Cabo da roca portugal. Cape Roca is the westernmost point of Europe
Why Cape Roca, Portugal - there is a lighthouse on a 140-meter cliff marking the westernmost point Eurasian continent and here “the land ends and the sea begins.”
From beautiful Sintra we were on our way to Lisbon, where we had already booked an apartment. Having had a good breakfast in the morning, packed our bags, we left unusual place. The keys were left on the nightstand, and the door was simply slammed.
Sintra - Cape Roca.
The plans developed back home included a visit to Cape Roca, Cabo da Roca in Portuguese.
Being in Sintra or moving towards Lisbon from Sintra and not visiting this iconic place is tantamount to “being by the water and not getting drunk.” Therefore, without hesitation, I drove our car there.
The road from Sintra to the cape is very picturesque, because our path ran through the Serra de Sintra - a narrow dangerous road with sharp turns, passing through dense forest, then through the gardens and vineyards, then through the valley. The distance was not great, only 18 kilometers, but it flew by quickly.
Cape Roca on the map.
Cape Rock.
The signs had already told us where to go for a long time. Next to the lighthouse there is a large free parking lot guarded by police. There are also several tourist buses nearby.
All paths lead to the memorial cross, which is the starting point.
The westernmost point of Europe.
Attached to the monument is a plaque indicating the GPS coordinates of the cape with the words of the Portuguese poet Luis Camões - “This is the place where the land ends and the sea begins.”
Also engraved on the stone is a reminder that you are at the westernmost tip of Europe - just in case you suddenly forget why you were going.
Here I advise you to listen to the words of the poet about the fact that the earth ends, because behind these flimsy wooden railings a chasm up to 140 meters high.
Photo Cape Roca.
Unfortunately, the Polish family did not listen to these words. During their photo shoot on August 9, 2014, they climbed over the fence and, unable to stay on the edge of the precipice, fell down. All this happened in front of their two small children.
A lot of terrible secrets there is at the cape. And this is not the first tragedy associated with a photo shoot on it. A young Mexican decided to photograph himself for social networks against the backdrop of the cape with a pistol in his hands, but did not take into account that the pistol was loaded.
There are also legends around the cape. One by one, a child disappeared in a village not far from the cape. The grief-stricken mother lost all hope, thinking that the boy had fallen off a cliff. After several days of searching, the boy was found alive on the ocean shore in a cave. When asked how the boy escaped, he replied that when he was falling from a cliff, some woman picked him up and carried him into the cave. For several days this woman went to him and brought him food. To praise God, the villagers gathered in the church. And then, lo and behold, the boy in the image of the Virgin Mary recognized this woman. According to legend, this cave is located somewhere here.
From the ocean side (water excursions are constantly taking place along the coast), 150 meters from the shore there is a stunning view of the cape (according to eyewitnesses). It’s difficult for us to judge this, but one thing is that the Romans called the cape “Great”, and the sailors of the times geographical discoveries- “Lisbon”, makes this cape special.
Historical records indicate that as early as the 16th century there was a fort on this site, which served as an important defensive bridgehead on the approach to Lisbon. All that remains of the fort is the lighthouse, which still serves as a landmark for the transportation of goods in this area.
It was very hot and the weather was not conducive to a long walk. We turned back to the parking lot.
On the territory of the cape there is a restaurant, a souvenir shop and an information center, where for those who like all sorts of things there, you can get a certificate with a real seal as proof of visiting the cape (I don’t remember the exact price, around 15 euros). We were content with our photos as evidence.)))
Cape Roca in Portugal is the westernmost point of continental Europe, the place where the mainland ends and the vast expanses of the Atlantic stretch further to America. Like many other “extreme” points of the continents, Cape Roca is a place of mass tourist pilgrimage, and like many other “very-most” (for example,) - its “extreme” is quite conditional. Thus, until 1979, Cape Finisterre in Spain was considered the westernmost point of Europe. Plus, if we talk not only about continental Europe, but also about the islands, then there are a lot of places more western than Cape Roca (for example, the west coast of Ireland and other places). Nevertheless, Cape Roca is truly an incredibly beautiful place and its romance is fully felt. This is the place where Europe ends, and if you find yourself here in the evening, you can catch yourself thinking that you are the last European who sees the sun: darkness has already fallen on other places, and you are catching the last rays of the sunset...
Getting to Cape Roca from Lisbon is easy - half an hour by train to Sintra, and there, to Cabo da Roca, bus 403 runs every half hour. This bus runs between Sintra and Cascais and stops directly at the cape on the way.
2. The Atlantic coast here is incredibly picturesque!
8. A memorial sign was installed directly on the cape. This site is always incredibly crowded.
10. There is also a functioning lighthouse here.
12. Cape Roca is a place of mass tourist pilgrimage, but as soon as you step a little to the side, you find yourself completely alone in the middle of absolutely stunning protected places. There are inconspicuous paths along the slopes of the surrounding hills, which are a pleasure to walk along. One on one with magnificent nature, rocks and ocean.
19. Having walked a couple of kilometers from Cape Roca through the hills, I came across a secluded wild beach surrounded by rocks. The descent over the rocks to the ocean is not easy, but it is worth it!
21. Half an hour of acrobatics on the stones - and we are at the goal!
23. The waves in the ocean are very high and powerful - you need to swim with caution. The water in the ocean, by the way, is cool and all year round almost the same temperature - in summer 18-19 degrees, and in winter - 16-17. Considering that the air heats up to almost 40 in summer, swimming in such water is extremely pleasant. Invigorates and refreshes. :))
24. After swimming, we will take a walk with a camera along the shore of this wild bay. Rocks of the most bizarre shapes and outlines, ocean waves, splashes, sand.... Incredibly beautiful!
You can talk for a long time and enthusiastically about the beauty of this place, but in my opinion this is completely useless - you need to visit here and see with your own eyes. I want to tell you about my experience of traveling independently to Cape Rock by public transport - train + bus.
First you need to take the train to Sintra or Cascais. Trains to Sintra depart from Lisbon from Oriente and Rossio stations, to Cascais - Cais do Sodré every 10 minutes, less frequently in the off-season. The current schedule can be viewed on the website railways Portugal. [link] Each of these stations is located next to metro stations, so getting to them is not a problem. You can buy a train ticket at the ticket office or use the Lisbon Viva viagem travel card.
I used a ticket using the Zapping system - the ticket itself costs 0.5 euros, then you just need to put the required amount of 3 euros or more on it. When paying for travel using the Zapping system, each trip costs 5 percent less. In order for the fare to be counted, you need to attach the ticket to the validator, and the remaining amount in the account appears on the screen. In the metro and railway stations where turnstiles are installed, you need to show your ticket when entering and exiting (check-in and check-out). At stations where there are no turnstiles, there are validators on the platforms. For some reason, I was only able to top up my card at the machines at metro stations.
Getting to Cape Roca from Cascais is a little faster and cheaper, but before the trip I could not find information about where the bus stop in Cascais was in the direction I needed, so I went through Sintra.
The stop of bus 403, which takes you to the westernmost point of Europe, is located to the left of the station building. The bulk of those leaving the train will go to the right, but don’t let this bother you - there is a stop for buses heading to the attractions of Sintra.
If you find yourself at a stop all alone and see a bus standing with closed doors, no need to knock on the door trying to attract the driver's attention. He will open the doors only 5 minutes before departure, or earlier if he sees that there are a lot of passengers. The ticket costs 4.15 euros one way (from Cascais - 3.30 euros), payment is accepted by the driver, and only in cash. Lisbon passes are not valid here.
Unfortunately, my hopes of looking through the window at the sights of Sintra were not justified. But those views that come off are also good. The bus goes fast, and the road is such that I was a little dizzy (although, perhaps, it was solely a property of my body). 40 minutes and you are there (about 25 minutes from Cascais).
Cape Roca (Portugal) is the westernmost point of Eurasia. This place is covered in legends about courageous sailors who, during the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries, left the Portuguese rocky shores in the hope of reaching the New World and discovering previously unexplored continents. We invite you to take a trip to the ends of the world!
General information
Cape Roca (in Portuguese sounds like Cabo da Roca) is located 18 km from the city of Sintra - in national park Sintra-Cascais. Over its centuries-old history, this place changed its name several times, but most often it was called Cape Lisbon, since it is located 40 km from the capital of the country. Also, the Portuguese Cape Roca is known as “the end of the Earth”.
For many centuries, the cape and its surrounding cities have been symbols of travelers and traders who set off on long voyages. However, the year 1755 came, and the earthquake, which went down in history as the Great Lisbon, destroyed most of Portugal, including buildings near the cape. Prime Minister Marquis de Pombal, who at that time led the restoration work, ordered the construction of 4 lighthouses on the west coast, since 2 old ones (at the monastery of St. Francis and near the northern coast of Porto) were not up to the task.
One of the first (in 1772) to be built was the famous lighthouse of Cabo da Roca, located on the cape. It reaches a height of 22 meters and rises above sea level by 143 m.
At night, thanks to special prisms, the light of the lighthouse was visible from many tens of kilometers away and all sailors immediately recognized this structure - the light of the lamps was almost white, while in other lighthouses it was more yellow. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the lighthouse lamps were oil-based, and then became electric, the power of which today is 3000 W.
As before, there is a caretaker at the lighthouse who monitors the operation of light mechanisms and other equipment. There are 52 lighthouses in Portugal, but only four have keepers: Aveiro, the Berlengas archipelago and Santa Marte. An interesting fact is that all structures of this kind in Portugal are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry navy, which means everyone who works for them is a government employee.
Today, Cabo da Roca is a popular tourist destination that invariably attracts travelers from all over the world. Most foreign visitors come here in July and August. By the way, the Cabo da Roca lighthouse is ready to receive tourists for free, from 14 to 17 hours.
How to get to the cape from Lisbon
The transport network in Portugal is very well developed, so you can get from Lisbon to Cape Roca at almost any time of the day. There are two most popular routes.
The journey must begin from the Cais de Sodre station in Lisbon, where the railway station of the same name is located. From here, trains and electric trains depart every 30 minutes to the city of Cascais (you need to take any of them and get off at the final station of the route).
Next, go to the nearest bus stop (go down the only underground passage and exit on the other side), and take the 403 bus going to Sintra. You need to get to the Cabo da Roca stop (this is exactly half of the bus route). This is the end of the journey! You have traveled from Lisbon to Cape Roca.
The ticket price will be 5.5 €. And the travel time will be 1 hour 15 minutes.
There is a second, easier way to get to the Portuguese Cape Roca from Lisbon. However, this option will cost a little more.
At any Lisbon kiosk or tourist office you can purchase the Ask me Lisboa card, which includes free admission to the most famous attractions in and around the Portuguese capital. This card will eliminate the need to book anything and stand in long lines. However, it has a significant disadvantage - you will be forced to follow a schedule and will not be able to spend much time in Cabo Roca.
Cape Roca or Cabo da Roca is the edge of Europe, and if you are in Portugal, you should definitely visit the westernmost point of continental Europe.
Cape Roca is an important landmark for sailors. Until the end of the 14th century, all Europeans considered the edge of the earth, after which the vast ocean begins. Indeed, you might think so, especially when you see the raging waters of the Atlantic Ocean, huge waves hitting the rocks and fountains of spray flying onto the small walking paths along the coast.
Cape Roca is amazing and after visiting here, in one of the many souvenir shops you can purchase a certificate certifying that its owner has been to the “end of the Earth”:
The cliffs hang 150 meters above the ocean, and from this point you can enjoy panoramic views to the coastline and the Serra de Sintra mountain range.
Historical writings say that in the sixteenth century there was a fort on this site that played important role in protecting the sea approaches to Lisbon, forming a protective coastline. All that remains of the fort today are some ruins and a lighthouse. The lighthouse, however, has already been modernized, and it still serves for ships sailing in these waters.
The cape is part of the Sintra-Cascais Nature Reserve, which represents greatest interest for tourists visiting these places.
Cape Roca on the map
The excursion itself does not last long, because here on the cape there is only a lighthouse, rocks, and souvenir shops. On average, the excursion route takes one hour - this includes a visit to the lighthouse and several observation platforms to explore Cape Roca. After that, another hour for souvenirs and warm drinks (tea, coffee) at the nearest coffee shop.
How to get to Cape Roca?
Cape Roca is located 18 kilometers west of the city of Sintra and 40 kilometers from Lisbon. The simplest and quick way to get to Cabo Rock is to rent a car.
If you are going to Portugal to see Cape Roca, then you need to get or less.
Food prices on the Iberian Peninsula are approximately the same, you can compare them with.
And if you like these interesting places, then you probably won’t give up extreme sports either -
Also from the city of Sintra goes public transport— 403 bus, the fare for which costs 4 euros, and the journey takes 40 minutes. The bus runs every hour in both directions from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. But the schedule is not regular, but depends on the time of year, so it is better to check on the spot.
A taxi can be taken for 35 euros, and the travel time will take approximately 25 minutes, so if you have a group of four people, then there is a reason to take a taxi and travel in comfort.
- The first lighthouse on this site was built in 1772, but the current lighthouse has stood since 1842, and its 1000-watt light can be seen 46 kilometers away;
- This part of the coast has very few plants that grow inland in Portugal. This is due to the fact that constant strong winds they carry salt with them from the ocean, which kills many plants;
- The cape is marked by a stone monument with a cross on top. The inscription on the monument is a quote from the famous Portuguese poet Luis Camões (1524-1580): "Where the land ends and the sea begins".
Pedestal with a quote carved on it
Portugal, once the most influential empire in the world, has already lost its former greatness, but this place has retained it. In those ancient times, during the era of great geographical discoveries, ships set sail from the coast of Portugal into unknown distances, and the last thing they saw was Cabo Roca or the end of the earth.
