The Arrábida beaches, still water at the foot of the mountains.

These are bay beaches, with stiller and slightly warmer water than on the open coast, and with the green slope of the mountains behind. In bathing season you cannot arrive by private car: what changes is how you get there, not whether it is worth it.

What they are and where they are

The Arrábida beaches follow one another along the southern coast of the mountains, west of Setúbal, within the Arrábida Natural Park and facing the Luiz Saldanha marine park, which protects the sea from Figueirinha to Cabo Espichel. The mountains shelter them from the north wind and the bay water has hardly any swell, so they are beaches for calm swimming rather than surfing.

From east to west you find Figueirinha, long and sandy; Galapos and Galapinhos, smaller and wedged between the rock; and Creiro and Portinho da Arrábida, at the end of the road, with a handful of houses, boats and restaurants. Beside Creiro are the remains of a Roman fish-salting factory.

How to get there in summer

From 4 June to 15 September 2026, access by private car is restricted from 7:00 to 20:00 on two stretches: the one leading to Albarquel and Figueirinha from Setúbal, and the one going down to Portinho, Creiro and Galapos from the Pinheiro junction, on the ER 379-1, the high road of the mountains. Buses, taxis, private-hire vehicles, motorbikes, bikes, scooters, pedestrians and vehicles with a disability card may pass.

The buses work with the Navegante card. The 4474 links the Alegro shopping centre and the Várzea terminal with Figueirinha: in July and August it runs about 51 trips in each direction on weekdays, from 8:00 to 20:30, and 67 at weekends. The 4470 goes from Setúbal to Creiro via Vila Nogueira de Azeitão in an hour, with ten trips in each direction; in June it only runs at weekends. The 4477 is a shuttle between Creiro and Galapos every half hour, from 8:30 to 20:00.

The Creiro car park, run by the Associação Baía de Setúbal, has about 140 spaces and is paid from 7:00 to 18:00. When it fills up, the road down is closed. The free park-and-ride car parks are at the Alegro, at Várzea and next to the monthly market in Azeitão, the latter with about 200 spaces a few steps from the 4470 stop.

Safety and the coast road

The storms of early 2026 damaged the mountain slopes, and the coast road between the Figueirinha tunnel and Galapos, Rua Círio da Arrábida, remains closed because of the risk of falling rocks. That is why Galapos is reached from the Creiro side. Respect the fences and do not stand at the foot of the slopes.

In the water, swim at the beaches with a flag and within the bathing season, when there are lifeguards. Outside it there is no supervision.

Outside summer

Before 4 June and after 15 September you can drive to Creiro and Portinho via the Pinheiro junction, without restrictions. The beaches are almost empty, and in spring and autumn they are good for strolling and for a kayak off Portinho when the sea is calm.