Setúbal is a World of Adventure
Venture out by sea, land or air and with the help of tour operators discover all the emotions and sensations you can experience in Setúbal!
Setúbal is the ideal setting for countless moments of adventure, including sports activities from the most to the least extreme.
Take advantage of the sports facilities available, or make the city, the mountains or the river your World of Adventures.
Tour Operators
To discover the world that is Setúbal, you can count on all the support you need.
Tour operators in the region specialize in making your experience unforgettable.
From diving to bird and dolphin watching, walking tours, all-terrain vehicles, bicycles or even hang gliding or paragliding, the experiences are diverse, the choice is yours!
Free fly
Taking off over the Arrábida Convent, enjoying the view of one of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World and landing at Portinho da Arrábida is a remarkable experience. Along the road that crosses the top of the mountain there are several places that allow the practice of free flight, but which nevertheless require some skill on the part of the pilots.
As the landing is made on the beaches, it is not allowed to practice this modality during the bathing season.
Coasteering
The coast of Arrábida is a privileged place for the practice of coasteering due to the surroundings of the Natural Park. The rocky elevations that lean over the crystalline waters of the beaches at the foot of the mountains make the experience even more exciting.
This activity must be carried out with the appropriate safety equipment and accompanied by experienced professionals.
Rock Climbing
Due to its limestone nature, location by the sea and exposure to the south, Serra da Arrábida has excellent conditions for climbing practitioners. In Setúbal it is possible to access three sites duly prepared for this purpose: Outão, Fenda and Fojo dos Morcegos. Any of these locations offers routes with different degrees of difficulty, from beginners to experts.
Stand Up Paddle
Setúbal makes it possible to practice this activity, both on the river and at sea, whether exploring the banks of the Sado Estuary or paddling towards the beaches of Arrábida, on the traditional visit to Pedra da Anicha.
bike rides
The Setúbal region is recognized as a privileged area for cycling, whether on off-road or off-road. It is possible, in a short space of time, to enjoy the trails and climbs of the green Serra da Arrábida and then roll side by side with the blue waters of the Sado Estuary.
Dolphin watching
The only place in mainland Portugal, and of the few in Europe, where there is a sedentary population of bottlenose dolphins is in the Sado Estuary. For the sighting of the Sado bottlenose dolphins, companies duly licensed for this activity must be used and that ensure compliance with the Code of Conduct that must be adopted in this activity.
Open water swimming
The Setúbal Peninsula represents one of the best destinations in Portugal and in the world for open water swimmers, passionate about incredible landscapes. The temperature, visibility and transparency of the water, the breathtaking surroundings, as well as the immensity and variety of marine life, make this a unique place for swimming. As part of one of the most practiced sports in the world and with the greatest health benefits, open water swimming is a sport performed in lakes, rivers or the open sea, characterized by constant contact with several variables.
Diving
The creation of a marine protected area – the Luiz Saldanha Marine Park – reinforced the natural beauty that is recognized in the Sado Estuary by diving lovers. Portinho da Arrábida is a privileged place for this purpose, where there are several operators licensed for this practice, whether in terms of diving baptism or with a more specialized nature.
Vela
Setúbal is a city of naval and fishing tradition, surrounded by sea and river. Naturally, it is equipped with equipment and accessibility for sailing. Sailing tours are an attraction in the region, whether for the taste of sailing, or for the possibility of carrying out thematic tours, which may include wine tastings and gastronomic tastings.
caving
The limestone nature of Serra da Arrábida provides a great diversity of caves, mainly by the sea. Access conditioned to most of these cases makes it advisable to use companies duly licensed for this activity.
Lapa de Santa Margarida (with an easier access, via stairs), Gruta da Figueira Brava and Gruta do Médico are the most outstanding caves at this level in the region.
Walking tours
Want to get lost in time? Stroll through the Arrábida mountains, Herdade da Mourisca or the Sado Estuary, places that provide wilder landscapes, where birds and activities linked to the sea are an attraction. Tours in the City and Azeitão also have their charms.
Get on the way and discover them for yourself!
Canoeing
As in the case of stand up paddle, the practice of this activity, both on the river and at sea, allows you to explore the banks of the Sado Estuary and the beaches of Arrábida, with a “mandatory” passage through the traditional Pedra da Anicha, in front of Creiro beach. (Portinho da Arrábida).
Bird watching
The Sado estuary is an excellent area for bird watching, and in winter it can host populations that can reach 50 individuals. Among the resident and migratory species, the spoonbill, the grebe, the heron, the marsh eagle, the stilt and the flamingo stand out.
Herdade da Mourisca and Moinho de Maré da Mourisca are the main gateway to this activity.
Birdwatching enthusiasts can opt for marked walking routes or choose boat trips through licensed tour operators.
