Travelers in Portugal never get bored - here the picturesque nature serves as a wonderful backdrop for ancient fortresses, castles and monasteries. But tourists, like a magnet, are attracted by the westernmost point of Europe. That is why everyone is striving for Cape Roca - the coast where Eurasia ends and the endless mysterious ocean begins.
How can a tourist get to Cape Roca?
Getting to the unique cape is quite simple. Regular buses run from Lisbon, Sintra and Cascais, in addition, you can use the services of car rental companies. A trip to Cape Roca, whose coordinates are 38°47'N, 9°30'W, will help you understand why so many navigators were so eager to find out what lies beyond the horizon. Here you get the feeling that under your feet is the last piece of land, and then only the sea surface.
Different eras - different names for the area
At a time when Europeans made a great breakthrough in the study of geography, the westernmost point of Europe was calledcape of Lisbon. And before that, the ancient Romans designated this place as Promontorium Magnum (if translated, it will turn out "Great Cape"). In Portuguese, the name of the geographical point is Cabo da Roca.
History and geography
The Portuguese themselves call this place the Cape of Destiny. Maybe because Portugal influenced the fate of many parts of the world? And all the sailors were met and seen off by Cape Roca, on which the light of the lighthouse was burning.
The times when significant geographical discoveries were made brought the country to the very top. At this time, Portugal, as the largest maritime power, dominated the water. It was the Portuguese pioneers who created the map of the world as we see it today. For a long time, Portugal was a great metropolis, whose colonies stretched from the Western Hemisphere to the Great Wall of China. Gold and silver rivers, valuable spices and expensive fabrics flowed into the country from all sides. All this replenished the treasury of the kingdom and strengthened its position. The kingdom owned most of the islands in the Atlantic. Portugal owned the Azores and Madeira. Portuguese was spoken in South Africa and most of Latin America. But things are changing, and today the language is preserved only in Brazil.
End or not end?
It was not immediately possible to correctly determine that the westernmost point of Europe is in Portugal. This only happened in 1979. Until that time, it was believed that Cape Finisterre, which is located inSpain. Actually, in translation, the name of this cape means "end of the earth." And here, too, guests are welcomed with pleasure.
What to see during the tour?
It's good that we do not live in dark times and do not expect to look beyond the "end of the earth" to see three elephants standing on a huge turtle. People go to Cape Roca to admire the majestic ocean, to feel its strength and power. Here, any problems recede into the background, only delight and admiration for the power of nature that created the earth and seas remains. The cape itself is a rock rising 140 m above sea level. It is almost impossible to go down to the ocean from the cliff, but tourists find detour routes. Many go to the lighthouse, pass along the fence and turn off along barely visible paths. It will take a long time to walk, the descents and ascents will be difficult. But the result of the walk is the ocean at the very feet.
On the cape, you can see the stele-monument, installed in 1979, after confirming that Cape Roca is the westernmost point of Europe. A line from a poem by a Portuguese poet and the exact geographical coordinates of the place are engraved on the stele.
Guests are not allowed into the territory of the operating lighthouse. Probably because the desire to touch everything with your hands and take something as a souvenir is inherent in tourists from all countries.
The Cape has its own post office. From here you can send postcards with a unique stamp to friends and acquaintances. And there is also a tourist center, but simply a souvenir shop. In herfor about 5 euros they sell certificates proving that you had the westernmost point of Europe under your feet. The certificate is issued upon presentation of a passport and must be registered in the ledger. It is stylized antique and fastened with wax seal ribbons.
The most impressive sights are sunset and sunrise over the ocean. To see this beauty, many tourists book rooms at a local hotel.
Important reminder
Even if you decide to visit Cape Roca in the hot summer, be sure to take a jacket or a warm jacket. The wind is always blowing here and fogs often fall. This feature of the weather was reflected even in the surrounding landscape. There is no tall vegetation on the cape, only grasses and succulents. The cape is part of the territory of the Sintra-Cascais security park, so you should not collect flowers and beautiful plants - you can earn a fine.
