Sintra · Portugal
Cabo da Roca
A practical guide to Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe: how much time to give it, how to get there from Sintra or Cascais, the wind, the certificate and the parking lot scams.
As a 30-minute stop on a tour that already passes by, yes. As its own two-hour bus trip from Lisbon, it's more debatable: it's cliffs, a lighthouse and wind.
Cabo da Roca is the westernmost point of mainland Europe: a 140-meter granite headland where the Sintra hills end and the Atlantic begins, 42 km from Lisbon. There’s a stone monument with a cross, a lighthouse from 1772, a café with a shop and a lot of wind. That’s all, and that’s fine.
Our visit
We got there at 3 p.m. on a Wednesday with our Sintra tour, after Quinta da Regaleira and before heading down to Cascais along the Guincho coastal road. We had 30 minutes, which is exactly what the place asks for.
We kept it in the plan because the tour already went that way. We read a fair amount about the debate over whether it’s worth it, and the answer that convinced us was this: as a short stop on a long day, yes; as a separate trip from Lisbon, less so. We brought light jackets, which you need on the coast even in May.
A little history
The Romans called it Promontorium Magnum. To sailors from the 15th to the 17th centuries it was the “Rock of Lisbon,” the last land that Bartolomeu Dias, Vasco da Gama or Pedro Álvares Cabral saw as they set out into the Atlantic.
In 1572, Luís de Camões described it in Os Lusíadas as the place “onde a terra se acaba e o mar começa.” That line is carved on the monument, which went up in 1979.
The lighthouse was ordered by the Marquis of Pombal after the 1755 earthquake, as part of a plan for six new lighthouses on the coast. It started operating in 1772 and was the first purpose-built lighthouse in Portugal. Since the 1990s it has run automatically, and the cape is part of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park.
How it fits into your day
Cabo da Roca sits between Sintra and Cascais, so the natural thing is to fit it into a Sintra day with Quinta da Regaleira and Pena Palace. See our day in Sintra for the full schedule.
What to see, in order
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The monument with the cross
About 100 meters from the parking lot, at the tip of the cape. It carries the line by Camões: "onde a terra se acaba e o mar começa," where the land ends and the sea begins.
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The railed viewpoints
To the north, the cliffs toward Adraga beach; to the south, the coast toward Guincho and Cascais; to the west, nothing but Atlantic.
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The lighthouse
A white tower with a red dome, in operation since 1772. You can't go inside, but you can visit the courtyard.
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The sky over the cliffs
Peregrine falcons and kestrels ride the air currents along the edge.
Tips we wish we’d known
Tips
- Bring a windbreaker even if it's hot in Lisbon. At the cape it's 5 to 10 degrees cooler and gusts top 50 km/h even in May.
- Parking is free. If someone asks you for a "parking fee," it's a scam.
- Wear your backpack in front at the monument: thefts are reported there while people take photos.
- If you're staying for a meal on your own, the village of Azoia, 3 km away, has fish restaurants at fair prices. The café at the cape is expensive.
Do
- Always stay behind the wooden railings. People have died crossing them for a photo.
- Wear a hat with a chin strap or no hat at all.
- Get your jacket out before you step off the van.
Don’t
- Don't buy the certificate just because it's there: it's a printed sheet with your name and the date.
- Don't pay "official photographers" or "guides" in the parking lot: there are no such things at the cape.
- Don't book the tuk-tuk tours to the "secret sunset cliff": it's the same cape from another angle.
- Don't fly drones: they're banned in the natural park without a permit.
Frequently asked questions
How much time do you need at Cabo da Roca?
Between 15 and 30 minutes: the monument, the viewpoints and the outside of the lighthouse.
Does it cost anything to visit Cabo da Roca?
No, it's free. You only pay for the optional €11 certificate.
How do I get to Cabo da Roca by public transportation?
On the 1253 bus, which runs from Sintra to Cascais by way of the cape, every 20 or 30 minutes. It replaced the old 403 bus.
Is it worth going after Sintra?
If you're on a tour or in a car, yes, because the stop is short. If you'd have to take the bus just for this, think about it: there's no museum or anything else to do.