About Alcochete

Alcochete is a municipality in Setúbal District, Portugal. The population in 2011 was 15,023, in an area of 38.99 km². It is located on the south bank of the River Tagus, opposite Lisbon, and is part of the Greater Lisbon subregion. The name Alcochete comes from the Arabic القشاة (al-qušayṭa), meaning "the little castle". The present mayor is Luís Bernardos, elected by the Socialist Party. The municipal holiday is 1 June. The municipality is famous for its bull-fighting tradition, practised in the Praça de Toiros do Campo Pequeno, a bullring located in Lisbon. In addition, Alcochete is known for its summer fair (Feira de Santo António), which is the biggest and most popular fair in Portugal, and for its wine production. The municipality contains several small islands in the River Tagus, the largest being the Isle of Alcochete. The municipality is crossed by the A12 toll motorway (Lusoponte Bridge) and comprises part of the Vasco da Gama Bridge network.