Easy hikes and walks around Azeitão (Azeitão (Azeitão (São Lourenço e São Simão) e São Simão) e São Simão)

Built in the 19th century, the house was restored in 1923 by the Swiss architect Ernesto Korrodi. The visit to the museum begins with a brief explanation of the company's history, followed by a guided tour of the old wine cellars – and, of course, you can also participate in a tasting at the end.

The archaeological site consists of a Roman industrial complex for the production of fish salting. It included a factory, a bathhouse, and warehouses. The factory building was built in the third quarter of the 1st century and underwent renovations at the end of the same century, increasing the number of tanks. It remained in operation until the 4th and 5th centuries. The salting tanks, where the fish (sardines and mackerel) were marinated in salt, have opus signinum-coated bottoms and walls. For hygiene reasons, sharp edges were avoided during their construction, opting instead for "half-round" edges. The bathhouse had hot baths (caldarium) and cold baths (frigidarium), contemporary with the operation of the fish salting factory.

Beautiful house

The chapel was probably built in the 17th or perhaps 18th century, as a place of Christian worship that, most likely, succeeded other previous cults, namely those related to water or even initiation rites linked to the idea of the rebirth of the soul.

Lapa de Santa Margarida is a natural grout at the base of Arrábida Mountain, where a small altar was erected. The access is done by a narrow path, with over 200 steps, until the sea level. Inside there is a Christian altar with some images and candles. The image of Saint Margaret was initially in this chapel, thus having given her name to this place.

The Bunch of Grapes is a work of art... Azeitão, in the district of Setúbal, is only about 40 kilometres from the capital, following the national road 10. Made up of small, beautiful villages, it is a perfect place to choose as a weekend itinerary. In fact, I recommend that you visit Azeitão on the second weekend of the month, when on Sundays, the crafts fair takes place in the central square of Vila Nogueira. And my suggestion is to start your itinerary on a Saturday morning. Start in Vila Nogueira de Azeitão at Praça da República, known here as Rossio, where you can admire the statue in the shape of a huge bunch of grapes that acts as a fountain and reminds us that we are in a land of wines, the Palace of the Dukes of Aveiro, and the statue of the poet and teacher Sebastião da Gama.

During the tour, you will have the opportunity to discover the origins of Azeitão, a town located in the heart of the Arrábida Natural Park. The name Azeitão, of Arabic origin (azzeittum), refers to the vast olive groves that once covered the region. Its origins date back to the Middle Ages and, over the centuries, agriculture, especially viticulture and olive cultivation, shaped the landscape that still characterises the region today, with farms and small settlements that maintain these traditions. Azeitão gained renown from the 15th century onwards, when it became one of the favourite places of the Portuguese nobility, being shaded by the majestic Serra da Arrábida. The route begins and ends in Vila Nogueira de Azeitão and passes through several historic villages, including Aldeia Rica, Oleiros, Aldeia de Irmãos, Piedade, Portela, São Pedro, Casais da Serra and Picheleiros, always under the imposing presence of the Serra and its traditional paths.

José Maria da Fonseca is a family-owned Portuguese wine producer that was established in 1834. The estate takes its name from its founder, José Maria da Fonseca, and is known for its broad portfolio of table and fortified wines from around the country, in regions such as Setúbal Peninsula, Alentejo, Douro, Dão and the Vinho Verde zone.