The municipality of Palmela (461km²) is the largest council in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. Located at the centre of the Setúbal Peninsula, between three of the most important national protected areas - the Arrábida Natural Park (ANP), the Sado Estuary Natural Reserve (RNES) and the Tagus Estuary Natural Reserve (RNET) -, the two estuaries and the mountain range, covering areas of the ANP and RNES (respectively 15.28km2 and 17.01km2).

Its fundamental biophysical structure for environmental protection and valorization cover 212km² of its territory and include, in addition to the PNA and RNES, the National Ecological Reserve, the National Agricultural Reserve, Forests and areas in classification process under the Natura 2000 network - a set of areas designed for biodiversity conservation in Europe.