West of Sintra the land runs out at Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe, and the coast south from there to Cascais is a run of cliffs, dunes and one enormous beach.
Cabo da Roca
A lighthouse on a cliff nearly 150 metres above the Atlantic, with a marker and a certificate you can buy inside. It is exposed and often windy; the point itself is a quick stop, but the cliff walks north and south are the reason to linger.
Praia do Guincho
A vast Atlantic beach backed by dunes and the Serra de Sintra, a serious surf and windsurf spot and a regular stop on the world kitesurf circuit. Beautiful, wild, cold and usually windy — a place to walk as much as to swim. Seafood restaurants at the north end.
Good to know
- Best done as a loop with Sintra or Cascais — there is a bus from both, or drive the coast road
- Cabo da Roca has a café and a small shop, and not much else
- The Guincho wind is real — a windbreak and a warm layer help even in summer
- The cliff paths are unfenced; keep back from the edge