Serra da Arrabida – provincial Portugal
Description:
For those who do not like long journeys by car and want to get acquainted with the everyday life of the Portuguese, with traditions, crafts, peculiarities of life, who likes beautiful views and is passionate about photography, I offer an excursion to the south bank of the Tagus River.
Until 1966, it could only be reached by ferry, but a bridge was built, and the sandy beaches of the town of Costa da Caparica, the golden beaches of the fishing town of Sezimbra and even the more remote beaches of the Troy Peninsula became accessible and very popular among the locals. But guests do not always reach these beautiful, undeservedly forgotten places.
In addition to the iconic visit to the observation deck at the figure of Christ the Savior and the passage on the bridge on April 25, during the tour we will visit the castle of the Knights of the Order of Santiago in the city of Palmela, won from the Moors in the XII century. You will learn the history of the Order of Knights in Portugal. We will drive along Serra da Arrabida, which offers a fascinating view of the Troy Peninsula and the city of Setubal, visit the winery and taste local wines. Especially famous is the local dessert muscat wine: Moscatel de Setúbal.
The Arrabida Nature Park is under state protection. Everything here has to be calm and peaceful. It is no coincidence that these slopes were chosen for the construction of their monastery by Franciscan monks in the XVI century. The name Arrabid comes from the Arabic word for a place of prayer. Now it is a favorite place of photographers and hang gliders. You’ll have wings, and if you’re lucky, you’ll be over the clouds.
The Portuguese port wine is called Vinho do Porto. And few people know that near Lisbon produce a wonderful muscat species - Moscatel de Setúbal. Who is interested in the production of famous Portuguese tiles - for you a master class of local craftsmen. You can talk about the cuisine of this region for a long time: wines, cheeses, pastries, and during lunch you should definitely try fried cuttlefish, the most popular dish of the inhabitants of Setubal.