Sines and surroundings

Vasco da Gama's Beautiful Birthplace

During Medieval times, this small city used to be a busy fishing village. In the 15th century a castle was built there, the castle where Vasco da Gama was born. You can still visit the ruins of this castle, and see the statue of da Gama standing right next to it. To see more of Sines’ past, you can have a look in the Museu de Sines, where you can find some interesting discoveries done during excavations of the castle, and you can walk through the rooms that Vasco da Gama actually grew up in.

Into the south you can find Porto Côvo, filled with traditional whitewashed cottages, pintoresque squares and beautiful beaches. During the summer, many people from Lisbon come down to Sines to enjoy the beaches of Porto Côvo.

In Sines, you can find Cabo the São Vicente, that people in the past used to see as the end of the world, since it was one of the most south-west points of Europe.