Cabo da Roca

Cabo da Roca is the end of the continent. On this headland in the Sintra hills, between Sintra and Cascais, the land of mainland Europe runs out and drops about 140 metres to the Atlantic, and nothing lies to the west but ocean all the way to the Americas. Portugal's national poet, Luís Vaz de Camões, described the place in his epic The Lusiads as where the land ends and the sea begins, and those words are carved on the stone monument, topped with a cross, that marks the cape. Around it the landscape is wild and open: cliffs of granite and limestone streaked with ochre, hardy coastal scrub and wildflowers clinging to the slopes, and waves breaking white far below. The cape lies within the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, and on clear days the views run along the coast in both directions, south towards the beaches of Guincho and Cascais and north towards the coves around Azenhas do Mar. Just inland stands the lighthouse, built in 1772 and still guiding ships along the coast, its red lantern a favourite subject for photographers. There is a small tourist office with a shop and a café nearby. It costs nothing to visit, but the experience depends heavily on the weather. The cape is famously changeable: brilliant sunshine one hour, thick fog and a howling wind the next, and it is almost always much cooler and windier than Lisbon. Fog has its own drama, but if you have come for the view, keep an eye on the forecast.

Why go: few places give such a physical sense of geography. Standing by the monument with the wind in your face, you are looking out from the edge of Europe across the ocean that the Portuguese navigators set out to conquer, and the connection to the Age of Discoveries stories told in Belém feels very direct. It is also simply beautiful, especially in the late afternoon and at sunset, when the low sun turns the cliffs and sea gold.

Working the visit: most people spend thirty minutes to an hour, walking out to the monument and along the fenced clifftop paths. Stay behind the barriers: the cliff edges are unstable, the drops are sheer and the wind can be violent. Bring a warm layer even in summer. Keen walkers can follow coastal trails in the natural park, including a path down towards the secluded Praia da Ursa, one of the most beautiful beaches in the region, though the descent is steep and suitable only for confident hikers with proper shoes; it is not a swimming beach for the faint-hearted either. The café and shop by the tourist office are useful but simple.

Getting there: Cabo da Roca is best reached by car, taxi or tour, and many Sintra and Cascais day tours include it. Local buses link the cape with both Sintra and Cascais, so you can build a loop by public transport: train to Sintra, bus to the cape, bus to Cascais and train back to Lisbon, though it takes a full day and bus frequencies are limited. Sunset visits are popular, so expect company and allow time for the return journey in the dark.