» HISTORIC, ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND RELIGIOUS HERITAGE

• Large concentration of menhirs dating back to the Ancient Neolithic Period (around 6,500 years ago) near Vila do Bispo;
• Vila do Bispo Main Church – the Church of Our Lady of the Conception;
• Saint Anthony’s Chapel;
• Sagres Fortress and Church of Our Lady of Grace;
• Fortress of Beliche and Saint Catherine’s Chapel;
• Cape Saint Vincent Lighthouse;
• Ancient traditional houses in Vale Santo.

» NATURE

This route takes you through the heart of the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Nature Park, also classified as the “Southwestern Coast” Site of Community Importance, which is a Special Protection Area, Important Bird and Biodiversity Area and also spans the Sagres Bioenergetic Reserve.

Post-nuptial migration is the most relevant ornithological phenomenon on the Sagres Peninsula. Due to its geographical location, a high abundance and diversity of migratory birds can be spotted here between August and November, most of which are gliders and passerines. These birds leave their European nesting territories and fly over the area on their way to sub-Saharan Africa, where they spend the winter. It is therefore normal to see large numbers of birdwatchers in those months, with binoculars held up to their faces and telescopes trained on the sky. For this reason, the Municipality of Vila do Bispo, Almargem Association and SPEA have held the Sagres Birdwatching & Nature Activities Festival on the 1st weekend of October since 2010, where visitors can take part in countless activities.

Sagres is also important as a nesting area for rupicolous birds, such as the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), the alpine swift (Apus melba), the pallid swift (Apus pallidus), the blue rock thrush (Monticola solitarius) and the red-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax). Also noteworthy, as the only place in Europe where the phenomenon can be witnessed, are white storks (Ciconia ciconia) nesting on rocky cliffs and islets. In turn, coastal plateau areas play an important role for some species of steppe birds, such as little bustards (Tetrax tetrax), Eurasian stone-curlews (Burhinus oedicnemus), greater short-toed larks (Calandrella brachydactyla) and tawny pipits (Anthus campestris).

It is impossible not to focus on the notable flora growing here thanks to numerous factors, such as the very specific climate (created by both Atlantic and Mediterranean influences) and the diversity of geological substrates that partly explain the abundance of species endemic to Portugal, as well as those found exclusively along the Vicentine Coast including the following: Astragalus tragacantha, Bellevalia hackelii, Centaurea fraylensis, Daucus halophylus, Hyacinthoides vicentina, Jonopsidium acaule, Linaria algarviana, Silene rothmaleri, Thymus camphoratus and Ulex erinaceus.

Cetaceans, marine mammals, also deserve a mention, as it is not by chance that so many maritime tourism companies operate out of Sagres, taking tourists on boat trips to see these amazing creatures. Some very notable species can be observed, including the common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus). However, occasionally, orcas (Orcinus orca), minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) can also be spotted.
So many “treasures” can be found in Sagres that it comes as no surprise that the town’s name derives from the word Sacrum, meaning sacred place. 

» CASH MACHINE

• Vila do Bispo
• Sagres