It's the end of the world as we know it

At the southwestern point of Europe is an area that was known by the Romans as Promontorium Sacrum - the end of the world. It kept its name for centuries until the Portuguese decided to venture out into the ocean where legend said that the water boiled, causing the white foam sailors could see in the distance. It was from the town of Sagres that Prince Henry the Navigator sent forth expeditions to discover and map the world. During our recent Algarve trip, we were in the area, so we went to check it out.

The site features a fifteenth century fortress that many claim housed a navigation school.

Aerial view of the peninsula stolen from the internet.


Whether or not there was actually a school may be open for debate, but they did have a giant compass.


Sagres is definitely not a calm harbor though. The fort sat at the top of windblown cliffs hundreds of feet tall. We were able to walk right to the edge.

Not heeding the warning.

When you're so close to the end of the world, I guess you have to go see it.