The end of Europe

They call it the edge of the world, where the European continent exhales its final breath into the Atlantic. Back in the days when maps had dragons and the margins whispered of oblivion, Cabo da Roca was the last known point before nothingness. Past here? Sea monsters, shipwrecks or glory. Maybe all three.

I stand on a craggy outcrop west of Sintra, watching waves slam the cliffs like they have a personal grudge. Cabo da Roca is claimed to be the westernmost point of continental Europe. A lighthouse from 1772 clearly marks the spot, and there is also a monument with a plaque announcing the claim.

The lighthouse at Cabo da Roca.

On my travels, I’ve come across several places that have named themselves the end of the world. But as I look down upon the granite cliffs that drops into the Atlantic ocean, it really feels like the end of the world.