Pick Up Your New Volkswagen Scirocco
in Setúbal, Portugal
 VW Scirocco fans, rejoice. You now have the perfect excuse to travel to
Portugal. You can’t purchase the Scirocco in the United States yet, but you can
get it at VW AutoEuropa outside Setúbal, Portugal.
 Setúbal, located on the northern
bank of the Sado river estuary about 26 miles south of Portugal's capital city,
Lisbon, is an intriguing blend of history and nature. To the west and south of
Setúbal is the Reserva Natural do Estuário do Sado, a nature reserve park with
vast stretches of mud flats, lagoons, small forests of pine trees and its own
colony  of dolphins who’ve chosen the deep blue swimming-pool of the Sado Estuary
as the setting for their own jumping and diving competitions. To the west of the
town is the quaint Portinho da Arrábida, a large cove type beach facing south
and protected from the north winds by a high slope. Half way up this slope is a
solitary 16th Century Franciscan Monastery enjoying one of the most beautifully
restful views in Europe. Close to the beach is a small 17th Century Fort that
houses a small Sea and Marine Biology Centre. Rising up from the seashore,
Arrábida Park is a striking coastal landscape. Guided walks or mountain biking
are just two of the ways of exploring this rare example of an unsullied
Mediterranean landscape and vegetation.
In the city, you can enjoy a unique Roman relic, the ancient
tanks on the Travessa de Frei Gaspar that were used for fish processing. From
the first to the fifth centuries, a Roman favorite, garum, or fish paste, was
produced here.
 Looming above the city is the
Fortaleza de São Filipe (Fort of St. Philip), no longer hosting cannons but a
modern Pousada hotel. The 16th century fort was constructed to defend the port
from passing marauders. Situated at the mouth of the River Sado, and with the
mountains of Serra da Arrábida as a backdrop, it overlooks the scenic beaches of
the Troia Peninsula
Down below, in the Largo de Jesus, is the city's most striking
monument, the Convent and Church of Jesus. Built in the 15th century, the Igreja
de Jesus is a remarkable Gothic church with its interior columns carved in
Arrábida pink stone from the nearby quarry. The church is a blend of the unique
Portuguese style of architectural ornamentation, known as Manueline, which
incorporates maritime elements and discoveries.
 The 16th Century Cathedral Santa Maria da Graça opens a window
on beautiful azulejo tiles from the 18th Century. Museu de Setúbal is to be
found in the Mosterio de Jesus with a wealth of religious relics and paintings.
The Museu de Arqueológia e Etnográfia has a varied and interesting collection of
items discovered in the immediate region, from Bronze Age pots to the processing
of cork.
Edited by Ellen Schofield
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