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, collect aromatic herbs, taste ripe blackberries or pick mushrooms. We always end the walk with a picnic at a windmill overlooking the magnificent Serra do Louro, at the foot of Palmela Castle.

1. Distance 9.5 km (gpx). Elevation gain 375 m. Viso — Grelhal — CM 1054 — Baixa de Palmela — Calçada Romana — Parque Venâncio Ribeiro da Costa

This is the easiest route, good for a cloudy humid day in winter. It mostly follows tarmac and gravel roads.

2. Distance 9 km (gpx). Elevation gain 409 m. Setúbal - Palmela castle

The only difficult part on this trail is a short but steep and slippery section in the woods about 4 km into the track, not recommended after heavy rain.

Along the Roman road that leads to the Castle of Palmela, there are some remains of the XIX century water system, such as the dry but elegant Fonte Nova and a former communal washhouse with rusty iron structures that once supported the ceiling. A little further up, the mouth of a brick-covered underground canal is wide open. It still carries water and nourishes mint plants that give off a strong fragrance on sunny days.

3. Distance 10.2 km (gpx). Elevation gain 419 m. Via Antiga do Viso — Grelhal — Trilho do Pedrão — Trilho do Zimbral — Estrada das Antenas — Baixa de Palmela — Calçada Romana — Moinho

This is an all-time classic, our favorite route that traverses the hills between two preserved sections of the Roman road. We've done this trail dozens of times in every season except summer which is too hot for us to hike anywhere in Portugal.

4. Distance 9.8 km (gpx). Elevation gain 438 m. Via Antiga do Viso — Serra dos Gaiteiros — Ribeira de Corva — Estrada da Lagartixa — Trilho da Lagartixa à Cobra — Moinho

This is the most challenging, but also the most diverse variant of the hike. It follows our regular route from Viso to the paved road CM 1054 and then branches off to Serra dos Gaiteiros. There are some fences along the way, but they are easy to cross. The facade of the Convento de São Paulo peeks out of the lush greenery. The monastery is abandoned and safely sealed off, but still elegant and graceful in the sunshine. The red dirt path winds through prickly bushes, emerald pines, and charred trunks until it reaches the top of the hill, where the track becomes less obvious. The turnoff to Trilho do Gato, marked on several maps, is not easy to find, at least we missed it at first. We climbed down the hill, cutting our way through thorny plants and tangled fallen branches. The next time we managed to turn in the right direction, but it appeared that you have to be as careful as a cat when crawling down the Trilho do Gato. Walking sticks come in handy, transforming you into a four-legged creature for extra stability on this steep, narrow, slippery trail. Once in the valley, the path continues in the tranquillity of the tiny Ribeira de Corva stream.

Here’s a bonus track of the whole circular route from Setúbal to Palmela Castle and back. It’s 20 kilometers long (gpx) with a total ascent of 560 meters. And it actually follows the tricky Trilho do Gato mentioned above.