Algarve - The Fortress of Sagres and Henry the Navigator
 
 
 
Ponta de Sagres is a gigantic rock that, as the name suggests points towards the ocean and towards the unknown. In the 15th century, Henry the Navigator builds upon it a defensive fortress and a village dedicated to cartography and the teaching of navigation. Henry the Navigator becomes the father of Atlantic navigation and the Discovery of the African coast. Like himself, Sagres is now an unforgettable part of world history.
Not far away is Cape S. Vicente (a holy place since prehistoric times), named Promontorium Sacrum by the Romans.
Between the small villages of Budens and Raposeira lies the Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe, dated from the 13th century, where Henry the Navigator used to pray.
Today, Sagres is part of the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina and popular among the surfer crowd with surf schools and surf shops. The strong winds and perfect waves make the region a surfer’s paradise in contrasts with the quiet colorful village that still is dedicated to the ocean and fishing.