Odemira

Odemira is a coastal town in Baixo Alentejo, Portugal. The municipality includes the small seaside village of Zambujeira do Mar. It has some fine sandy beaches and picture perfect traditional architecture, making it a small but well loved destination for visitors. Zambujeira's coast is part of the Nature Park of the Southwest Alentejo.

Understand

The town's beach on a quiet day

Zambujeira do Mar

Odemira (/ɔ.dɨ.ˈmi.ɾɐ/, aw-d(ih)-MEE-ruh) has just over 20,000 residents (2011). With an area of 1,720.60 km² (664.33 sq mi), it's Portugal's largest municipality.

In 2011, Zambujeira was home to about 900 people. The coast of Zambujeira is included within the Nature Park of the Southwest Alentejo and St. Vincent Coast (Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina), covering the various folding clifftops and small beaches/coves of the coast. In addition to the central coastal beach of Zambujeira, the beaches of Alteirinhos, Nossa Senhora, Arquinha and Tonel are geologically significant, as well as attracting summer tourists and vacationers.

The principal activity in the village is tourism, although agriculture, cattle breeding and fishing are common activities for the industrial sectors of the economy. There are four ports along the coast that shelter the fishery ships in the area called Entradas da Barca. By the last half of the 20th century, rural tourism began to punctuate some of the areas of the parish, concentrated on providing quality leisure services associated with rural/farm activities.

Visitor information

• 1 Posto de Turismo de Odemira, Avenida Poole da Costa, ☏ +351 283 320 986, turismo.odemira@cm-odemira.pt. Tu–Sa 10:00–13:00 & 14:00–18:00, closed Su M. (updated Jun 2021)
• 2 Posto de Turismo da Zambujeira do Mar, Rua da Escola, Zambujeira do Mar, ☏ +351 283 961 144, turismo.zambujeira@cm-odemira.pt. Tu–Sa 10:00–13:00 & 14:00–18:00, closed Su M. (updated Jun 2021)

Additional tourist offices can be found at Almograve, Santa Clara-a-Velha, and Vila Nova de Milfontes.

Get in

Zambujeira do Mar is about 6 km (3.7 mi) from São Teotónio and twice as far from Odemira town.

Intercity bus service is available from Rede Expressos and Rodoviária do Tejo.

• 1 Santa Clara-Saboia Train Station. PDF timetable. Alfa Pendular and Intercity trains from Faro, Lisbon, and Porto. (updated Jun 2021)
• 2 Gare Rodoviária do Alentejo - Odemira, Estrada da Circunvalação. Connecting Lisboa, Setubal São Teotónio and Sines. (updated Jan 2024)

Get around

If you're staying in the village, it's easy enough to walk around. If you're staying further of, e.g. in one of the many "rural tourism" holiday houses out of town, you could opt for a taxi. You can usually find one at the entrance of the beach, where the main street ends.

See

Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Mar

The town has some charming traditional buildings. Among the most notable ones are the fountains of Amores and Santa Catarina.

• 1 Capela de Nossa Senhora do Mar, Zambujeira do Mar. Small, whitewashed chapel. (updated Jul 2021)

Do

There are several festivals worth visiting in summer:

• Festival Sudoeste. One of the largest music festivals in the country, Sudoeste lasts five days and features three stages, on which artist from different musical styles perform simultaneously. The festival receives many well-known international artists. It has been organized since 1997 and usually takes place in August. 
• Religious festivals. August is also the time for religious festivals in town. 

Beaches

• 1 Zambujeira do Mar. One of the best known and most frequented beaches in the region and one of its main business cards. Protected by high cliffs, it is at the mouth of a watercourse, next to the town. At the south end where a chapel was erected, dangerous currents are formed that can drag the most unsuspecting. Very popular for bodyboarding.  
• 2 Alteirinhos Beach. This sandy beach protected by a high cliff. During low tide you can appreciate all its originality: the small coves widen, forming a huge beach sprinkled with rocks, pools and ponds, full of limpets, mussels and shrimp. The rock that stretches across the sea (Lajão) is one of the region's favourite fishing grounds. Access: follow the dirt road south of Zambujeira do Mar beach. At the top of the cliff, next to the pines, turn towards the coast. Then go down the existing wooden steps.  
• 3 Nossa Senhora Beach. At the northern exit of Zambujeira, on the dunes in front of the last houses, a staircase on the cliff leads to this short, sandy beach. 
• 4 Tonel Beach. Inlet set in a high cliff, the descent to the beach is made by a steep trail. The rocky wall and the walk to the beach are impressive - the beach is at the foot, crushed by the stone blocks. From the top of the cliff, next to the cable of the Penduradoiro, there is one of the most beautiful landscapes in the region. Access: follow the dirt road that begins on the municipal road between Cabo Sardão and Zambujeira do Mar, next to the Herdade do Touril hill. 
• 5 Praia de Odeceixe Mar. A scenic beach which combines with a river (used like kind of a natural water slide). The river also creates nice tiny pools/lagoons in the sand, perfect for little children.  

Eat

• 1 Marisqueira Costa Alentejana, Rua Mira Mar 8, Zambujeira do Mar, ☏ +351 969 434 870. Daily 12:00–22:30. Seafood restaurant. Mid-range. (updated Jun 2021)
• 2 Tasca do Bernardo, Avenida do Comércio 6, Boavista dos Pinheiros, ☏ +351 927 011 299. Tu–Su 12:00–16:00 & 19:00–00:00, closed M. Mid-range. (updated Jun 2021)

Sleep

• 1 Herdade do Amarelo, Estrada Nacional 532 km 7, ☏ +351 930 520 706, info@herdadedoamarelo.pt. Check-in: 16:00, check-out: 12:00. Four-star, 12-room set among nature with a spa and two swimming pools. €151-207. (updated Jun 2021)
• 2 Hostel Nature, Rua 25 de Abril 9, Zambujeira do Mar, ☏ +351 960 001 720. It's pretty casual and easy-going, and you can get a massage here as well. $45. (updated May 2021)
• 3 Santa Clara Country Hotel, Barragem de Santa Clara, Santa Clara-a-Velha, ☏ +351 283 882 250, geral@santaclaracountryhotel.com. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Three-star, 19-room hotel. Its peacefulness is ideal for shooting, fishing, water sports or even for a rest in perfect harmony with nature. This nature hotel is very close to the Natural Park and Costa Vicentina, where the beaches are very appreciated and known. €63-117. 
• 4 Residencial Rita, Estrada da Circunvalação, ☏ +351 283 322 531, geral@residencial-rita.com. 100 meter from the bus station and little more to city center. (updated Jan 2024)