Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tourist Information: The TI is on the main street, Avenida Comandante Matoso
(Tue-Sat 9:30-13:30 & 14:30-17:30, closed Sun-Mon, tel. 282-624-873).
Sights in Cape Sagres
Sagres Fort and Navigators' School
The former “end of the world” is a craggy, windswept, wedge-shaped point that juts into
the Atlantic (short drive or 15-minute walk from Sagres). In 1420, Prince Henry the Nav-
igator used his order's funds to establish a school here for navigators. Today, little remains
of Henry's school, except the site of buildings replaced by later (sometimes new) struc-
tures. An 18th-century fortress, built on the school's original battlements, dominates the
entrance to the point.
Cost and Hours: €3, daily May-Sept 9:30-20:00, Oct-April 9:30-17:30, last entry 30
minutes before closing, tel. 282-620-140.
Self-Guided Tour: After entering through the 18th-century battlements, find the
carved stone plaque that honors Henry. The ship in the plaque is a caravel, one of the
small, light craft that was constantly being reinvented by Sagres' shipbuilding grad stu-
dents. The astrolabe, a compact instrument that uses the stars for navigation, emphasizes
Henry's role in the exploration process.
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