10 Reasons Why You Have to Visit Palmela

Even those who have never been to the village must have noticed the incredible castle that is visible from the A2. Visiting it is just one of the wonderful things you can do in this land of wine, cheese & belvederes that is 30 minutes from Lisbon.

It is almost a crime to be in this area and not take time out to visit one of the nicest villages in Portugal. Palmela has an incredible castle, great restaurants, cafes & wonderful views of the Arrábida & the river Sado. We suggest that you start by the castle & drink a coffee in the Casa do Castelo bar, which has one of the best views over Setúbal & Troia, & then lunch in the restaurant Terceira Geração. Drink a local wine & continue the tour through the village

Visit Igreja São Pedro / St Peter’s Church

This church is located in the high part of the town at the foot of the castle. It was built in the 18 century & is covered with azeulejos depicting scenes from the life of St Peter. Notice on the lower left side “The miracle of the Fishes, Christ walking on the water & the crucifixion of St Peter also noteworthy the sculpture depicting Santiago Peregrino, from the 16th century, in polychrome wood, which is found in the sacristy.

Nearby is the building of the Paços do Concelho. The sixteenth-century building, which survived after the earthquake of 1755 and was used as a Court House, Butchers and prison. The Noble Hall is decorated with the portraits of the kings of Portugal up to D. Manuel I.

It is now the Town Hall Of Palmela

For lunch, taste the specialities of the Third Generation
Not far from the castle, & just a few steps from St. Peter's Church, Palmela's “second best restaurant” after the Pousada’s restaurant, it is a traditional space, very cosy & accessible. Managed by true "Palmelões", the specialities of the house are the fresh fish, the Portuguese stew, the monkfish with rice & the rabbit of the graceful. Here you can have lunch or dinner for less than € 25 (two people) with drink & dessert.

Walk down to the centre of the village & get to know São João

The Largo de São João is located in the centre of the village & is a good place to rest your legs while visiting Palmela. This space includes the bandstand of the Humanitarian Philarmonic Society, the chapel of São João Baptista (closed to the public) & the Cineteatro S. João. The belvedere of this square also allows you to enjoy the view over the valleys of the Louro, São Luís, Arrábida & Vale de Barris/valley of the barrels.

Sample wines & sweets from the region at Casa Mãe da Rota dos Vinhos

Located in the São João area, facing the Cineteatro S. João, is Casa Mãe da Rota dos Vinhos, where you can buy some gastronomic souvenirs from this village. The building is an old wine cellar & currently an enotouristic information point.

With a selection of the best wines from the Setúbal region, you can purchase red, white, rosés & the famous Setúbal Moscatel, such as Sivipa 1996, awarded with the best muscat of Portugal at the International Wine Challenge in London in 2018. Also try traditional confectionery like fogaças, santiago, queijadas of the angel or the Muscatel ice cream of Setúbal & apple tartare.

Visit a Windmill or make friends with a donkey

The mills are one of the symbols of the village & are situated in the Serra do Louro. You can visit these windmills & learn how to make bread the old fashioned way. There is also a place to have a picnic overlooking the Arrábida natural park & there are donkeys available for walks in the mountains (burricadas). Schedules are chosen by clients & activities must be scheduled in advance. These tours are ideal for groups. A “burricada” entitled to one bread costs € 5.50 per person.

At the End of an afternoon visit Quinta do Piloto

Belonging to the Cardoso family for four generations. This is the space of the Quinta do Piloto wine producer, which opened to the public at the end of

June. Go there & enjoy a tour of the wine cellar & sample their wines, of which the highlight is the "Quinta do Piloto Collection Roxo" wine made from the purple Moscatel variety & much praised in the last international presentation in Rio de Janeiro. Also, their white wine that is ideal for hot summer days.

Enjoy a sunset at the Cult café & see the view over the village

Near the castle, & if you would like to have a coffee, pass by the Worship. This is one of the most recent bars of Palmela, it has a modern, minimalist decoration & a terrace with a privileged view to the historical centre of the village & to the region of the Tagus Valley.

Final Note: Is the Wine Harvest Festival

Usually from the 3rd to the 8th of September, the annual harvest parties are held. For six days the harvest is celebrated & the wines & agricultural houses of the region are promoted. In these festivals, there is the tradition of electing the queen of the vintage, which will be the girl in the last car of the procession.

The courtship takes place anywhere from the 30th August onwards

At the end of the month, from 26 to 28 September you can live as if you were in the medieval period. This event will bring to the village popular dances, traditional games, a medieval supper & other snacks of the time.

Visit the Castle and know its history

Castelo de Palmela is impressive from the distant lowlands & grows to dominate the skyline closer you get to Palmela. The grander & imposing allure of the castle is not diminished on visiting the interior of the national monument. Inside the castle’s walls is the Igreja de Santiago church, the Espaços museum & the entire castle to explore which from the battlements provide fantastic panoramic views over the region.

Throughout history, due to the geographic location, this was a privileged place to see enemies, because it allows you to see the whole region of the city of Setúbal, the river Sado, the Serra da Arrábida, & in the distance, the Tagus. Entrance to the castle is free. If you would like to know more about the history you can book a guided tour.

Drink a Gin or Eat Some Tapas at Casa do Castelo

Behind the castle is the Casa do Castelo tapas bar & restaurant. The view of the esplanade is one of the best in Palmela and allows you to see the surrounding mountains, Setúbal & Troia. For this reason, this is a must-see not only during the day but also at night, when you can see the illuminated view.