Found in the district of Setubal is the municipality of Sines. The Municipality is spread over a total of over two hundred square kilometres of seafront land. It is located on the center of the Alentejo coast and is within the St Vincent and Southwest Alentejo Coast Natural Park. The town is a Mediterranean climate greatly influenced by the ebb and flow of the ocean. The highest temperature at the hottest month is nearly 21 degrees centigrade and at its coldest, it reaches 11 degrees centigrade. Its topographical features is a coastal plain with the Cape of Sines and the Cercal Mountains making it perfect as a getaway under the sun.
Sines has long been an established settlement throughout history. The area was called home at some time by Celts and the Carthaginians. During the Roman era, the town was called Sinus or bay in Latin. The town of Sines together with Pessegueiro Island had become the center of fish salting and shipping in the region. Originally, it was a small fishing hamlet until Dom Pedro I granted the charter to become a town in 1362 mainly due to its strategic location on the coast. At this time, in return for the grant of autonomy, the town authorities built the Castle. This castle is the single biggest monument in the history of Sines.
Another important historical figure that hails from Sines is the famed explorer Vasco Da Gama, the national hero of Portugal. The future discoverer was born in the town of Sines in 1469 and upon his return from India, Da Gama was given feudal rights over all of Sines. Two other important historic sons of Sines are the painter Emmerico Nunes, the painter and Al Berto, the poet.
The center of the town is the Parish Church dedicated to St Salvador, the Patron saint. There are also dedicated statues of religious significance to Our Lady of Salas for Sines and the Our Lady of Soledade for Porto Covo. Aside from these religious structures, there are many important historic edifices about the town. The Sines Castle is at the top of the list, followed by the Church of Our Lady of Salas and the Mother Church. For culture and arts, the focal building is the Sines Art Center.
The biggest attractions in Sines are its beaches that are white sandy shores with pristine waters. The biggest one is Porto Covo, a picturesque village with the most well preserved beaches as it forms part of the Sudoeste Alentejano and Costa Vincentina Natural Parks. The northern parts of the beaches are the Pessegueiro Island, the Sancha Lagoon, Ribeira dos Moinhos, Morgavel and Junqueira beaches. The main beaches have round the clock services with excellent facilities. The most popular tourist beaches include the Morgavel, the Vale Figueiros, the Grande of Porto Covo, the Ilha de Pessagueiro and the Torpes. The Praia Grande is one of the widest and most easily accessible. All throughout the area, there are many small coves and beaches with fine white sand and clear blue waters. The beaches are often separated by large rocks that create a wall for some exclusivity and intimacy. These areas are named as Vierinha, Oliverinha, Foz, Samouquiera, Burrinho, Espingardeiro, Pequena and Buzios are but some of the small but picturesque inlets you can relax in peace and in quiet. One of the most exclusive beaches, the Praia do Salto is a naturist beach and one of the few ones allowed in Portugal.
The beaches of Sines do not only provide entertainment value, but there are other reasons for the beauty and value of these seashores. One of these is the Praia Vasco da Gama as it is one of the most hallowed historic beaches of Sines. The beach has an adjoining Fishing Harbour, this strip of sand has become part of the very fabric of the municipality, as it has become witness to the marauding attacks of pirates to historic send-offs of galleons during the Age of Discovery. Another beach of historic and this time religious significance is the Praia de Sao Torpes. Legend has been told that the lifeless body of the martyr was found resting on the sands of the beach during the first century of the Christian era. The Praia Ilha do Pessegueiro was used as a refugee harbour by the Carthaginians as well as the Romans before going up the coast of Alentejo.
After a day at the beach, one will certainly be famished. Another way to enjoy the great offerings of Sines is in the cuisine of the area. Most if not all of the dishes in the Sines region have seafood as the main ingredient or mix seafood. The fresh bounty of the sea is often part of the culinary delights of inland Alentejo, such as Migas or fried breadcrumb with fried fish, beans with whelks, limpet rice, whelk and roe salad and so much more.
Further inland the Rua Candido dos Reis and the Rua Teofilo Braga are the shopping streets of the town. Another important historical edifice is the Largo dos Penedos, a watchtower built as an early warning system against invaders and/or marauders. It is also the highest vantage point in the town. On Rua Vasco da Gama, the home where the national hero of Portugal was born is located, making the town seeped in both history and culture. The town’s church is home to many religious artefacts that has gained both great spiritual and historic importance in Sines.
As the modern world comes into Sines, many projects in the region have been geared towards creating an economic support system to expand developmental aims in the region. The primary project is the large marina along a long breakwater together with a deep-sea port and industrial platform. There are also many construction projects in the energy industry and commercial shipping.
Sines has experienced a long and historic love affair with the sea. From its establishment to its economy, the sea is part and parcel in its every day life. It is home to the national hero of Portugal as well as many other lovers of the sea. In Sines, life is truly a beach.