Troia Roman Ruins

Tickets and tours: which to book

Nothing for the Troia ruins is sold on GetYourGuide. The site is managed in partnership with the Troia resort company, which funds excavation and runs visits. Entry is by a modest ticket on arrival, and there is no quota, but the site is only open during part of the year and on set days, so check the timetable before you cross the estuary.

Guided visits, and in summer occasional boat trips from the Troia marina along the estuary to the ruins, are offered by the site operators and are worth booking if you want the full story of the fish-salting works. On your own, follow the marked route with its panels, which explain the tanks, the baths and the burial areas.

Most visitors come from Lisbon or Setubal for a day on the peninsula, combining the ruins with the beaches and a dolphin-watching boat trip on the Sado, which is the main product sold in Setubal. Dolphin trips do not stop at the ruins, but some pass close enough to see them from the water. Day tours from Lisbon to the Arrabida coast and Setubal rarely include Troia. The sensible plan is the morning ferry from Setubal, a self-guided or guided hour at the ruins, then the afternoon on the beach.

A short history

The Romans set up fish-processing works on the Troia peninsula in the 1st century AD, exploiting the fish and salt of the Sado estuary, which made this one of the main fish-salting centres of the empire. The settlement grew to include 25 workshops, houses, baths, four cemeteries and, around AD 400, an early Christian basilica built over a disused workshop. It remained in use until the 6th century. The ruins were known in the 16th century and dug by the future Queen Maria I in the 18th century. The Lusitanian Archaeological Society excavated here from 1850, and major campaigns ran from 1948 to 1967. The site has been a National Monument since 1910 and is on Portugal's tentative UNESCO list.

Getting there

From Setubal, ferries cross the Sado estuary to the Troia peninsula throughout the day. Passenger catamarans reach the Troia marina in about 15 minutes, and car ferries land at the southern terminal in about 25 minutes. The ruins lie on the estuary shore south of the marina; by car or taxi the trip takes about ten minutes, and cyclists can follow the peninsula road. In summer, check whether a boat service from the marina to the ruins is running. Setubal is about 45 minutes from Lisbon by car or by train, and Lisbon airport is about 50 minutes away. Troia can also be reached by road from the south via Comporta, avoiding the ferry.

Rules and what to bring

Keep to the marked paths and boardwalks, and do not climb on the walls or step into the tanks, whose edges are fragile. Drones need permission. The site is flat but completely exposed, with sand and strong sun, so bring water, a hat, sunscreen and closed shoes. Mosquitoes can be a nuisance near the estuary in the evening. Facilities on site are limited, so plan meals and toilets around the Troia marina or Setubal.

When to go

The ruins open only part of the year, mainly from spring to autumn, and not every day, so check the current season and hours before you take the ferry. Within that season, come in the morning or late afternoon: the site has no shade, and in July and August the sun and the glare off the sand are strong by midday.

May, June and September are the best months, warm enough for the beach afterwards but quieter than high summer. July and August bring Lisbon families to the Troia beaches and long queues for the car ferry at weekends, so take the passenger catamaran or cross early. The ruins themselves rarely feel crowded, as most beach visitors never reach them. Allow one to two hours on site, and a full day if you add the ferry, a beach and a dolphin trip.