A popular day-trip destination, Sesimbra can easily be visited on wine-tasting and sightseeing tours from Lisbon. These tend to focus on local beaches, the Castle of Sesimbra, and Arrábida Natural Park, which lies just east of the village. Otherwise, travelers can take their pick of active water sports, from full-day private yacht outings and kayak trips to secret beaches, to full-out snorkeling and diving along the waters of Arrábida Natural Park.
Sesimbra is renowned for seafood—stick around for dinner or plan on having a generous lunch.
The village is a must-visit for travelers who want to try kayaking, SUPing, diving, snorkeling, and other water sports.
The Castle of Sesimbra perched above town has some of the best coastal views in the area.
Sesimbra is set along the coast about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of Lisbon, with buses bound for the village leaving daily from Lisbon's Praça de Espanha station and Setúbal. From Lisbon, trains and buses can reach the village in just under 2 hours, but require at least one transfer. To reach the castle from town, take any outbound bus to the entrance of the castle path along R. Nossa Sra. do Castelo.
The Carnival of Sesimbra, held annually before the season of Lent in February or March, is among the largest and most beautiful Carnivals in Portugal. Though the summers bring the best beach weather, a calmer time to visit Sesimbra is during the shoulder seasons, from March to May and September to October, when the weather is warm but the beaches are far less crowded.
Sesimbra lies next to Arrábida Natural Park (Parque Natural da Arrábida), a national park that’s home to some of Portugal’s most beautiful beaches, such as Praia do Creiro, Portinho da Arrábida, and Praia dos Galapinhos. One of central Portugal’s outdoor highlights, the seaside park also has scenic hiking trails and old shepherds’ paths, small-scale wineries, and the Convent of Our Lady of Arrábida, a former convent that provides official tours 3-4 days a week.
