Hiking from the city of Setúbal to Palmela Castle. Portugal
Wherever we stay for more than a few weeks, we always find a weekend hike. It is usually an easily accessible trail of 15-20 kilometers with varied landscapes. When we lived on the edge of Serra de Estrela Park , we used to hike to an icy stream where one of us would go skinny-dipping in both winter and spring when the creeks were still full of water. Now that we've moved closer to the Arrábida Natural Park , we've begun to explore the web of trails that run between Setúbal and Palmela. The whole route is only between 9.5 and 10.5 kilometers long, but at least we can start it right from our doorstep. It has a nice climb of about 420 meters and goes over several hills. Just as all roads lead to Rome, this track actually connects two remaining parts of the Calçada Romana which once linked Equabona (Coina) to Emerita (Mérida). Depending on the weather and the season, we follow one of the four variants of the route. At different times of the year we can admire quince blossoms, c...