Setúbal Peninsula

South across the Tejo river from Lisbon is the Setúbal peninsula. The Ponte 25 de Abril and Vasco da Gama bridges provide easy access to the capital from commuter towns like Almada on the north side of the peninsula. The drive to the southern side takes you through rolling hills of vineyards and other farming and brings you to more beautiful beach towns. We stayed overnight in one of them -- Sesimbra.

Sesimbra is a fishing town with tourism being its other big industry. It offers a popular beach, plenty of nightlife, and easy access from Lisbon. Like many other towns, it boasts the remains of a Moorish castle and, indicating its importance during the Age of Discoveries when it was a busy seaport, there are a couple of 17th century forts in town.

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About thirty minutes from Sesimbra is Cabo Espichel, the cape at the southwestern tip of the Setúbal peninsula. It is rugged and can be bleak in the winter months. Located there is the Santuario de Nossa Senhora (Virgin Mary), an 18th century church and, and as the name suggests, it was a sanctuary for pilgrims. Two long buildings that form a 'U' with the church contain small, very basic accommodations. The buildings are in relatively good condition, although neglected. The nearby Farol (lighthouse) do Cabo Espichel warns ships of this treacherous headland.

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The cape was the site of many miracles and its religious significance attracted pilgrims from afar. The Ermida da Memória is a small chapel near the cliff edge that was constructed at the site of an apparent apparition of the Virgin Mary in 1410. The story goes that she rode out of the sea on a giant mule, climbed the steep cliff face, and then vanished at the site of the chapel. Footprints left by the mule, still visible in the rocks, are in fact, those of a sauropod.

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About the same distance but in the opposite direction (east) from Sesimbra is Setúbal, the biggest town on the peninsula. It offers a mix of shipping, manufacturing, commerce, and tourism. Visitors are drawn by the beautiful scenery, including the Sado river estuary and surrounding hilly countryside, lovely sheltered beaches, and fine food and wine.

After spending a few hours in town, we took a ferry to Tróia, a 13km-long, narrow peninsula that juts into the Sado estuary. Tróia is a tourist haven, with sand dunes and beaches, hotels, golf courses, and a casino. No longer technically on the Setúbal peninsula, we drove the length of the peninsula south to arrive at the town and beaches of Comporta, a newly-discovered destination for expats, including Americans, we're told.

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