# Cabo Espichel, the sanctuary and the dinosaur footprints

What to do en Serra da Arrábida · Serra da Arrábida

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/arrabida/things-to-do/cabo-espichel · Revisado: 2026-11-12

- Duración: 1 h
- Temporada: All year; best at sunset
- Para quién: Everyone; take care at the edge

A cape on cliffs west of Sesimbra with the Baroque sanctuary of Nossa Senhora do Cabo and dinosaur footprints. Free.

What it is
Cabo Espichel is the south-western tip of the Setúbal peninsula, west of Sesimbra, where the Arrábida mountains end in sheer cliffs above the Atlantic. At the top, on an esplanade open to the wind, there are a lighthouse, the sanctuary of Nossa Senhora do Cabo and, below the esplanade, slabs of rock with dinosaur footprints. It is an austere place, with no shops and almost no shade, and that is why it makes such an impression.
What you see

The sanctuary: the Baroque church of Nossa Senhora do Cabo, with the two long wings of the old pilgrim hostels that close off the esplanade. Turismo de Lisboa describes it as the only Portuguese sanctuary planned from scratch. The complex also includes the Memória chapel, at the cliff edge, the Casa dos Círios, the cross, the Casa da Água and an aqueduct.
The Memória chapel: a small chapel covered in tiles, a few metres from the drop. From here you see the Lagosteiros bay below.
The dinosaur footprints: on the sloping wall of the bay, the Pedra da Mua Natural Monument preserves sauropod tracks from the Jurassic. The local legend says they were the hoofprints of the mule that carried the Virgin up from the sea. There is a second protected site, Lagosteiros, in the same bay.
The lighthouse: at the far end of the cape, above the sea.

Opening hours and price
The cape is free to enter at any hour. The sanctuary church is open, according to Turismo de Lisboa, Monday to Friday from 9:30 to 17:00 and at weekends from 9:30 to 18:00, with free entry. The footprints can be seen from above without paying anything.
How to get there and park
By car, from Sesimbra follow the EN 379 westwards; the road ends at the sanctuary esplanade, where you park. By public transport, Carris Metropolitana line 3205 links the Sesimbra terminal with the cape, but with few departures a day: check the timetable on its website before going, especially the return one.
If you are travelling through the mountains, the cape is the natural end of the Arrábida ridge road.
When to go
All year. At sunset the light falls from the side on the sanctuary and the sun sets over the sea; in winter there are days of strong wind and fog that cover everything. On weekdays and outside summer there is almost nobody.
Bring a coat even if the weather is fine in Sesimbra: it is windy up there. There is no shade on the esplanade, so in summer bring water and a hat.
With children
The dinosaur footprints are the hook. Bring binoculars to see them well from the viewpoint and tell them the legend of the mule. Hold children's hands near the edge; the esplanade, on the other hand, is wide and flat.

## Cómo llegar y contacto

- Coordenadas: 38.417, -9.216

## Cerca de aquí

- [Sado dolphins and the Arrábida coast by boat](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/arrabida/things-to-do/sado-dolphins), a 10.5 km
- [Kayaking beneath the cliffs of Sesimbra and Portinho](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/arrabida/things-to-do/arrabida-sea-kayak), a 11.8 km
- [Coasteering at Boca de Tamboril](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/arrabida/things-to-do/arrabida-coasteering), a 13.1 km
- [Arrábida Convent, by arranged visit](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/arrabida/things-to-do/arrabida-convent), a 21.1 km
- [The high road of the Serra da Arrábida](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/arrabida/things-to-do/arrabida-ridge-road), a 21.3 km
- [Arrábida beaches, from Figueirinha to Galapinhos and Portinho](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/arrabida/things-to-do/arrabida-beaches), a 22.5 km

## Consejos

### Take binoculars
The footprints are on the wall of the bay, at some distance. With binoculars you can make out the prints one by one.

### Combine it with Sesimbra
The cape is very close to the village; in the morning you can do the kayak beneath the cliffs and come up here to watch the sunset.

### Check the wind forecast
In a strong north wind the cape is uncomfortable and dangerous near the edge. Choose a calm day.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### Do you pay to see the dinosaur footprints?
No. They can be seen for free from the top of the cliff, next to the Memória chapel. You cannot go down to them.

### Where do you park?
On the sanctuary esplanade, at the end of the EN 379. It is an open space next to the church and the hostels.

### Can you go without a car?
Yes, on Carris Metropolitana line 3205 from Sesimbra, though with few departures. Check the return timetable before going.

Destino: [Serra da Arrábida](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/arrabida.md)