P16bis Almodôvar - Cape Saint Vincent (Sagres)

Sixteenth ride to the Algarve, from Almodôvar to Cabo de São Vincente, a mountainous ride of 147 hm and 2296 altitude meters.

A tough ride through the mountainous interior of the Algarve.

Sagres is a Portuguese town located in the west of the Algarve, near the Cape Saint Vincent, the southwesternmost point of the European mainland. The town is part of the municipality of Vila do Bispo, and has about 2000 inhabitants over an area of 34.28 km².

The Cape Saint Vincent (Portuguese: Cabo de São Vicente) is a cape in the Portuguese region of Algarve. The Cape Saint Vincent forms the southwestern point of the European mainland. The Cape is named after Vincent of Zaragoza. The cape is located about six kilometers west of the village of Sagres.

The cape was already considered holy ground in the Neolithic, as evidenced by standing menhirs in the vicinity. The name of the area still echoes the Roman Promontorium Sacrum (Holy Promontory). Several naval battles occurred in the Atlantic Ocean around the cape: 1641, 1693, 1780, 1797, and 1833.

The 24-meter high lighthouse from 1846 is the only building in the wide surrounding area. With a visibility range of 90 km, this is one of the most important beacons along the Atlantic coast. The lighthouse was built on the ruins of an old monastery. Some remnants are still visible.