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Updated April 2024
This past summer, we went on an epic road trip around Europe where we spent most of it driving along the French Atlantic coast, and the northern coast of Spain. We had a change of plan on our trip and decided to add Portugal to our itinerary, which was the best decision! Portugal has much to offer, friendly people, great food, rich culture, beautiful architecture and spectacular landscapes.
Most of the time, we followed along the Atlantic coast in search of spectacular beaches. Arrábida Natural Park is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Portugal, surrounded by soaring limestone cliffs that from the top serve breathtaking vistas of the Sado Estuary and Tróia Peninsula. This spectacular stretch of coastline is perhaps one of the lesser-known gems in Portugal that is worth adding to your list of places to visit, as it has arguably some of the best beaches in Portugal!
Portugal has beautiful cities such as Porto in the north and its capital city, Lisbon. Not far from Lisbon, Cascais is a wonderful coastal town with incredible beaches, mountains and a rich history. Other noteworthy mentions are Ericeria, a laid-back fishing village and surfer hotspot and Monsaraz a breathtaking medieval village. Read our favourite 11 places along the west coast of Portugal for more inspiration.
Where is Arrábida Natural Park?
Located in the southwest of Portugal, on the southern peninsula of Setúbal, Arrábida Natural Park is a calm oasis of sandy bays only under an hour's drive from Lisbon. The protected area is set between the towns of Sesimbra and Setúbal along a dramatic cliff coastline covered in lush, evergreen vegetation.
What is Arrábida Natural Park known for?
Arrábida is often referred to as the Costa Azul or Blue Coast as it is home to pristine white sand beaches and crystal clear water. The limestone cliffs towering above the beaches are carpeted in evergreen trees and shrubs. There are also a number of hiking trails on Serra da Arrábida that give you the opportunity to spot some of the wildlife that call this place home from wildcats to eagle owls! Arrábida is also known for Moscatel wines and sheep graze in the area to produce the well known Azeitão cheese.
How to get to Arrábida Natural Park?
We drove in our camper van to Arrábida from Lisbon which took around 35 minutes and could be longer depending on traffic. If you come from Lisbon you’ll cross over one of the many bridges either 25 de April or Vasco da Gama. We were impressed by the length of Vasco da Gama bridge which seemed never-ending across the Tagus Estuary!
If you are driving from the Troia peninsula there are regular Catamarans and ferries which run between Setúbal and Troia. If you’re staying in Setúbal there are regular trains and buses that take you directly to the beaches of Arrábida Natural Park.
How to get around Arrábida Natural Park?
Arrábida Natural Park is restricted in areas to reduce the amount of traffic entering the park and can only be accessed from the side closest to Setúbal on weekends during the peak season from June to September. It is possible to visit the beaches by car but there is limited space in the car parks and during the summer months these car parks can fill quickly after 9 am. Campervans and motorhomes are prohibited from entering Arrábida Natural Park and the roads are regulated by guards to control traffic.
There is a good public transport network system where you can catch the bus which will take you from beach to beach along the coast. We stayed at the EcoParque do Outão campsite where we could leave the van and catch the bus to explore the coastline with ease. The bus to catch is the Carris Metropolitana 4472 line which travels from the bus terminal in Setúbal to Praia do Creiro and costs €2.60 per person for each journey (€10.40 in total). There is the option to get a top up card in Setúbal which can save you money if you plan to do multiple journeys on the bus.
When is the best time to visit Arrábida Natural Park?
We visited at the end of August, where you are guaranteed warm weather, perfect for a lazy day on the beach! Considering we visited during the summer holiday period, there were still plenty of spots to get away from the crowds. We would recommend avoiding Praia da Figueirinha which is the first beach as this seemed to be the busiest of all the beaches.
WHAT ARE THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN Arrábida Natural Park?
Take a drive along the The Estrada de Escarpa road
Take the road that follows to the top of the cliffs in Arrábida Natural Park (N379), known as the Estrada de Escarpa road, this road is one of the most scenic roads we drove on in Portugal. The route covers 14km of winding road and there are a number of viewpoints to pull in and admire the view. The three main viewpoints are Miradouro do Norte, Miradouro do Portinho da Arrábida and Convento da Arrábida.
Walk or cycle around Arrábida Natural Park
There are several marked footpaths that allow you to explore this beautiful landscape by foot giving you a chance to get immersed in nature surrounded by pine and wildlife. You can climb to the highest point which is in the Serra do Risco at a height of 380 meters high.
Go on an adventure coasteering
This adventure will immerse you to experience the coastline up close through cliff jumping, wild swimming with the chance to catch a glimpse of wildlife. Book your coasteering adventure to explore the stunning Sesimbra coastline and it will be sure to get your adrenaline going!
Take a boat tour to spot the Sado Dolphins
The Sado Estuary is home to bottlenose and common dolphins and is one of the few places in Europe where they reside in estuaries, the only other places they are found are in Scotland and Ireland. Get on a boat tour to see these dolphins for yourself.
Try a Portuguese doughnut (bola de Berlim)
Bolas de Berlim are a type of Portuguese doughnuts mostly only found in the summer months on the beach. They are a soft doughy treat sold by vendors on the beaches at Arribida and are filled with a delicious cream our favourite flavours were nutella and kinder bueno. Bakeries sell doughnuts throughout the year too, however we have struggled to find any that are as good as the ones found on the beach!
EXPLORE award-winning beaches In Arrabida
Praia do Creiro/ Praia do Portinhino da Arradbia
The last stop on the 4472 bus, this beach has facilities including a few cafés, toilets, sunbeds and the chance to rent a pedalo. There is quite a steep downhill walk from the bus which you’ll have to walk back up again on return but it will be worth it! There are spots on the beach to escape the busier parts mostly where the sunbeds are and we would recommend walking around the cove to the nearby restaurants and castle.
Praia dos Galapinhos
Previously named Europe’s Best Beach, Galapinhos is an impressively beautiful beach with clear turquoise water and nature which gives it a wild feel, with green trees coming right up to the beach. Access to the beach is relatively easy, from the bus stop you will see marked paths that lead to the beach. Closer to Praia dos Galapos there are steps which make it much easier and are located on the eastern side closer to the main facilities. At low tide you can walk across to Praia dos Galapinhos.
Where to stay in Arrábida Natural Park?
The EcoParque do Outão campsite cost a total of €25.80 for two nights, including two adults and two cats, which we thought was very affordable considering the location. The facilities included; showers, electrical hook up (extra cost), toilets, waste facilities, water and within walking distance of a small beach. They also have bungalows that have sea views which can be booked online in advance. You’re given a wristband for entry and exit of the campsite by foot and a code to open the barrier. The location is excellent for exploring the beaches for the day, you can hop on the bus very easily from the other side of the road and only takes 10 minutes to the first beach.
