Arrábida Natural Park (PNArr), established in 1976 and expanded in 1998, is centered on a limestone massif that includes the Arrábida, S. Luís, Louro, and Risco mountains, as well as the adjacent maritime area near Cabo Espichel. The park’s vegetation holds significant natural value and is influenced by three climate types: Euro-Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Macaronesian (from cliff regions). The Serra da Arrábida, the last of its kind in Europe and Asia, has been a place of religious, mystical, and literary inspiration for centuries. After the Reconquista, the first Arrábida friars from the Order of Saint Francis lived in isolation in rock-carved cells, leading to the creation of the Old Convent and the Chapel of Memory. In the 16th century, Friar Martinho de Santa Maria built the New Convent. Abandoned after the expulsion of religious orders, it was acquired by the Oriente Foundation in 1990 from Manuel de Souza Holstein Beck. Poet Sebastião da Gama celebrated this mountain range in his work Serra-Mãe, a tribute to its spirituality and mysticism. His devotion to the Arrábida inspired the founding of Portugal’s first environmental association, the League for Nature Protection (LPN), in 1948. In addition to its natural, historical, and cultural significance, traditional elements like wine (both table and fortified), honey, and Azeitão cheese production reflect a near-perfect symbiosis between nature, local communities, and human activity. The landscape is stunning, with cliffs — the highest on mainland Portugal — including Píncaro, Europe’s tallest limestone cliff, plunging into the clear blue and emerald-green sea. Come and discover this beauty and heritage!
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