Cabo de São Vicente – The Cape of Saint Vincent near Sagres marks the most southwestern tip of continental Europe. It’s an incredibly beautiful and dramatic area to explore, and one of the top day trips to make in the Algarve. The area holds a special place within Portuguese history, and blends legends and history with some of the most impressive scenery you’ll find in the Algarve.
Cape St. Vincent is tied to its location on the sea, a dramatic area of tall cliffs that has mystified the local population for perhaps millennia. During the Portuguese era it would become closely tied to the voyages of Henry the Navigator and the Age of Discovery. In this guide, we’ll explore the history, the local legends, and the best places for you to experience the natural beauty of the area.
The History of Cape Saint Vincent
It’s safe to say that for centuries if not millennia the stunning landscape has mystified the local population. Cape St. Vincent has been regarded as sacred ground since at least the Neolithic times, as evidenced by the large stone menhirs in the surrounding area. The area was also described by the ancient Greeks who called it Ophiussa (The Land of Serpents) it was inhabited by the Oestriminis who built a temple dedicated to Heracles.
The area also appears on Roman maps, named as Promontorium Sacrum (or the Holy Promontory), and is described by Strabo in his grand Geography. It’s around this time that it becomes known to be the ‘end of the known world’ and a magical if not fearsome place.
Cabo de São Vicente – Saint Vincent of Saragossa
Some time after the 4th century, the cape gets its current name – Cabo de São Vicente. When the remains of Saint Vincent (Vincent of Saragossa) were brought ashore and placed into a small shrine. Legends state that the remains of Saint Vincent were protected by a flock of ravens who then accompanied his remains to Portugal.
During the Moorish period the shrine was even named after those ravens, ‘Kanīsah al-Ghurāb’ (Temple of the Raven). In 1173, King Afonso had the remains exhumed and brought to Lisbon, the legend continuing that those Ravens would accompany the ship and the Saint’s relics to Lisbon. The ship and the ravens are to this day featured on the coat of arms of Lisbon.
A small Franciscan Monastery was built at the cape in the 16th century where his remains supposedly had been, but this was destroyed in 1846 and the first of the famous lighthouses was constructed.
The Coastline and Scenery of Cabo de São Vicente
The area around around Cabo de São Vicente is made up of sheer cliffs around 80m high, with occasional bays found in between them. Although there are coastal paths the utmost care and attention should be made. As a stern reminder of how dangerous the area can be, at the top of one such cliff is the memorial of someone that fell from the cliff in 2001.
The Convent and Fortress of Saint Vincent
In 1260, King Afonso ordered the construction of a small lodge to be used by pilgrims visiting the tomb. In the 14th century, the complex would be expanded becoming a convent that was known as Convento do Corvo (Convent of the Crow). The convent was continually expanded until around the 16th century, when a lighthouse was also constructed.
Due to the convent’s precarious position and focal point on the coast, it was subject to multiple attacks. From both North African pirates and even Lutheran pirates, so around 1516 a fortress known as Fortaleza de São Vicente was constructed to protect it. The fortress was connected by a long reinforced wall to the nearby Fortaleza de Belixe. However, that fortress and lighthouse would not last long, as it was soon destroyed by the English privateer Francis Drake in 1587.
Lighthouse of Saint Vincent – Farol de São Vicente
The area became uninhabited and left in ruins and would only be rebuilt and refortified in 1606 on the orders of King Phillip of Spain. The more modern lighthouse we see today was built in 1897 when it was raised 6m to its current 28m height, replacing the smaller one constructed in 1846. In 1906 it was recorded that the lighthouse had a range of 33 miles.
Visiting the Fortress and Lighthouse Today
Unfortunately, you can no longer visit inside the fortress area and base of the lighthouse. As of 2025 the area remains indefinitely closed. However the main reason to visit the area is for the ‘end of the known world’ experience of the vastness of the ocean and shear cliffs. You can still get this experience without viewing the inner courtyard of the fortress and lighthouse.
How to Get to Cape Saint Vincent
There is a large free car park right outside the fortress, and one of the best ways to explore this area is by car. You’ll come across so many smaller places to stop and take in the views, like Belixe Fortress or the famous ceramic shop – Artesanato a Mó.
However, you can also visit this Cape Saint Vincent by bus directly from Lagos. The no.47 bus departs the central bus station in Lagos almost hourly and makes stops in the town of Sagres, the outside of Sagres, Praia do Beliche and the lighthouse. Full timetables can be found on the Vamus website.
As of 2024, there are three daily buses from Lagos to Cabo S. Vicente on weekdays at 10:00, 13:45 and 15:15. On Saturdays and Sundays at 10:00, 12:30, and 15:15. Return trips from Cabo de São Vicente to Lagos are available 11:45, 15:50, and 16:50 on weekdays, and 11:45, 13:45 and 16:50 on weekends. The timetable should be checked before making your journey!
Hello,
We are Australians currently in Algarve. We would like to visit Farol do Cabo de São Vicente, but the Google map says it is currently closed. Are you able to confirm if it is accessible to visit? We are here until April 28, 2024
Hello, the inside is currently closed for maintenance but as far as I’m aware there’s no official reopening date. You can still park in the car park and view the structure from the outside! The views are far better from outside of the lighthouse and fortress anyway!