Quinta do Conde

Quinta do Conde is a town and civil parish (freguesia) in the municipality of Sesimbra, Portugal, in the northeastern part of the municipality on the Setúbal Peninsula. It is not a historic old town with narrow lanes but a modern settlement with an unusual story. It is worth knowing if you are curious about how contemporary towns take shape in Portugal.

Where is Quinta do Conde?

The town lies in the municipality of Sesimbra, in the central part of the Setúbal Peninsula, south of the Tagus estuary and Lisbon. Its coordinates are roughly 38.56° N, 9.05° W. The parish covers 14.22 square kilometres.

Where does the name come from, and what is its history?

The land has deep roots. In the early 13th century the Monastery of S. Vicente began acquiring estates here, with the oldest record dating to 1224. In 1573 the Counts of Atouguia leased the property known as Quinta do Conde, meaning "the count's estate". That is where the town takes its name.

How did the modern town come about?

Quinta do Conde owes its present form to the early 1970s. Rural land was illegally subdivided and the lots sold, and the new owners built their own homes. Behind this was a severe housing crisis affecting the whole country. In 1985 the area became a parish, and ten years later it was raised to the rank of town (vila).

How many people live in Quinta do Conde?

In 2011 the parish had 25,606 residents. Local sources today give about thirty thousand, making it the most populous parish in the Sesimbra municipality. Its population growth has been among the fastest in Portugal.

What is there to see and do?

This is not a classic tourist destination with a list of monuments, but the town has well-developed public facilities. These include:

• the Municipal Market (Mercado Municipal),
• a gymnastics pavilion,
• the Boa Água Amphitheatre,
• the Town Park (Parque da Vila),
• the Quinta do Peru Golf & Country Club for golf enthusiasts.

It works well as a base: it sits in the middle of the peninsula, close to Sesimbra and Setúbal. It suits a quiet overnight stay away from the busiest resorts, and it suits travellers who want to see everyday life in modern Portugal.

Frequently asked questions

Is Quinta do Conde a town or a parish? Both. It is a parish (freguesia) created in 1985, and the settlement was granted town status ten years later.

Which municipality is it in? Sesimbra, on the Setúbal Peninsula.

How many people live there? 25,606 in 2011, and about 30,000 today.

Can you play golf nearby? Yes, the Quinta do Peru Golf & Country Club operates in the area.

Where does the name come from? From the estate (quinta) of the Counts of Atouguia, which they leased in 1573.