Knight Frank Property for Sale in Vila do Bispo
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Vila do Bispo, Is the administrative centre for the west coast region. and the small town centre is a classic evocation of Algarvian whitewashed houses and narrow streets.
Sagres: This small town is situated 4km south-east of Cape St. Vincent (or Cabo de S.Vincente). Sagres is a good place to find restaurants, hotels, cafes, hippies, backpackers, surfing equipment and, of course, beaches
Sagres Fort/ Ponta de Sagres. This promontary is just outside the main town and provides a natural protection from rough seas and western winds.
Cape St Vincent, (cabo de s.Vincente). The most south western point of Europe and known as 'Fim do Mundo' - the end of the world. The legend of the martyr Saint Vincent is that his relics were transported by ravens from the Holy Land to the Cape and subsequently guarded by them. In 1173 they were moved to Lisbon, where they remain to this day.
The West coast, running from the Cape all the way up to Sines, has some of the cleanest, wildest and most picturesque coastal landscape in Europe. The Atlantic creates a freshness in the air lacking in the Meditteranean and the people of the region are incredibly friendly and hospitable.
Climate
Thanks to its position on the Iberian peninsula, the weather in Sagres is generally milder than further East in the Algarve - i.e. during the winter, it is warmer than further East and during the summer, it is cooler than further East.
History of the area
In Vila do Bispo there is the 17th century church of Vila do Bispo to explore; it has an interior completely covered in gilding and azulejos (local ceramic tiles).
In the early 15th century a largely isolated Portugal started to direct its attention seaward and Prince Henry the Navigator launched an epoch of world exploration when he established a centre for navigational research at Vila de Sagres. From 1419 until 1460 he devoted his life and the revenues of his 'Order of Christ' to this project and built the ships known as the 'Caravelas' which were to revolutionise ocean going boat-building. Henry is also reputed to have created a shipbuilding yard in the small natural harbour, but this is disputed as he was known to prefer Lagos for his permanent residence.
There are traces of very ancient settlements in Sagres that go as far back as the Mesolithic and Neolithic ages. But the earliest known record of Sagres was written about 350 A.D. Occupation by the Romans is evident in the archaeological site close to Martinhal beach.
The biggest archaeological underwater research ever made in Portugal, took place near the Martinhal beach, where divers found several archaeological pieces from sunk ships, the most well known being the French ship “Ocean” which was bombed and sunk by the English in 1759.
Today, some parts of this ship can be found on the floor of the ocean, quite near Martinhal Bay. It is believed that Martinhal Bay was the most likely place where the Corsair Sir Francis Drake landed to attack and steal the fortress of St Vincent.
In ancient times Cape St Vincent, was considered a sacred spot - neolithic menhirs have been identified and Greek texts from the 4th century BC describe religious ceremonies being held here and that it was inhabited by gods. The Phoenicians are believed to have had a sanctuary dedicated to solar divinities here and for the Romans the area was part of the 'Promontorium Sacrum' (Sacred Promontory - from which the name Sagres is derived).
Culture
Don´t miss the superbock surf fest with live music, held in august. Alongside the Surf workshops, festival goes may watch performances by some of the world’s leading Surf Music artists.
Unique points
Fresh locally caught fish.
Types of property available
Not really any apartments in this area. Parque da Floresta golf course is in the area with many villas and town-houses on offer. Otherwise mainly you will find individual villas and a small number of villa developments like Quinta do Martinhal in Sagres.
Market comment
This area is not as established as further east. This is really because it is further from the airport. The exception to this is Parque da Floresta golf, where a number of famous footballers have holiday homes and where prices for villas often exceed €1 million euros. The West coast is more popular with Germans and other nationalities although some Brits are buying there as the prices seem cheap compared to the rest of the Algarve coast. Be aware however that if you are buying to let the rental market is not established there.
Access
To get to the airport you need to travel on N125 to motorway connection at Bensafrim. 1 hour +
No rail links