| Palmela |
With
twisting alleyways and quaint whitewashed houses, the small
town of Palmela is located on mountain slopes 40 km south of
Lisbon and 10 km north of Setúbal.
Portugal’s first king, Afonso Henriques, captured Palmela
from the Moors in the mid-12th century after a surprise attack
on the King of Badajoz.
The knight-monks of Santiago were subsequently installed in
the castle’s monastery in 1194.
What to see. Situated with magnificent views
on a spur of the Serra da Arrábida, Palmela Castle is
one of the finest examples of Portuguese military architecture.
Constructed by the Moors, it was rebuilt after the 12th-century
Reconquest, but was partially demolished by the 1755 earthquake
that laid waste to Lisbon. In the castle’s dungeon directly
below the keep, the bishop of Évora was imprisoned in
1484 for his part in the conspiracy against King João
II. He died there days later, probably from poisoning.
Nearby. The 500-metre-high granite ridge of
the Serra da Arrábida is remarkable for its vegetation.
Areas of the moist northern slope are covered with the untouched
original forest of the Peninsula, while the sun-baked southern
slopes feature a more shrubby growth, mainly of evergreens.
A short drive south of Palmela is the large fishing port of
Setúbal, one of the most ancient cities in Portugal with
a wealth of restaurants and interesting sites to visit.
Celebrated on the first Sunday of September, the town’s
annual wine harvest festival (Festa das Vindimas) is one of
the liveliest occasions in the region. |
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| © 2007 Maisturismo |
