Location: Setubal, Lisbon and Tagus Valley Region

The Pousada de Setubal - Sao Filipe, a fortress built in the 17th century by King Philip II of Spain (Philip I of Portuga), has a breathtaking view over the River Sado estuary. Setubal, one of Portugal 's main ports, also offers beautiful walks within the historic centre and surroundings, such as Sado river beaches or the Arrabida montain range.

Accommodation: The Pousada has 16 rooms: 1 Suite with sea view, 7 double rooms with sea view, 5 double rooms located in the former cells and 3 double rooms with view to the castle. All the rooms are equipped with air conditioning, mini-bar, telephone, cable TV, hair drier, safe, bathing gowns, landscape surroundings.

Pousada History: Sao Filipe's historical Pousada was installed at the fort with the same name, and built in the late XVI century. It rises in a beautiful recess of the river Sado, in its mouth, between the port of Setubal and the narrow peninsula of Troia. Through a passage that crosses the thick walls of the fort, you can travel the totality of the rampart and appreciate the panoramic mountains of Arrabida, the estuary of Sado and the Atlantic. The construction of the fort is due to Filipe I from Portugal and II of Spain. The beginning of the works date 1582 and it had as purpose to defend the setubalense's borough, through the control of the bar's entrance where the fort of Outao, with origin in the century XIV, represented the main piece. The plan of the construction works were trusted at once to Filipe Terzi, an Italian architect. Following the beginnings of the military architecture of that time, where the artillery had an increasingly important role in the war arts, the Fort of S. Filipe presents a starry form, of six points in that the walls form some very sharpened vertexes. This defence line is surrounded by a ditch. On the side turned to land arises a second wall, external to the first and the ditch. Another defence work, in rectangular form, long and with bulwarks, enlarge upon to the sea. This was for sure to veil an important technical deficiency, the lack of effectiveness to reach the ships that passed on the river. The entrance to the Pousada is made by a discreet door, strategically opened in a reserved corner in the base of the fortress. The national shield with its five edges sculpted in the stone, representing our crusades is the only ornamental element of the castle porch. Although there are no signs of a ditch with water outlining the construction, there are lines of a previous existence of a movable bridge. The ramp of 40 worn-out steps, inside of a high and arched tunnel, gives access to the Pousada. In the middle of the flight of stairs stands a room that now is used as a meeting room. Four hundred years ago it was the entrance of the prison. On arriving at the top of the stairs, on the left side, you will find the private chapel of the fort, ordered to be built by D.Manuel in 1736. In the interior, it presents a coating of tiles of the 18th century which were the walls and the vaulted ceiling. There are also a group of figurative panels with representation of scenes of the life of the Virgin, in the chapel-mor area, while in the lateral walls episodes of the life of S.Filipe are evoked, signed and dated by one of the great Portuguese masters, Policarpo de Oliveira Bernardes. Passed the church, we arrive at the front esplanade of the fort. The landscape is magnificent, the glance gets lost in the immense blue lake of the Setubal bay, in the riverside zone of the city, in the wonderful beaches of the peninsula of Troia and in the exuberant Mountain of Arrabida. The Pousada was inaugurated in 1965. In its interior, what jumps to the view, are the small runners and vaults, allowing us to retreat in time and visualize the life of the troops in the entangled tunnels and compartments. Today, everything is adapted to receive the tourists and the decoration has been adapted to the place. Some pieces of furniture in the corridors are part of the furniture that was left behind over the years. Some rooms are located in the old cells of the fort, for this reason, the dimensions are not very big but the excellent use and the good taste in the decoration of the rooms provide a pleasant stay. For those who like history, you can ask the Pousada manager for a visit to the underground galleries that are wonderful. It is worthwhile even to go inside the depths of the catacombs and with some imagination we can go back centuries in time, and we almost feel the guards' steps in the dark corridors and hear the wailings of prisoners. Certain rusticity truly gives the Pousada a relaxed atmosphere, seasoned with appropriate, simple and sober decoration. In summer, you can enjoy the nights of the Castle, with a programme that includes a dinner buffet, a craft exhibition and a lot of animation, such as "fado" and fireworks. Outside of the Pousada, it is worthwhile to travel through the Natural Park of Arrabida, to try the waters of Portinho of Arrabida, the cheese and wines of Azeitao or to visit Cabo Espichel.

Banquets & Other Events: The restaurant has the capacity for 60/65 people, having also a marvellous view over Setubal and Sado. In summer, the events can take place in the esplanade, where the capacity goes up to 150/200 people. In the Pousada, there are also the Castle Nights.