Description of the attraction
Arrábida Natural Park is located on the north bank of the Sadu River estuary, between the city of Setubal and the fishing village of Sesimbra. The park was founded in 1976, covers an area of about 108 square kilometers and is one of 30 places in Portugal that are officially protected by the state.
The park area is located on the slopes of Arrábida, and the highest point in the park is Serra do Arrábida. The park has two beaches that are popular with the residents of Lisbon and Setubal.
Visitors can admire the plants that are typical of the Mediterranean climate. Among these plants, you can see rare specimens of macchia, thickets of evergreen shrubs that grow only in the Mediterranean. The presence of these plants is one of the reasons why the parkland in Arrábida is considered a unique international and scientific relic. To preserve this type of flora, special zones have been created, which are under the protection of the Park staff, and you can look at them only with their accompaniment. In total, about 213 species of vertebrates live in the park, including reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals.
On the territory of the park there are companies that offer services for organizing diving and climbing the mountains, and for lovers of speleology - descent into the caves. For those wishing to learn more about the life of animals and plants, it is worth visiting the Museum of Oceanography, which is located in Fort Nossa Senhora do Arrábida, next to Portinho Beach. In 2004, a fire destroyed most of the park, which is now being restored.
