Sport Fishing From Sesimbra: Two Private Boat Trips Compared

For most parties of up to six, book the 4-hour sport fishing trip: it costs €100 per person, is rated 4.9 from 10 reviews and includes the boat with crew, rods, bait, an instructor and life jackets. If you want a cabin boat to yourselves, the 5-hour private boat costs €700 for the group, and it is the only one of the two that says the fishing licence is included.

What fishing from Sesimbra is like

Both operators describe the same idea: a private boat out of Sesimbra, fishing in the sea off the Arrábida Natural Park, a crew that helps beginners, and fish you can take home. Both say the water is calm all year because the Serra da Arrábida shelters it from the north-west wind. That is the operators’ claim, not a measurement, and the sea still decides the day. One of the two pages names the likely catch: snappers, breams “and more”.

Nobody can promise a catch, and neither page does. What the pages sell is a day on a boat with someone who knows the spots.

The two trips side by side

	Sport fishing, 4 hours	Private sport fishing, 5 hours
Price	€100 per person	€700 per group (listed for up to 6)
Group size	listed as up to 8 in one place, up to 10 in another	text says up to 10, with a maximum of 6 fishing sets
Reviews	4.9 · 10	4.8 · 10
Meets at	Porto de Abrigo de Sesimbra	Avenida dos Náufragos, Sesimbra
Licence	not mentioned	included, for up to 6 people

The 4-hour trip. Run by an operator whose page lists a safety briefing of 10 minutes and then nearly 4 hours of fishing off the park. The page lists the boat rental with crew, rods, gear and accessories, bait, a fishing instructor and life jackets. It asks you to bring weather-appropriate clothes that can get dirty. Two 2026 reviewers describe it as friendly: one took an 11-year-old son on his first fishing trip, in a group of 4 with a lot of information about the fish and the environment; another called it kid-friendly and took the fish home to cook. The page does not say anything about a fishing licence, so ask before you pay.

The 5-hour private boat. The page describes a 32-foot cabin boat with a living area, toilets and a lower deck, twin engines and electronics including fish finders, and lists the safety gear. It includes rods and tackle for 6 people, bait, a fishing coach, life vests, water and a welcome drink of local Moscatel wine, plus a mandatory fishing licence for up to 6 people. It does not allow glass, bare feet or lighting a fire, and it asks you to bring a passport or ID. The page text says groups of up to 10, but the equipment and licence cover 6, so ask how many people can actually fish. It carries a “wheelchair accessible” label; given the boat and the swell, have that confirmed in writing before you go.

The licence question

Recreational fishing in Portugal is in general subject to a licence, with exceptions such as hand gathering and children under 16 who are with a licence holder, according to a Portuguese government page on recreational fishing. Whether a tour operator’s boat covers its customers is a question for the operator. Only the 5-hour page says it does, in plain words. For the 4-hour trip, ask whether the licence is included before you book; this is the one detail that could cost you extra.

Price per head

If the 4-hour price is per person, four people pay €400 and six pay €600. The private boat costs €700 whatever the number, which is about €117 each for six and €87.50 each for eight, but the equipment and licence it lists cover six. So for up to six the 4-hour trip is the cheaper one, and the boat only pays off for a bigger party if the operator confirms that more people can fish. The boat also gives you an hour more on the water.

Who should skip it

Both pages list people with pre-existing medical conditions as not suitable. Seasickness is a real risk on a small boat in swell; if you or the children are prone to it, speak to a pharmacist or doctor before the trip and do not try it on the day. If fishing is not for everyone in your party, a dolphin watching trip is the gentler way onto the same water. Both pages show free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.

Which should you pick?

• Two to six people, a first fishing trip: the €100 trip, with a question about the licence.
• You want a private cabin boat with the licence and a drink included: the €700 boat.
• Not sure about fishing, but want the coast: a boat trip, see our boat tours from Sesimbra and the private tours page.

If you only book one, make it the €100 sport fishing trip and ask about the licence first.