, on the other the Sado river.

If you’re lucky, you can spot some dolphins swimming around the bay. Most of them, however, are found near the Tróia Peninsula.

Eating in Setúbal

I remember frequenting a lot of the restaurants downtown with a fish display outside, so you could see how fresh it was before you went in.

Often, I would ask my dad why one of them was better than the other. I can’t recall what he said, but I knew we were close to one when the staff started calling out his name.

At the time, it felt like I was the daughter of a movie star and not an engineer.  It was nice they knew my name every time I walked into one of those restaurants. If I go back today without him, I’m sure they wouldn’t be able to tell who I was.

It was Nick’s first time in Setúbal, and I was surprised when my dad took us to Tasca do Toninho. It wasn’t near the docks, and it didn’t have a glass box with the fish outside. Instead, it was a simple restaurant located in a small neighborhood called Bela Vista.

I had no recollection of this place, but it did of me. Oh, and the fresh fish? It was inside the restaurant waiting for us. We ordered sardines, and my dad got a big mackerel, all cooked to perfection.

Beach in Setúbal, Portugal

With a full and happy stomach, we drove to the Albarquel beach.

Summer hadn’t arrived yet, so there weren’t many people there.

The water was calm and the beach chairs were empty. I’m sure it would have been a completely different setting if we had come a few months later.

Setúbal’s City Centre

On the way to the downtown, we passed by the docks and stopped to capture some street art.

We saw boats waiting to be sailed and played around like children at the Engenheiro Luís da Fonseca Garden.

A craft market had taken over the city’s main avenue, Luísa Todi. While my parents decided to find a bench to relax, I wanted to show Nick as much as I could.

After looking through pretty much every single stall, we crossed the road and wandered around for a bit.

Some of the streets were decorated with colorful hearts, an initiative, called Amar a Baixa (Love Downtown) that aims to draw more people to the city’s local shops.

I’m sure I’ve walked around these places a thousand times before, but it felt like I was rediscovering them all over again.

Before heading back to Lisbon, we had a coffee by the park, and I took a moment to look through all my photos, thinking how long would it be before I came back to this city of memories.

Where to eat in Setúbal

• Tasca do Toninho
• Verde e Branco

What to see in Setúbal

• São Sebastião Viewpoint: here you can get one of the best views of the city. In front, you can see the Setúbal docks and, on the right side, you can catch a bit of the Arrábida mountain, one of Portugal’s best natural sites.
• Luísa Todi Avenue: the city’s main avenue. It’s where you will find most restaurants and shops in town. Named after a Portuguese singer, that was born in Setúbal in the 18th century.
• Setúbal Market: if you’re looking to buy fresh fish and seafood to cook at home, this is the place to go. The market is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Convent of Jesus: a great example of Manueline architecture that is also home to the Setúbal Museum.
• Arrábida Natural Park: this is where the water meets the hills of the Arrábida Mountain. If you like hiking, you should plan a trip here. Serra do Louro is a great place to start!
• Palmela Castle: established around the 9th century, it has now been converted into a hotel. Its high location makes it the perfect place to snap a picture with the mountains in the background!
• Sado Estuary Natural Reserve: birdwatching and dolphins spotting, are a few of the activities you can do along this natural reserve.
• Tróia: take the ferry-boat from Setúbal to this small Peninsula. Here you will find beautiful long beaches, golf courses and plenty of hotels. The journey takes around 45 minutes. You can find the schedules and price tickets here.