Tróia () is a
peninsula
A peninsula is a landform that extends from a mainland and is only connected to land on one side. Peninsulas exist on each continent. The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula.
Etymology
The word ''peninsula'' derives , . T ...
located in
Grândola Municipality (parish of ),
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
, next to the
Sado River estuary
An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime enviro ...
. Tourism is the peninsula's main economic activity due to its long beaches facing the
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
. There is a
ferry boat
A ferry is a boat or ship that transports passengers, and occasionally vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A small passenger ferry with multiple stops, like those in Venice, Italy, is sometimes referred to as a water taxi or water bus.
...
connection between the peninsula and the city of
Setúbal
Setúbal ( , , ; ), officially the City of Setúbal (), is a city and a municipality in Portugal. The population of the entire municipality in 2014 was 118,166, occupying an area of . The city itself had 89,303 inhabitants in 2001. It lies withi ...
. Tróia has important archaeological sites dating from the time when the peninsula was an island called ''Acalá'', settled by the
Romans.
Getting there
There are two ferries; one, a catamaran, carries only foot passengers from Setúbal to the point nearest the mainland; the other carries cars, bikes etc. to a point some 4 km south-east. It is located 45 minutes from
Lisbon
Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
.
Main attractions
The peninsula has a casino, many hotels, some restaurants, a swimming pool and white sand beaches facing the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
. Here visitors can also find Roman ruins and the Porto Palafítico da carrasqueira.
Beaches in Troia
The beaches nearest to Setúbal are busy during summer months, especially at weekends. Raised walkways link these beaches to the harbour and marina areas, protecting the vulnerable dune flora. There are small cafés on the beaches and larger ones around the marina near the foot-passenger ferry.
There are beaches both facing the Atlantic (west) as well as the Sado River (east).
Marina of Troia
In the Marina of Troia, it is possible to board a boat and watch the dolphins that are present in the area. In the summer visitors can dive and swim with these animals.
Roman ruins
The
Roman ruins of Tróia are a place that was occupied until the 6th century. Here the ancient people took advantage of the abundance of fish and salt in this area. Nowadays it is possible to observe the ruins of the thermal baths with the rooms for hot and cold baths, the houses with 2 floors and necropolis of several kinds of graves.
Porto palafítico
The Porto palafítico is a unique harbor that was built in the 20th century. Resting on wood pillars driven into the mud, this harbor seems to move from the margin and moving inside the river.
The sea around the Tróia peninsula is also home to a school of bottlenose dolphins; boats from the marina and from Setúbal offer ½-day trips for dolphin-sighting.
References
Troia Portugal
{{DEFAULTSORT:Troia Peninsula
Seaside resorts in Portugal
Peninsulas of Portugal
Grândola