On
the Mountain and by the Sea
The Convento de São Saturnino is located on the westernmost lands of
the European continent, about 30 km from Lisbon and 10 km
from the town of Sintra, in the village of Azóia, where you have
the famous Cabo da Roca, the promontory that at an altitude of 142 meters
is the last landmark before the Atlantic Ocean.
To the south of this promontory is a valley resulting from an igneous breach, formed during the eruption of the mountain of Sintra. With its great dimensions and depth, this valley acquires its contour high in the mountain, very close to Peninha, and ends in the ocean. Up there, Northwest of São Saturino’s ermitage, several springs converge on the breach, feeding the river that runs through the valley and descends all the way from the top to end in a small waterfall close to the sea. The river’s name is “Bull”. In one of the deepest parts of the valley, more or less half way down the river’s course and next to its banks, lies the Convento de São Saturnino.
East of this valley, with a total length of around 6.5 miles, lies the Mountain of Sintra with its historical monuments, old woods, unique parks, megalithic sites, impressive rock formations, inviting trails and so many other perfect places for contemplation and for the simple act of just standing there, in silence, contemplating the essence of life that emanates from this
Cultural Landscape of Sintra that holds since 1995 the World Heritage status (UNESCO).
We're in
Google
Earth, at coordinates 38º46'09.26"
North and
9º28'34.66" West. Download
here the Kmz file of
Convento de São Saturnino.
