Hotel do Mar
Why we like it: 168-room hotel on terraces above Praia do Ouro, all with a sea-view balcony, three pools and free parking.
Duration2 nights
From Lisbon40 min by car · bus 3721
Getting aroundOn foot, by boat and by car on Sunday
Best timeJune – September for the coves
BringSwimwear, water and food for the cove
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to leave Lisbon on Friday afternoon and return on Sunday after lunch, from June to September, when the boats to the coves run. Outside summer it works just the same by swapping the cove for the castle and the maritime museum. On Sunday you need a car for Azeitão, about 25 minutes away.
Friday
- 119:00Arrival and cataplana facing the fort
Leave the car at the hotel and walk down to Rua da Fortaleza. Dinner of cataplana or caldeirada for two at O Canhão; call ahead.
Saturday
- 110:00Boat to the Ribeiro do Cavalo cove
From the harbour, Vertente Natural takes you to the cove for €18 and picks you up up to seven hours later. Bring water, food and shade: there is nothing there.
- 217:00The castle
Back in the village, climb to the castle: free, open until 20:00 in summer, with the whole bay at your feet.
- 319:00Sunset at Cabo Espichel
15 km away, the sanctuary and the lighthouse at the cliff edge. A late dinner at O Rodinhas, open without a break until 22:30 (closed on Wednesday; cash only).
Sunday
- 111:00Azeitão wineries
You leave the hotel and in about 25 minutes you are in Vila Nogueira de Azeitão. A visit with a tasting at José Maria da Fonseca from €12, with Periquita and century-old moscatels.
- 213:30Lunch at the Wine Corner
In the same Casa Museu, open every day. Afterwards, if you feel like it, the Bacalhôa museum winery (€7, tours at 14:30 and 15:30) and tortas from the Rossio before heading back to Lisbon.
In a day from Lisbon, you see Sesimbra; in two nights, you make the most of it. The difference is the sea: with a whole day you can take the boat to the Ribeiro do Cavalo cove, stay there until the afternoon and be back in time for Cabo Espichel at sunset. On Sunday, on the way back to Lisbon, you stop in Azeitão to taste moscatel at two wineries that are also open that day.
How do you get there from Lisbon?
By car, over the 25 de Abril Bridge and the A2, about 40 minutes. Without a car, Carris Metropolitana bus 3721 leaves from Sete Rios and drops you five minutes from the beach; for Azeitão, on Sunday, take the 4730 towards Lisbon, which stops there, or do the day by car.
Where to sleep?
| Accommodation | Area | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel do Mar | Above Praia do Ouro | All rooms facing the sea, free parking, three pools |
| SANA Sesimbra | On the promenade, in the centre | No car, everything on foot, rooftop pool |
| Sesimbra Oceanfront Hotel | Praia da Califórnia | Couple, spa, five stars |
What if it is not summer?
From October to May the boats to the coves depend on the sea and many do not sail. Swap Saturday morning for the market (open until 14:00, Tuesday to Sunday) and the Maritime Museum, and the afternoon for the bird observatories at Lagoa Pequena, which open on Saturday and Sunday.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Sesimbra, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Sesimbra
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
Sesimbra by car, with Cabo Espichel and Lagoa Pequena
By car, Sesimbra is about 40 minutes from Lisbon and lets you combine the town, the castle, Cabo Espichel and Lagoa Pequena in a day. The problem is parking in the centre in summer: look for the car parks at the entrance to the town and walk down, or sleep in a hotel with a space.
70–160 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayHotel do Mar, with free…
- Getting aroundCastle, at the top of…
- Where to eatO Rodinhas, fried cuttlefish, open…
- ServicesTourist office in the Fortaleza…
Where to stay
- Hotel do Mar, with free private parking
- Sesimbra Oceanfront Hotel, on Praia da Califórnia
- SANA Sesimbra, with paid parking in the centre
Getting around
- Castle, at the top of the town
- Cabo Espichel, about 15 km
- Lagoa Pequena, along the EN 377
Where to eat
- O Rodinhas, fried cuttlefish, open on Sunday
- O Canhão, cataplanas facing the fort
Services
- Tourist office in the Fortaleza de Santiago
Sesimbra without a car, by bus from Lisbon
Without a car, Sesimbra works well: the 3721 bus drops you five minutes from the beach, the centre is explored on foot and the sea by boat from the harbour. Only the castle requires an uphill climb, and Cabo Espichel the 3205 bus.
60–140 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to staySANA Sesimbra, on the promenade…
- Getting aroundBus 3721 from Sete Rios…
- Where to eatMunicipal Market in the morning…
- ServicesBus terminal, Avenida da Liberdade
Where to stay
- SANA Sesimbra, on the promenade, near the terminal
- Hotel do Mar, above Praia do Ouro
Getting around
- Bus 3721 from Sete Rios, in Lisbon
- Bus 3205 to Cabo Espichel
- Boat to Ribeiro do Cavalo from the sheltered harbour
Where to eat
- Municipal Market in the morning, Tuesday to Sunday
- O Rodinhas, no break from 12:30 to 22:30
Services
- Bus terminal, Avenida da Liberdade
Flying to Lisbon, then bus or car to Sesimbra
Sesimbra is about 40 km south of Lisbon, on the Setúbal peninsula, and Lisbon's Humberto Delgado airport is the gateway, with direct flights from the main cities in Spain. By hire car, crossing the 25 de Abril Bridge and continuing along the A2 and N378, it takes about 40 minutes without traffic. Without a car, take the metro to Jardim Zoológico (Sete Rios) and the 3721 bus.
- Getting thereLisbon Humberto Delgado (LIS): metro…
- Getting aroundOn foot around the town…
- Where to stayHotel do Mar, ten minutes'…
- ServicesSesimbra bus terminal
Getting there
- Lisbon Humberto Delgado (LIS): metro (red and blue lines) to Jardim Zoológico
- Carris Metropolitana bus 3721, Sete Rios to Sesimbra
- Hotel do Mar airport transfer, for a supplement
Getting around
- On foot around the town and the bay beaches
- Bus 3205 to Cabo Espichel
- Boat from the sheltered harbour to the coves of the Arrábida
- Hire car for Lagoa Pequena and the Meco coast
Where to stay
- Hotel do Mar, ten minutes' walk from the terminal
- SANA Sesimbra, on the promenade
Services
- Sesimbra bus terminal
- Tourist office in the Fortaleza de Santiago
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights2
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingwithout a carif you're flying
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Spa hotel
Sesimbra Oceanfront Hotel
Why we like it: Five-star hotel next to Praia da Califórnia, with 84 rooms and 8 suites with sea balconies, an infinity pool and a spa.
SANA Sesimbra Hotel
Why we like it: Four-star hotel on the front line of the promenade, in the centre of Sesimbra, with a rooftop pool and a hot tub with views.
Services for this trip
Areas, for any way of travelling
| Area | Who it's for | Average night |
|---|---|---|
| Centre and bay | Fortress, market, Califórnia and Ouro beaches | |
| Castle | On the heights above the village | |
| Sheltered harbour | Boats, diving and kayaking | |
| Cabo Espichel | Sanctuary and lighthouse, 15 km away |
Where to eat
Where to eat in Sesimbra
O Rodinhas Seafood Restaurant
What to order: the fried cuttlefish, which is what the house presents as its speciality, and some shellfish to share.
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.
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book the boat and the tasting
Both have limited places in summer.
- 2Sleep somewhere with parking
In August parking in central Sesimbra is almost impossible: Hotel do Mar has free parking.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth sleeping in Sesimbra?
Yes, to have a whole day of sea and Cabo Espichel at sunset without driving back to Lisbon at night.
Are the Azeitão wineries open on Sunday?
Yes, José Maria da Fonseca and the Bacalhôa museum winery; the Bacalhôa palace is closed.
Can it be done without a car?
On Friday and Saturday, yes, with bus 3721 and the boat. For Azeitão, bus 4730.