Having just completed the over 300km long Via Algarviana camino the previous day, what better way to celebrate than to go out for another walk the day after! I had a full day off to explore Sagres, which is located at the very south-west corner of the Algarve, as well as have some much needed R and R afterwards.
The name Sagres derives from Sagrado, which means holy, owing to the important local religious practices and rituals that occurred during the pre-history of the nation. Approximately 1900 people call Sagres home, but given that it’s a mecca for tourists, surfers and scuba divers, the actual number of people in the area at any given time is actually much, much higher. Historically, Sagres is connected to the early Portuguese Age of Discovery; and, very interestingly, it is the end of the world’s longest estimated straight-line path over land, which extends over 11000 km to near Jinjiang in the People’s Republic of China.
I commenced by walking tour from the Sagres Sun Stay hostel and surf resort, where I was staying for 2 nights before heading off to my next adventure, a cycling tour of the Portuguese north coast and the Peneda-Gerês National Park, which straddles the Portugal-Spain border in the north-east. However, ahead of me now was just a very chill, active recovery stroll of about 10km to see the main sites of Sagres. After passing the main roundabout in the town centre, I popped down to Praia do Tonel, one of the main beaches used by the local surf schools. From there, it wasn’t far to the Fortaleza de Sagres (or Fortress of Sagres), which is, undoubtedly, one of the key sites of interest to visit in the area.
As I made my way to the fort’s entrance gate, I got to enjoy some majestic views of the sharp cliffs that stretch all the way out to Cabo de São Vicente some 6km away, the end point of my Via Algarviana walking trek. Henry the Navigator ordered the fort’s construction to protect the strategic coastal position at Ponta de Sagres, as well as the coves that offer shelter for ships. At the site, you can find the very small, but all the more wonderful, Church of Santa Maria, which was constructed during the reign of King Manuel I of Portugal. It was consecrated in 1519 to the invocation of Nossa Senhora da Graça (or Our Lady of Grace), and its interior is adorned by a valuable gilded altarpiece from the Chapel of Santo António, as well as two images of Saint Vincent and Francis of Assisi, from the 17th and 18th century.
In May 1587, explorer Francis Drake disembarked 800 men who assaulted the fortress of Sagres. After two hours of intense combat, fortifications adjacent to the fortress were destroyed and its artillery was pillaged. After this, and some later attacks, the fortification was remodeled in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, with its current form dating back to 1793.
After leaving the fortaleza, I descended down to Praia da Mareta to enjoy a beer at a beach side café-bar, while soaking in the atmosphere, as well as to just sit firmly in the personal satisfaction I felt after having just completed the latest big ticket item that was on my life’s bucket list.
The ultimate truth,
‘Sagrado’ by Jyri Manninen
within the fire it is forged.
Sacred ash remains.
After returning to the hostel, I spent the afternoon relaxing with a good meal, as well as a few ice-cold beers and some sweet aniseed Xarão on the terrace by the pool. As the afternoon merged into the evening, I fired up my final camino cigar, which I had bought at the beginning of my Via Algarviana trek, but to enjoy only after its completion. The combustion of tobacco, while watching the smoke rise up and disappear into the ether, leaving only the ash as a memory of what was, holds a much deeper significance for me. I find this deliberate and considered act, in its true form, to be a spiritual ritual. It’s a very fitting, metaphorical way to mark and celebrate the successful completion of a journey, and a specific chapter in life, and then, on the same occasion, to set one’s sights and attention on the next stage, whatever that may be.
While the achievement of specific goals is certainly important, it is also essential to take pause at these milestones, to ensure that the path you are on is, in fact, the right one, and to recalibrate your direction, if it is not.
Be blessed,
Jyri
run for your life 