Almada's guide

A NATURAL DESTINY, IN BETWEEN THE RIVER AND THE OCEAN.

An open-door for the south of Portugal, bordering the Atlantic Ocean and Tagus River, with Cristo-Rei (Christ the King) embracing Lisbon, Almada benefits from an excellent geographic location and boasts the most beautiful panoramic capital views. The wide and large, white, fine, sandy beaches, with the appealing ocean inviting for a swim and for the practice of water sports, are overwhelmingly awarded with the blue flag. Greenish is the secular Mata Nacional dos Medos (Medos National Woods) that paints in green the magnificent Fossilized Cliff and the vast urban parks. Almada is an assumed natural and sustainable destiny, where gastronomy, culture, religious heritage, and history merge in a territory which has long been owned by many.

Costa da Caparica’s Fossilized Cliff

In the entire riverside front of Almada, the views are breathtaking. Along the axis of Cacilhas – Almada Velha – Cristo Rei, the belvederes succeed one after the other, standing together with a wealthy historical, cultural, and religious heritage. The offer in the city centre is combined with some picturesque small villages, where the authenticity of its people teams up with an history of traditional riverside activities and a remarkable military heritage, and an industrial archaeology of high relevance.

With more than 8 miles of continuous white, fine sandy beaches and unpolluted seawater, Almada’s Atlantic front provides excellent conditions for the practice of wave sports and mesmerize with its sunsets and its connection with the traditional fishing, specially the Xávega process (net trawling fishing), an identity heritage of Costa da Caparica. The excellence of these beaches is confirmed by the award of High-Quality Beach, by Quercus, to all of them and the distinctions of Blue Flag Quality Award, by FEE, to some of them.

Xávega process

As a backdrop to the immensity of the Atlantic Ocean, stands the largest nature space in the municipality, the Protected Landscape of the Fossil Cliff of Costa da Caparica, a protected area with a great geological and geomorphological relevance, native vegetation and rare fauna and flora species. Here, let yourself fall in love with the Reserva Botânica da Mata Nacional dos Medos (Botanical Reserve of Medos National Forest), where the stone pine forest provides several walking trails that reach viewpoints overlooking the beaches. Enhancing the preservation and sustainability of the site, the new walkways of Mata dos Medos are a mandatory visit. The area is also a reference point for the lovers of radical sports, for bicycle rides, horse rides and picnics.

Medos National Forest

The Municipality is also provided with the best conditions for the practice of golf and with urban parks and gardens that turn Almada into one of the 10 greenest cities in Portugal. A special highlight for Parque da Paz (Peace Park), considered the city’s green lung, or for Jardim do Rio (River Garden), whose Panoramic Elevator takes visitors to the historical centre.

Peace Park

River Garden

In a visit to such a multi-faceted municipality as Almada, the historical heritage also does not go unnoticed. Santuário do Cristo Rei (the Shrine of Christ the King), Almada’s ex-libris, provides a stunning panoramic view over the region, and attracts thousands of visitors and pilgrims, being the perfect starting point for a visit to the remaining municipal heritage: Casa da Cerca and its Jardim Botânico (Botanical Garden), Convento dos Capuchos (Capuchos Convent), Solar dos Zagallos (Zagallos Manor House) or Fragata Museu D. Fernando II e Glória (D. Fernando II and Glória Frigate Museum), among many other spaces, museums, churches and archaeological sites that are unmissable.

Historical centre

Solar dos Zagallos Gardens

Last but not least, the inevitable local gastronomy emphasises the fresh fish and seafood dishes, cataplanas and caldeiradas (fish stews), Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato (Bulhão Pato’s Style Clams) and carvoadas (charcoal-fired recipes), whose flavours and scents shall never be forgotten. In Cacilhas, Costa da Caparica, Trafaria or Porto Brandão, and within the whole municipality, the gastronomic offer is extensive, ranging from the traditional cuisine to the author’s cuisine, not to mention a good wine to go with it. For those with sweet teeth, there are the typical Pastéis Al-Madan (Al-Madan Pastries), Claudinos and Pastéis de Santo António (St. Anthony Pastries).

Trafaria

Cacilhas’s lighthouse

Almada is also culture. Throughout the year, it is possible to enjoy musical events, theatre and dance shows, many of which with an international profile, in a well-diversified and dynamic programme.