The North African Moors, mainly originating from Morocco, occupied southern and central Portugal from 8th until 12th/13th centuries. It was they who first built a fortress above the picturesque fishing village of Sesimbra in the 10th century.
In 1165 troops believed to have been led by King Afonso Henriques, with the help of Frankish Crusaders captured the castle, which was later re-built and underwent significant works of restoration in the early 20th century.
Today visitors can reach the castle via an exhilarating hike ascending 230 metres from...
Set among the pine covered hills of the Serra da Arrabida this complex of 16th century building was originally a Franciscan monastery. The site covers around 25 hectares and contains a number of buildings, shrines and woodland.
Founded in 1542 by a Castilian monk, Friar Martinho de Santa Maria, the convent was built on land owned by the Duke of Aveiro - D. João de Lencastre. This particular site was chosen not only for its lovely views over the Arrabida Hills but because it was where a vision of the Virgin Mary riding a...
The Serra da Arrábida Natural Park (Parque Natural da Arrábida) covers an area of over 100 square kilometres and is only about a 30 minute drive south from the capital city of Lisbon. It was given protected status as a national park in 1976 to preserve its natural beauty. Whilst the park and its beaches are popular with day trippers from the city, few tourists are aware of its existence. The landscape was once used as a backdrop to the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service during the scene when Bond’s newlywed wife is killed in a drive-by shooting. The...
The gardens at Quinta da Bacalhôa in Setúbal were first laid out in the sixteenth-century during the Renaissance period. Fully-restored to their former glory in the 1930s, today the gardens continue to demonstrate the fashionable styles of the period. These are typified by neat knot-gardens of box wood and shaped topiary bushes rather than the free-form naturalistic design that became common in later centuries.
Evoking the grand gardens of Italy in form, it is also dotted with stone fountains, statues and pavilions that draw the eye. The gardens are open from 10am – 5pm, Monday to...
There's been a lighthouse to warn ships of the treacherous waters around Cape Espichel since 1430. The fully automated structure that we see today was built in 1730 and rises 32 metres above ground level and the tall cliffs of the cape. It is said to be visible for almost 40 kilometres out to sea and emits a loud siren when conditions are foggy.
The oldest part of the lighthouse is the white, hexagonal tower, the buildings surrounding it being much later additions.
The lighthouse is occasionally open to tours on Wednesday...
The cape of Cabo Espichel is a windswept, rocky headland at the south-western tip of the land across the Tejo, around 40 kilometres south of Lisbon. This is a wild, desolate spot, where giant waves crash against sheer, towering cliffs. It is a place to appreciate the raw beauty of nature and is often a great place to come to watch the sunset, although visitors need to beware of the dangerous drops and the powerful gusts of wind.
There has been a lighthouse at Cabo Espichel since the 15th century, and today a...
This picturesque fishing port lies about 40 km due south of Lisbon and is situated nestled at the foot of the hills of Arrabida and inside a sparkling blue bay, protecting it from cold northerly winds. Since the...
Albufeira
Cascais
