Cabo da Roca

Cabo da Roca is the westernmost point of mainland Europe, about 42 km west of Lisbon in Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. Here the cliffs plunge more than 100 m to the Atlantic. A monument topped by a stone cross bears the line by the poet Luís de Camões, "Onde a terra se acaba e o mar começa" – "where the land ends and the sea begins". The lighthouse first shone in 1772 and was the first purpose-built new lighthouse in Portugal; its light stands 165 m above the sea.

The cape is usually very windy, so bring a warm jacket even in summer. Most visitors crowd around the lighthouse, but it quickly gets quieter on the clifftop paths. In sturdy shoes, a steep dirt path heading north takes you to Praia da Ursa beach in about 40 minutes. Without a car, bus 403 gets here from Sintra station in about 20 minutes.