Santo André: Lagoons, Nature and Coast

Santo André brings together nature and coastal attractions with culture and local cuisine. The lagoons, Praia da Costa de Santo André, the Igreja Paroquial and eel dishes offer different highlights to consider when planning your trip. If you’re looking for a hotel, you can start by thinking about whether birdwatching, walks, water sports, sacred art or regional dishes will shape your trip.

Lagoons, Habitats and Birdwatching

The Santo André and Sancha Lagoons Nature Reserve includes Lagoa de Santo André. At about 500 hectares, it is the largest lagoon on the Alentejo coast. Fresh and brackish water shape a variety of aquatic and waterside ecosystems there. The landscape thus combines open water with habitats along the shores.

Late summer through early autumn is a good time for birdwatching. Birdwatching at Lagoa de Santo André is also part of the visitor programme at the Centro de Interpretação das Lagoas de Santo André e Sancha. The centre is located in Monte do Paio; its exhibitions cover the protected area’s fauna, flora, geology, landscape, history and natural features. It is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Check the opening hours and visitor programme before your visit.

Walking is possible within the protected area. The Salgueiral da Galiza trail is also located there; conditions may vary by season. If you plan to take this trail, take the time of year into account.

Praia da Costa de Santo André

Praia da Costa de Santo André lies within the nature reserve, next to Lagoa de Santo André. The beach is lapped by both the Atlantic and the lagoon’s calm waters. Conditions on the lagoon side are suitable for windsurfing and canoeing. There is a car park at the beach; check that this service is available again before you travel.

Here, the beach and lagoon are right next to each other, but the water sports are specifically associated with the lagoon side. This distinction is useful if you want to combine the coast with activities on the calmer lagoon waters when planning your trip.

Church History and Local Traditions

The Igreja Paroquial de Santo André preserves two distinct traces of its cultural history. The surviving portal of the baptistery of the Igreja Paroquial de Santo André is Late Gothic and dates from the late 15th or early 16th century. The church also contains a folk ex-voto associated with fishing: a wooden miniature boat with wooden fishermen and a net. The portal and the votive boat tell different stories about the history of the place and its connection to fishing.

S. Romão is associated with 9 August on the Costa de Santo André. If you would like to plan your trip around this date, check the specific festival arrangements in advance.

Eel Dishes and Festival Tradition

Traditional dishes served by restaurants on the Costa de Santo André include eel stews, eel caldeiradas and fried eel. Check availability before your trip. The 2025 edition of the Festival da Enguia marked its tenth edition. That year, nine restaurants in the Freguesia de Santo André took part: A Cascalheira, Cantinho dos Sabores, Chez Daniel, Dom Lucas, Faz-te Esperto, Figo Doce, Giz na Praia, Mesa da Vila, and Ti Lena Restaurante & Casa do Gin.

At the 2025 Festival da Enguia, eel was served as caldeirada, ensopado, from the cataplana, as escabeche, and fried or grilled. This dated festival example adds other preparation methods to the traditional restaurant cuisine. It gives you a concrete impression of the culinary variety surrounding eel, without implying a current event date.

Discover more destinations: Cercal, Alvalade, Deixa-O-Resto, Vale de Água, São Domingos, Ermidas do Sado, Aldeia do Cano, São Francisco da Serra.

For the broader travel overview: Santiago Do Cacém.