We’ve been making it a point to get to know the cities that are within a 30-minute drive from Lisbon. Sa far, we’ve visited Setúbal, Cascais, Meco, Mafra, Quinta do Anjo, and Ericeira. Our latest recon mission was over to Seixal. It’s a quiet and quaint fishing town just 27 minutes from Lisboa by car. It made for a fantastic day trip and while it may be a bit too quiet for those of you looking for entertainment, it was perfect for a day out with our dog. Here are the things we loved about Seixal.
Things to do in Seixal
Walk or Bike the Waterfront
Seixal’s waterside walk is so incredibly pleasant. It’s wide and picturesque and there are no cars, so it is quite safe if you have little ones or if you want to give your dog a little freedom. You could also rent a bike for a fantastic ride.
Eat
There are plenty of restaurants in this little town. Most are seafood driven, but there are a few like Miyagi and Mundet Factory that stand out from the rest.
Learn About Portugal’s Communism
As an American, it is still shocking to see communism and I’ve been learning plenty about Communism in Portugal. If you want to get a taste of this part of Portuguese culture, there’s no place better than Seixal. It’s been Communist for over 20 years. Make sure to schedule your trip around the Avante festival. It’s named after the newspaper for the Communist community in Portugal (that was a mouthful). This year it takes place in September and it will be spread out between Seixal, Amora, and Atalaial. There’s music, food, and political agenda.
Check out Jazz Fest
If you’re a music lover, then you need to schedule your trip around the Seixal Jazz Festival which takes place in October.
Go in June for the Festas Populares
If you love food and music, you’ll love this festival. It takes place between June 27-July 3.
Enjoy Nature
Seixal’s bay is a national ecological reserve. That means there’s plenty of nature to enjoy. There is great biodiversity here.
Getting To Seixal from Lisbon
You can get to Seixal by car or you can take the ferry from Cais do Sodre. The ride there will cost you €2.35 and you can use your Via Viagem card to pay for the ticket. However, the card can only be used for the ferry, so you can’t use it on the metro after. If you don’t already have a Via Viagem card, it will cost you €0.50. You can get information on the schedule for the Cais do Sodre to Seixal ferry here.
Note – The ferry is not truly at the Cais do Sodre station, it is a few steps away.
Hi, we’re interested in travelling on the ferry between Lisbon and Seixal. Do you know if we will be able to take our dog on the ferry with us? thank you. An interesting read.
Hi Chris,
Nice to meet you. The answer is yes, you can take your dog on the ferry from Lisbon to Seixal, but there are a few stipulations:
Your dog must be well behaved and not disturb passengers.
The dogs must be clean and must be vaccinated.
You can only take 1 dog per passenger.
Small dogs (11 lbs or smaller) don’t need to pay. If your dog is heavier, they pay for a ticket (1,25€ last I checked).
Dogs must be on a leash.
Dogs cannot use seats.
Hope that helps! Have a great time with your pup in Seixal.
Blanca