A trip with my dog to Setúbal

This May, I took a trip with my dog to Setúbal, a city within the Lisbon municipality of Portugal. It is located at the sea and offers multiple beaches, along with the Arrabida natural park. In this post, I will show you a nice walking route that you can do with your dog. It is around 4km in length and will take you along the shore as well as up to the Forte de São Felipe for some nice views.

If you are interested in spending a few days in the area, you can find my recommendation on where to stay with your dog in Setúbal here. I can also recommend taking a trip with your dog to Praia das Bicas, a nice beach around 45mins from Setúbal.

THE ROUTE

This walk follows the PR1 trail, a circular route along the coast of Setúbal as well as up to the Forte de São Felipe.

I actually walked in the opposite direction that is shown on the map, but either direction works. As it is a circular route, you can start at any point along the trail.

The route offers multiple highlights. I started near the harbour, which was already one of my favorite parts.

You can see lots of small fishing boats that are actually in use and bring fresh fish and other seafood to the city every day. Very picturesque!

After that, the route took us along the promenade of Setúbal, which is named after the famous soccer coach José Mourinho. Along there, you can find small stretches of beach. I am not sure if you can officially take your dog there, but at the one near the port I did not see any signs stating the opposite.

You will also pass a statue honoring the fishermen and you can even see Troía peninsula opposite Setúbal from there. It’s a very nice walk along the shore.

Do keep an eye out for the yellow and red trail markings so that you don’t miss the turn up towards the Forte de São Felipe, or São Felipe castle as it is referred to in English.

The ascent consists of some stairs followed by a short walk on the side of a road, but thankfully it quickly turns onto a dirt road where you are unlikely to encounter cars and your dog can happily sniff around.

During the uphill walk, you again have some nice views of Troía, and eventually Forte de São Felipe awaits. You can enter the castle with your dog without any problem. The views from the top are really nice. You can see all directions, overlooking the city, the natural park as well as once again Troía.

There is also a cafeteria in the fortress where you can have a drink or a snack and enjoy the view from their terrace. Just be aware that it is closed on Mondays!

After visiting the castle, the route takes you back down the hill again to return to your starting point.

HOW LONG IT TAKES AND WHO IT’S FOR

This walk is approximately 4km long. It took me around one and a half hours overall, including time spent at Forte de São Felipe to take some pictures.

To get up to the castle, you do need to walk uphill and there are some stairs and slopes involved depending on the exact route that you take. I would not recommend it with a pram, but overall I did not find the route too challenging.

If you struggle to walk uphill, stairs are an issue or you just want to visit the castle, you can also drive there by car and park directly at the entrance.

THE BOTTOM LINE

This was a nice short walk that takes along some different sights of Setúbal. I found it very enjoyable and the views from Forte de São Felipe are definitely worth the effort.

Bonus tip: If beach is more your thing, consider taking your dog on a day-trip to Praia das Bicas from Setúbal.