| Azeitão |
Nestling
among olive and cork trees, Azeitão is a pretty little
village situated on the old Setúbal-Lisbon road at the
foot of the Serra da Arrábida.
Dotted with country palaces, running fountains and narrow alleyways,
it is famous for its wines, olives and creamy sheep’s
cheese, the latter prized as one of the best in the country.
What to see. At the entrance to the village
stands the great classical palace of the Tâvoras, one
of the great families of Portugal. Its coat of arms was erased
by order of the Marquês de Pombal when the Duke of Aveiro
was arrested inside the palace for his alleged complicity in
the plot to murder King José. He was subsequently executed.
Located in the centre of town, and open to visitors all year
round, the José Maria da Fonseca cellars produce the
region’s renowned moscatel wine, as well as a wide variety
of popular red and white table wines.
Nearby. 2 km away stands the Quinta da Bacalhôa,
considered one of the loveliest country houses in Portugal.
Built by King Manuel I as a summer palace for his mother, it
was bought in 1528 by the son of the great Viceroy of India,
Afonso de Albuquerque. With its melon domes and Italianate loggias,
the house features a garden with rare 16th century azulejo panels.
The best beach in the region lies 12 km south at Portinho da
Arrábida, with crystalline turquoise waters and a batch
of sleepy waterside shanty restaurants where grilled sardines
are the order of the day.
The great limestone ridge of the Serra da Arrábida is
home to the world’s oldest living examples of Mediterranean
vegetation. The Arrábida Natural Park (now a protected
area) is unique for its unusual soil and microclimate, both
rare in this part of Europe. More than 1,000 species of plant
have been recorded here. |
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| © 2007 Maisturismo |
