Monuments to visit Portugal

Mount Santa Luzia dominates the city. On top of this mountain is the Basilica of Santa Lucia, a big grey neo-Byzantine cake from the beginning of the century which looks like the Sacred Heart of Montmartre, only smaller. Beautiful road to reach it, intimate and lined with pines and eucalyptus, a delight of smells and visions! The panorama is superb, with Viana do Castelo but especially in the distance and so close at the same time, the ocean and the sandy beaches. Access possible on foot, by car or by cable car.

Perched atop its cliff, it seems to mark the end of a world. By rushing into it, we have a vague impression of leaving the planet earth for an unknown universe. Initially built in the 15th century, redesigned according to Vauban's constructions in the 18th century, it was disfigured in the 20th century by a concrete block for trading. The mosaic compass rose is said to date from the time of Henry the Navigator and to have served as an instrument for the nautical school he founded in Sagres.

Sintra's cultural landscape features a number of parks and monuments that Parques de Sintra invites you to discover. Visit the Park and Palácio da Pena, the Gardens and Palácio de Monserrate, the Moorish Castle, the Capuchos Convent, the Garden and Chalet of the Condesse d'Edla, as well as the National Palaces of Sintra and Queluz and the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art. They'll leave you with unforgettable memories of a unique heritage. You can find all the information you need to prepare your visit to Sintra and the surrounding region on our website.

It is one of the most powerful lighthouses in Europe. Built in 1904, it has a light that can be seen at a distance of 90 km. Inside, its small museum, which can be visited in a maximum of 30 minutes, recalls the importance of the place. The lighthouse is surrounded by a fortress built in the 16th century to protect itself from the Moors' offensives. Legend has it that the walls were built over an ancient medieval convent, where the remains of Saint Vincent are believed to be.

It is obvious that it was not built there by chance. Older civilizations had already chosen this site as a strategic military point. The first traces would even go back to the Iron Age, around 1100 BC. Two towers still stand and mark the end of a long wall that has hardly been altered since its construction. Inside, we can see an Arabic cistern. If some effort is required to achieve this, the beautiful view from the heights is the right reward.