O Rodinhas Seafood Restaurant
What to order: the fried cuttlefish, which is what the house presents as its speciality, and some shellfish to share.
geocalia
Day itinerary · 38.44° N · 9.10° W
Sesimbra in a day, 40 minutes from Lisbon.
The fish market and the sea museum in the morning, fried cuttlefish at O Rodinhas, the castle above the bay and sunset at Cabo Espichel. 40 minutes from Lisbon.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Lisboa fromSevilla 1 hMadrid 1 h 15Málaga 1 h 15Asturias 1 h 30Alicante 1 h 45Bilbao 1 h 45Valencia 1 h 45Barcelona 2 hGran Canaria 2 h 30Tenerife Sur 2 h 30
Part of Sesimbra
Add to my trip
Total time9 h
By car45 min each way
By carAbout 40 km along the A2
Without a carBus 3721 from Sete Rios
Maritime Museum€3
DifficultyEasy
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Lisbon 45 min by car
over the 25 de Abril Bridge, the A2 and the N378, or on the 3721 from Sete Rios
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1
Sesimbra Municipal Market, fish from the fish market
fish from the fish market and wood-fired bread · open until 14:00
- 5 min on foot
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2
Fortaleza de Santiago and the Sesimbra Maritime Museum
€3 · on a winter Sunday, from 9:30 to 13:00
- 5 min on foot
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3
O Rodinhas Seafood Restaurant
O Rodinhas · fried cuttlefish and shellfish · €€ · no break from 12:30 to 22:30, closed on Wednesday · cash only
Rua Marquês de Pombal, 25, 2970-772 Sesimbra · +351 212 231 557
Restaurant €€Book - 5 min on foot
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4
Bay beaches: Califórnia and Ouro
stroll or swim at Califórnia and Ouro
- 10 min by car3 km
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5
Sesimbra Castle and its walls above the sea
free · walls with a view of the bay
- 15 min by car15 km
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6
Cabo Espichel, the sanctuary on the cliff
sanctuary and lighthouse; no railings
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Back home
you reach Lisbon around 19:45
Approximate cost
About €20–35 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Sesimbra Municipal Market, fish from the fish market
A day trip from Lisbon to the fishing village of the Arrábida: Sesimbra is 40 minutes away by car, on the other side of the Tagus, and a direct bus runs there. The plan starts at the fish market, continues to the sea museum in the fortress, has fried cuttlefish in a seafood restaurant in the village and ends with a climb to the castle and watching the sun go down at Cabo Espichel.
The day, hour by hour
9:30 · Departure. Over the 25 de Abril Bridge, the A2 and the N378. Without a car, Carris Metropolitana bus 3721 leaves from Sete Rios and stops at the Sesimbra terminal, five minutes from the beach.
10:30 · Municipal Market. The showcase of Sesimbra's fleet: fish of the day, wood-fired bread and cheeses from Azóia. Look out for the black scabbardfish. Open Tuesday to Sunday until 14:00.
11:15 · Santiago Fortress and Maritime Museum. The fort beside the beach houses the tourist office and the fishing museum, with a Roman anchor stock and the fleet's fishing gear. Admission, €3. In winter, on Sunday it is open from 9:30 to 13:00; in summer, only in the afternoon.
13:00 · Lunch at O Rodinhas. A family seafood restaurant since 1992 on Rua Marquês de Pombal: fried cuttlefish, snails, shellfish. Open without a break from 12:30 to 22:30 and closed on Wednesday. Cash only; in July and August they do not take reservations.
15:00 · The bay. A stroll along the seafront between the beaches of Califórnia and Ouro, or a swim in summer: the water in the bay is among the calmest on the Lisbon coast.
16:00 · Castle. Drive up (or walk, uphill) to the medieval castle. It is free, open daily, and from the wall-walk you see the whole bay.
17:30 · Cabo Espichel. 15 km away, the Baroque sanctuary and the lighthouse at the cliff edge. Without a car, bus 3205 leaves from the terminal.
18:45 · Heading back. You are in Lisbon around 19:45.
With children
The bay has calm water, the castle has walls to walk along and the museum has boats and hooks. At Cabo Espichel there are no railings: hold hands.
Time45 min
Change the route
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
O Canhão Restaurant
What to order: a cataplana or the caldeirada for two, which are pot dishes to share; if there are more of you, the wreckfish massada.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Sesimbra
All year round; in summer add the beach and arrive before 10:00 to park. The market and the museum are closed on Mondays.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Do not go on a Monday
The market and the museum are closed.
- 2Bring cash
O Rodinhas does not accept cards.
- 3In summer, the boat
Swap the afternoon for the boat to the Ribeiro do Cavalo cove, from €18.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Lisbon to Sesimbra?
About 40 minutes by car without traffic.
Can you go to Sesimbra without a car?
Yes, on Carris Metropolitana bus 3721 from Sete Rios.
Where can you eat in Sesimbra on a Sunday?
O Rodinhas is open on Sunday from 12:30 to 22:30; closed on Wednesday.
Is Cabo Espichel worth it?
Yes, especially at sunset: sanctuary, lighthouse and cliffs 15 km from the village.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/sesimbra/itineraries/market-castle-and-cabo-espichel
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.