Richard Pickering's Blog: Setúbal and São Filipe Fortress/Castle

Our first image of the Pousada

Here we are in our second and last night in Setúbal and, because we didn't think about it carefully enough, it has been a far different experience than we anticipated. (The trick with this post is that you need to read the commentary or the images will make no sense and, as always, for a larger image click the on the photos.)

You may recall from my second post this year that we learned of the wonders of Setúbal from a fellow we met through an iPad discussion at the Toronto airport. So, given that we were unable to organize a Douro river cruise, we decided that Setúbal would be our adventure this year.

Only way in to the Inn

When we mentioned it to Ana, our JMV contact, she gave it high marks as well, so we made the arrangement. And, as this would be a 3 day experience, when it came time to choose a place to stay the option of the São Filipe Pousada came up and we decided we would go all out and stay in the castle/fortress, which is what São Filipe Pousada was in the late 1500's. There were a few things, however, that we failed to take into consideration when we made all these decisions. For example, the São Filipe Pousada is situated high, and I do mean high, (about 500 meters according to the Lonely Planet book) above the city, so there would be no walking up and down from the castle to town (which by the way is a city of over 100,000 and a "suburb" of Lisboa). Secondly, the castle is a couple of Km from the downtown area so more walking than Ruth can do easily, even if there was not a substantial hill in the equation.

Turn right

Thirdly, Setúbal is a fairly large modern city, so there is really not much of interest that is easily accessible - what we had heard is that there are wonderful beaches, wonderful water vistas and the Arrabida Nature preserve is nearby and it would be a wonderful place to visit - that is if a lot of walking is possible, which it is not. In short, our iPad information source must have had a car thus able, with ease, to nip around to all these, no doubt, terrific places.

So, after seeing Drew and Julia off at 5 am on Wednesday, we left "home" at 9 am in a taxi bound for the train station, successfully navigated the ticket purchase and train ride including the unexpected transfer to another train in Pinhal Novo and arrived in Setúbal pretty much as scheduled.

Long uphill tunnel

As we arrived in the city some of the obvious problems regarding getting around in Setúbal began to dawn on us, especially when we took our taxi trip to the Pousada. But the real "piece de resistance" appeared after the drive up the long steep climb and we arrived at the Pousada! At least that is what the sign said (see first photo).

Exit from the tunnel

Is this really it? It looked a lot like it was still a 16th century fortress. There was only one way to go so, though it looked most unlikely to be the way to the place we would be staying, we pressed on. Even as we made our way along into the dimness on very rough cobblestones, and uneven steps that definitely looked like they belonged in a fortress, I remained doubtful that this was the right way to the Pousada, and, if it was, coming here was a big mistake.

This must be it

We continued on up the stairway toward the light at the end of the tunnel, as it were. When we reached the light, there it was - the sign saying "Pousada". We really were in the right place. We turned right as instructed, went up a few more rugged stone steps onto a very large organized patio or terrace

which provides an amazing view of the city,the immense Sado river harbour and the Arrabida hills and nature preserve in the distance with just a glimpse of the ocean beyond.

Spectacular! The image below is the immense Sado river harbour - more photos of the views to come.

Sado river harbour

And there was the Pousada entrance with the sign confirming that this was the São Filipe Pousada.

The Reception office was tiny and signing in was uncomplicated, facilitated by the extremely friendly and helpful staff. They had been able to "upgrade" us to a harbour/ocean view room on the 3rd floor - and as there are no elevators or escalators - more stair climbing!

Stairs to the 1st floor

It was, by now, becoming clear to us that, given Ruth's walking limitations, there would be no visits to town or elsewhere for that matter - our adventure would be a relaxing time in this extraordinary place with good food, good beds, an awesome view and major photo opportunities! We soon realized that the decision to stay at the Pousada was the best decision we had made concerning our visit to Setúbal!

Up to the 2nd floor

I know people have, for centuries, been building large and impressive structures like this huge fortress, but how they did it never ceases to amaze me. And, I have never been in such intimate prolonged contact with such a place before, so this experience makes the question even more compelling - how to amass all of the rocks and other materials and raise walls 1/2 to 1 meter thick stacked 25 or 30 meters or more high around the equivalent of a town with all the necessary inner structures with only man power, ingenuity and engineering expertise and no fossil fuel driven power equipment? Amazing!

Inn and town of Troia in the distance

The places we are permitted to go are a mix of very old, some spruced up a bit and some seemingly original modified only enough to make them safe (see comment below re safety), and some definitely 20th century. Wandering around the upper part of the fortress one finds a few openings and stairways to small enclaves beneath the stone surface that can be explored and a number of other mysterious "no entry" openings as well.

Morning on the river harbour

At the bottom of one prohibited stairway there are some very large doors, suggesting that there is a lot of space down there below the inn. We also caught a glimpse through a usually closed doorway of an extensive passageway, obviously in use, extending off the "tunnel" en-route to the inn level but well below that level. How much there is beneath the inn level, however, remains a mystery to us. It is very nice to have access to much of the old fortress at and above the inn, but I was a bit surprised at some of the upper areas where we are permitted to go, which seem to me to be potentially unsafe - for example, some lowish walls around areas quite a bit higher than the level on the other side of the wall. Even the outer walls are only about 3.5 to 4 ft. high and it's a long way down on the other side!

Lunch under the unique umbrellas
with an amazing view

The Inn itself, of course, is essentially new with traces of "spit and polished", possibly original structures - like the stone steps from the entry hall up to the first floor and possibly even some of those to the second floor. The steps to the third floor are clearly of the 1960's or later (the "conversion" to the inn began around 1965).

For us, during the roughly 2 days we spent here, there was much reading and making photos, both recording the original image and processing the raw version, writing the blog and, of course, eating, napping and sleeping.

The Pousadas (of which there are around 8 in Portugal) are, we were told, publicly owned and operated. In terms of guest rooms it is a small place - 16 rooms - so it is quiet, the staff are very friendly and quickly get to know you.

Place for breakfast and dinner

The price of the room includes breakfast, which is excellent. Lunch and dinner are available and the food is good but fairly pricey (on our first day, before we learned the ropes, we paid 42 Euros - about $60 - for lunch!) but the price of meals includes 23% tax! That's the Portuguese way - they tax luxuries (a good thing, in my view) and this place is definitely in the luxury category.

Brief history of the fortress

Now it is Friday and we have come to the end of our very interesting and enjoyable stay at Pousada de São Filipe . We will leave at noon and try to find the correct train back to Pinhal Novo where we transfer to the train to Albufeira. Wish us luck!