Cabo de São Vicente

Cabo de São Vicente (Cape St Vincent) is the south-westernmost point of Portugal and of mainland Europe. The cliffs drop almost vertically some 75 metres to the Atlantic. The 24-metre lighthouse was built in 1846 on the remains of a Franciscan convent, and its light can be seen up to 60 kilometres away. The cape was regarded as sacred as far back as antiquity: the Greeks called it Ophiussa, the Romans Promontorium Sacrum.

It is named after the martyr Vincent of Saragossa, whose remains were, according to tradition, taken to Lisbon in 1173. Between 1337 and 1833 several naval battles were fought here, including the British victories over Spanish fleets in 1780 and 1797. Birds such as Bonelli's eagle and the peregrine falcon nest on the cliffs. The exposed headland can be windy, so a windproof jacket is sensible. Many visitors come for sunset; allow some extra time and arrive early.