Sesimbra, fish, a castle and clear-water coves 40 minutes from Lisbon.

Sesimbra is a fishing village wedged into a south-facing bay at the end of the Arrábida mountains. The mountains shelter it from the north wind and that is why its water is the calmest on the whole Lisbon coast. Above, over the village, a medieval castle; below, a fortress next to the sand, a market with the catch from the fish auction and a harbour from which boats leave for coves of clear water. It is about 40 km from Lisbon and can be done in a day, with or without a car.

How do you get there from Lisbon?

By car, cross the Tagus on the 25 de Abril bridge and continue on the A2 to the Sesimbra exit and then the N378: about 40 minutes without traffic. On summer Sundays the bridge and the entrance to the village jam in the afternoon; set out early and come back before 18:00 or after dinner.

Without a car, Carris Metropolitana has line 3721 from Sete Rios station (Jardim Zoológico metro) to the Sesimbra bus terminal, on Avenida da Liberdade, five minutes' walk from the beach. From there, the 3205 continues to Cabo Espichel. If you fly from Spain, you land in Lisbon: metro to Jardim Zoológico and the 3721.

Where do you park?

In the centre, little and expensive in summer. The town council publishes a map with the village's public and private car parks; the practical thing is to leave the car in those at the entrance and walk down to the bay. The castle has room up top. If you are staying overnight, the Hotel do Mar has free parking and the SANA paid parking.

What to see in a day?

Start in the morning at the Mercado Municipal, in Largo de Bombaldes, open Tuesday to Sunday until 14:00: fish of the day, wood-fired bread and cheeses from Azóia. Look for the black scabbardfish, which the fleet catches by longline off Cabo Espichel and which in Sesimbra is eaten grilled, as fillets or with peas. Two steps away is the Fortaleza de Santiago, with the tourist office and the Maritime Museum, which tells the story of the village's fishing in a short visit (€3).

Then, the beach: Califórnia to the east and Ouro to the west, two crescents of sand on either side of the fort. In the afternoon, climb to the castle: it is free, open daily and from the wall-walk you see the whole bay. If you have the afternoon left, Cabo Espichel is 15 km away: a Baroque sanctuary at the edge of a cliff, with a lighthouse and the sunset over the Atlantic.

And by boat?

Sesimbra faces the Luiz Saldanha marine park, the protected stretch of coast between the Arrábida and Cabo Espichel. From the sheltered harbour, west of the village, boats leave that drop you at Ribeiro do Cavalo, a turquoise cove between cliffs that by land can only be reached by a difficult path (from €18 with Vertente Natural). There are also two-and-a-half-hour trips round the inlets and caves of the range.

It is also the great diving spot of mainland Portugal: calm water almost all year, gorgonians, octopuses and nudibranchs. If you have never dived, there are guided snorkelling and three-hour introductory dives leaving from the same harbour.

When should you go?

From June to September for swimming and the coves; July and August are the busiest months, and the village fills with Lisboners at weekends. In May, June and September you have calm water and more space. In winter Sesimbra is a quiet fishing village, perfect for eating fish, climbing to the castle and seeing the cape. For birds, the Lagoa Pequena, next to the Albufeira lagoon, is best from autumn to spring.

How long?

A day is enough for the village, the beach and the castle, or for the boat to a cove. With a night you can add Cabo Espichel at sunset and the Lagoa Pequena, or combine it with the Serra da Arrábida and Setúbal, half an hour away.