Mainland – Lisbon / Cascais / Arrábida

About Mainland – Lisbon / Cascais / Arrábida

This central region pairs the limestone walls of Arrábida Marine Park with the historic wrecks of Sesimbra and the cliffs of Cascais. Pedra do Meio, Gorgónia and Cova do Frade hold dense gorgonians and groupers, while wrecks like the Nossa Senhora do Rosário galleon and the Atlântico tug tell Portugal’s maritime story. Berlengas, a UNESCO biosphere, caps it with spectacular caves. This region rewards careful planning and respects marine-protection rules, offering rewarding diving for a range of Atlantic experience levels. This region rewards careful planning and respects Portuguese marine-protection rules, offering rewarding diving for a range of Atlantic experience levels. This region rewards careful planning and respects Portuguese marine-protection rules, offering rewarding diving for a range of Atlantic experience levels.

Highlights

• ✓Arrábida Marine Park: limestone walls, gorgonians and the Cova do Frade cave.
• ✓Sesimbra wrecks: the Rosário galleon, Vapor de Sesimbra and Atlântico tug.
• ✓Berlengas: a UNESCO biosphere with the Gruta Azul blue-light cave.
• ✓Boca do Inferno: underwater cliffs, caves and arches at Cascais.
• ✓Ciclone wreck: a small patrol boat good for night dives and seahorses.

Getting There

Fly into Lisbon (LIS); dive from Sesimbra, Setúbal (Arrábida), Cascais and Peniche/Berlengas, all within 1-1.5 hours by car or boat.