First Excursion: Setúbal

From World Government Student, Emilia:

On Tuesday, we went on our first excursion 45 minutes outside of Lisbon to the beautiful and quaint coast town of Setúbal. Once we arrived, we had to check out the seafood market, Mercado do Peixe, for their fresh produce, fresh fish, and fresh pastries. The majority of us ended up purchasing produce such as plums, grapes, and strawberries, as well as freshly baked pastries, such as Lisbon’s iconic Pastel de Nata. Then, we left the market to walk through the streets of Setúbal and roam through the shops. Many of us bought souvenirs for those at home, such as postcards and items made out of cork, since Portugal is the world’s largest producer of cork.

After roaming about Setúbal, we had lunch at Restaurante Rebarca, where we had fries, rice, and fried squid. Portugal’s restaurants are known for serving their entrees with a side of french fries and white rice. After lunch, we made our way to the Marina to board our dolphin watching boat. This was an excursion that lasted over two hours and aimed to watch dolphins without disrupting them. There were no loud motors, and we didn’t follow dolphins around. Rather, we stopped at different locations and watched the dolphins from a distance. For many, it was their first time dolphin watching and we were surprised to see so many. We also anchored for a few minutes and a bunch of us jumped in the ocean, which was so refreshing after a long afternoon in the sun. The boat ride also allowed for spectacular views of the city and of the mountains. After the boat ride, we boarded our bus for the 45 minute ride back home. And that is how we spent our day in Setúbal.