A Quinta de Alcube
THE STORY...
The Quinta de Alcube is a family property located in the heart of Arrabida's Natural Park that offers, due its geography and landscape, different experiences and creates beautiful memories for those who visit us... or stays around in our Guest House.
From the 15th century until the 21th century, through the times and history, Alcube’s manor tells the story of Quinta de Alcube and its valley, watched the development until nowadays.
+
THE LOCATION...
The original landscape in Arrabida’s Mountains it is due to it natural characteristics but also to a considerable area untouched by man, allowing a natural development in harmony with nature.
The mountain range Arrabida is formed by the S. Luis, Gaiteiros, S. Francisco and Louro mountains with peaks and valleys that ends in a crystal blue sea, drawing one of the most beautiful landscapes of Portugal.
+
THE STORY...
THE ALCUBE MANOR
In the Alcube’s valley there is an ancient manor, the Solar do Morgado de Alcube, a long and one floor construction with irregular shapes, built in the 15th century by Álvaro de Sousa and his wife, D. Francisca de Távora.
THE S. MACÁRIO CHAPEL AND MUSEUM
Beside the manor, there is a chapel built in 1840 in honor of S. Macário, used as a barn last century.
in the 17th century the owner’s children were baptised in this chapel by the archbishop.
The chapel was built in honor of S. Macario, where we can find inside an old image of this saint.
Nowadays is an archeology museum and, as well, is used for special events.
WINE AND VINEYARD MUSEUM
Here you can find an original roman press to make wine and old objects used to produce wine.
THE ALTO DAS NECESSIDADES CHAPEL
This chapel was built in 1750 to receive the important Cruz das Vendas, a beautiful gothic cross classified as a national monument, having in one of the sides the crucified Christ and in the other side has a Pietá.
THE LOCATION...
BEACHES
From the Albarquel beach until the Portinho da Arrabida beach, classified as one of the Natural Portugal’s Seven Wonders, the choice will be the less easiest due each natural beauty. Only 18 minutes away.
SADO'S RIVER ESTUARY
This big dimensions estuary is separated from the sea by the Troia peninsula, where the link to the sea is by a narrow canal.
Over 25 thousand hectares this humid region has an international relevance due its remarkable and diverse agricultural landscapes as pastures and rice fields.
The reserve has dunes covered by rare plants and bushes, sand banks a a variety of protected species.
But the major attraction are the dolphins, a specie named “roaz”, unique in Portugal, but easily seen here.
Other endangered species are the black bat and the otter, where they find their habitat here.
SETUBAL
A city by the river Sado and facing the sea. Coloured fishing boats, fisherman marked by time and weather, the agitated city that developed but kept its originality and the mountains diving into a blue transparent ocean with beautiful beaches as decoration.
Setubal has a gastronomy based in fresh fish and sea food, traditional bakery, delicious sheep cheeses and wines… from red to white and ends in a Moscatel (moscato wine).
TROIA
The Troia peninsula is a long sandy beach extension with 25 km long, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Sado River.
In the north region of Troia we can visit de roman ruins where the fish was dehydrated and salted, between the 1st and the 7th century.
Two ferry terminals make the connection between Troia and Setubal, cars and people in 25 minutes and, with some luck, you might spot some dolphins.
PALMELA
Palmela is a village visited, mainly, because its beautiful medieval castle, facing the Arrabida’s mountain and also the Sado and Tejo (Tagus) rivers estuaries. The castle gets enchanted when the night falls with all the lights on.
An important part of Palmela’s history is deeply connected to the wine production and its importance as a wine region. Since distant times that men discovered the potencial of one of the most peculiar terroirs in Portugal, where the soil and climate provides the ideal circumstances to produce wine and peculiar grapes, like the red Castelão and the whites Fernão Pires and Moscatel grape.
The wine culture in the region has a long background since 2000 b.C. by the Tartessians, a people from Tartessos, an important semi-mythical harbour city on the south coast of Iberian Peninsula, where they stablished comercial trades with other people exchanging all kind os products as wine.
But there is a belief that were the Celtics that started to plant a considerable variety of grapes, in the 7th century b.C., for wine production and, also the technics to make barrels in order store the wine to see it.
Recently, for some, Palmela is known as “The Mother Land of Wines”.
