3 Best Sights in Sesimbra, Sintra, the Estoril Coast, and the Setúbal Peninsula

This salt-encrusted headland—crowned by a whitewashed convent surrounded by 18th-century pilgrim rest houses—is the southwestern point of the Setúbal Peninsula, marked by a red-and-white lighthouse. It's a ruggedly beautiful spot, where the cliffs rise hundreds of feet out of the stormy Atlantic. To the north, unsullied beaches extend as far as Caparica, with only local roads and footpaths connecting them. It's a good spot for hiking, with marked trails leading down to some clearly visible dinosaur footprints.

Sitting high above the city is the Castelo de Sesimbra, which was conquered in 1165 by Dom Afonso Henriques but fell back into the hands of the Moors until 1200. The castle lost importance and fell into disrepair during the next several hundred years until Dom João IV ordered that it be adapted for the use of artillery in 1648. Classified as a National Monument, reconstruction was done to restore it to its previous glory after the great earthquake of 1755. From Sesimbra, a steep marked walking trail leads up the side of the pine-covered hill to the castle grounds. Aside from the incredible views of the ocean and the city below, there is a chapel, a small museum, and a café with an outdoor patio where you can enjoy a gin and tonic or a bagaço (a clear Portuguese liquor) as the sun goes down.

The wild, hard-to-reach Ribeiro do Cavalo has dazzling white sands and crystal-clear water in several shades of turquoise. Curiously formed rocks jutting out of the water are encircled by all manner of colorful fish, so bring your snorkel gear. During the summer, regular boat services speed sunseekers to and from the beach and Praia do Ouro in Sesimbra (a 5--10-minute ride), but for the rest of the year it can only be reached by private boat, kayak, or by a half-hour walk along a very rough track. Look out for the purple markings on the rocks that indicate which way to go. Amenities: none. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.