It is located on the Setúbal peninsula covering the municipalities of Palmela, Setúbal and Sesimbra with the highest altitude in Pico do Formosinho with 501 meters of altitude in the district of Setúbal, Central Portugal
The Arrábida Natural Park extends for 35 kilometers including several mountains and places of natural beauty such as: Serra do Louro, Serra do Risco, Serra de São Luís, Serra dos Gaiteiros, Serra Longa, Serra de São Francisco and Serra da Arrábida itself.
The Arrábida Natural Park was created on July 28, 1976 with an approximate area of 10,800 hectares, protecting the Mediterranean-type maquis vegetation born from this microclimate with similarities to Adriatic regions such as Dalmatia.
The fauna and flora are quite diverse, despite having undergone major changes since the 19th century, and until the beginning of the 20th century it was still possible to observe wolves and deer.
Currently, there has been a significant increase in the number of wild boars in Serra da Arrábida due to the absence of natural predators, which is threatening flora species protected by the natural park such as rare orchids and wild tulips.
In this space there are around 1400 plant species corresponding to 40% of the Portuguese flora and less than 1% of the country's plant area. It is also home to a very special plant, the Espichel trovisco (Euphorbia pedroi).
The Natural Park is integrated into international conservation networks, and its entire territory is classified as a Site of Special Interest for Nature Conservation - CORINE Biotope.
The natural park consists of three main axes divided into two distinct zones: Serra do Risco and Serra da Arrábida, Serra dos Gaiteiros, Serra de São Luís and Serra de São Francisco, Serra do Louro and Serra Longa.
The geographical area of Cape Espichel is also part of the park that has the Caparica coast to the north, and to the south the long beach that stretches from the Tróia peninsula to the city of Sines with panoramic views.
Cabo Espichel is located in the municipality of Sesimbra, parish of Castelo, district of Setúbal and from here we can observe the dizzying and abysmal Lagosteiros Bay.
The Arrábida natural park is exceptional for its diversity of geological processes, an example of which is the Portinho da Arrábida unconformity as testimony to the first phase of tectonic inversion of the Iberian West Margin (MOI), the El Carmen fault, the outcrop of the Figueirinha syn-sedimentary fault, the Alto da California Conglomerates and the Arrábida Brecha (unique lithological type in the world).
The main watercourses in the Arrábida Natural Park are mostly located in the eastern part between Setúbal, Palmela and the Picheleiros valley
The Ajuda stream is the highest-flowing watercourse in the Arrábida chain, resulting from the junction of the Alcube, Picheleiro and Almeirão and Pomarinho streams.
Its watershed covers the Picheleiro, Alcube and Ajuda Valleys, the W and S slopes of the S. Luís mountain range and the W slopes of Nico and Viso.
The Melres stream, the Vale de Cavalo and Mareta streams, the Corva stream, a tributary of the Livramento stream, and the Calhariz stream, a tributary of the Coina river, reach their highest flows outside the Park.
Inside the Park area, only the Ajuda stream remains current almost all year round. In a large part of the Setúbal Peninsula in which the Park is located, deep infiltration far exceeds surface runoff.
The Arrábida natural park has Mediterranean characteristics resulting in two extreme seasons: a hot and dry summer reaching temperatures close to those in tropical regions, with prolonged dry periods that can last for several months, a cold, generally humid winter interspersed with two intermediate seasons, autumn and spring.
In Arrábida, the microclimates typical of the northern and southern slopes of the mountainous area are important, the northern slope most exposed to the humid winds from the northwest is more humid and cool, the southern slope exposed to strong sunlight which gives it more dryness in the summer period, high temperatures and temperate winters.
The proximity of the sea to the Atlantic Ocean is a climatic factor of relevant importance, giving the region greater mild temperatures throughout the year.
In this protected area there is natural vegetation of great conservation importance, not only from a national but also an international point of view.
In this area, the highlights are the oak groves of Quercus faginea common throughout Arrábida on the northern slopes and valleys, the formations in the torrential watercourses with Crataegus monogyna, the notable Acer monspessulanum, the Mediterranean evergreen trees such as the olive tree (Olea europaea) and carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua) in the south-facing valleys.
The evergreen trees with a possible transition of duri silva-laurisilvae with sizes reaching 15 m and in stages more balanced by Quercus coccifera, Phillyrea latifolia and including Smilax aspera, the hemi-fruticeti formations very localized on the sea cliffs between Capes Espichel and D''Ares characterized by the presence of Euphorbia pedroi and Withania frutescens, traces of laurisilvae on the sea cliffs near Cape Espichel.
The Arrábida Natural Park was created on July 28, 1976 with an approximate area of 10,800 hectares, protecting the Mediterranean-type maquis vegetation born from this microclimate with similarities to Adriatic regions such as Dalmatia.
The fauna and flora are quite diverse, despite having undergone major changes since the 19th century, and until the beginning of the 20th century it was still possible to observe wolves and deer.
Currently, there has been a significant increase in the number of wild boars in Serra da Arrábida due to the absence of natural predators, which is threatening flora species protected by the natural park such as rare orchids and wild tulips.
In this space there are around 1400 plant species corresponding to 40% of the Portuguese flora and less than 1% of the country's plant area. It is also home to a very special plant, the Espichel trovisco (Euphorbia pedroi).
The Natural Park is integrated into international conservation networks, and its entire territory is classified as a Site of Special Interest for Nature Conservation - CORINE Biotope.
The natural park consists of three main axes divided into two distinct zones: Serra do Risco and Serra da Arrábida, Serra dos Gaiteiros, Serra de São Luís and Serra de São Francisco, Serra do Louro and Serra Longa.
The geographical area of Cape Espichel is also part of the park that has the Caparica coast to the north, and to the south the long beach that stretches from the Tróia peninsula to the city of Sines with panoramic views.
Cabo Espichel is located in the municipality of Sesimbra, parish of Castelo, district of Setúbal and from here we can observe the dizzying and abysmal Lagosteiros Bay.
The Arrábida natural park is exceptional for its diversity of geological processes, an example of which is the Portinho da Arrábida unconformity as testimony to the first phase of tectonic inversion of the Iberian West Margin (MOI), the El Carmen fault, the outcrop of the Figueirinha syn-sedimentary fault, the Alto da California Conglomerates and the Arrábida Brecha (unique lithological type in the world).
The main watercourses in the Arrábida Natural Park are mostly located in the eastern part between Setúbal, Palmela and the Picheleiros valley
The Ajuda stream is the highest-flowing watercourse in the Arrábida chain, resulting from the junction of the Alcube, Picheleiro and Almeirão and Pomarinho streams.
Its watershed covers the Picheleiro, Alcube and Ajuda Valleys, the W and S slopes of the S. Luís mountain range and the W slopes of Nico and Viso.
The Melres stream, the Vale de Cavalo and Mareta streams, the Corva stream, a tributary of the Livramento stream, and the Calhariz stream, a tributary of the Coina river, reach their highest flows outside the Park.
Inside the Park area, only the Ajuda stream remains current almost all year round. In a large part of the Setúbal Peninsula in which the Park is located, deep infiltration far exceeds surface runoff.
The Arrábida natural park has Mediterranean characteristics resulting in two extreme seasons: a hot and dry summer reaching temperatures close to those in tropical regions, with prolonged dry periods that can last for several months, a cold, generally humid winter interspersed with two intermediate seasons, autumn and spring.
In Arrábida, the microclimates typical of the northern and southern slopes of the mountainous area are important, the northern slope most exposed to the humid winds from the northwest is more humid and cool, the southern slope exposed to strong sunlight which gives it more dryness in the summer period, high temperatures and temperate winters.
The proximity of the sea to the Atlantic Ocean is a climatic factor of relevant importance, giving the region greater mild temperatures throughout the year.
In this protected area there is natural vegetation of great conservation importance, not only from a national but also an international point of view.
In this area, the highlights are the oak groves of Quercus faginea common throughout Arrábida on the northern slopes and valleys, the formations in the torrential watercourses with Crataegus monogyna, the notable Acer monspessulanum, the Mediterranean evergreen trees such as the olive tree (Olea europaea) and carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua) in the south-facing valleys.
The evergreen trees with a possible transition of duri silva-laurisilvae with sizes reaching 15 m and in stages more balanced by Quercus coccifera, Phillyrea latifolia and including Smilax aspera, the hemi-fruticeti formations very localized on the sea cliffs between Capes Espichel and D''Ares characterized by the presence of Euphorbia pedroi and Withania frutescens, traces of laurisilvae on the sea cliffs near Cape Espichel.
