Cabo Espichel is situated on the western coast of Portugal, along an extension of approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi) that occupies a region called the Bacia Lusitânica (BL), that occurred during the opening of the north Atlantic during Triassic.

In tectonic terms, the BL is delimited by the Porto-Tomar fault and the Arrife-Vale fault in the eastern/lower Tagus and in the west by the Berlengas horst, corresponding to a ridge of intense tectonic subsistence along the north-northeast to south-southwest.

The southern limit is located at an elevation south of Arrábida (at the Arrábida fault) and the southern limit corresponds to the watershed transition situated more to the north.
In addition to these faults, there are also faults with variable directions between east-west and northeast-southwest, that divide the basin into different tectonic-sedimentary areas, that could have influenced sediment deposition during Mesozoic.
The BL is filled with sediments between the late Triassic and late Cretaceous, including alternating layers of marine carbonates, clastic carbonate coastal sediments, fluvial and estuarine siliciclastic deposits, among others.

Also famous, are the several dinosaur fossil trackways exposed in some of the now tilted Jurassic strata which form the cape's cliffs.
 It is said that local superstition interpreted the trackways as the path taken by the Holy Virgin ("Nossa Senhora") when riding a giant mule from the ocean and up the cliffs, which led to the eventual construction of the convent at that location.
Cabo Espichel is situated on the western coast of Portugal, along an extension of approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi) that occupies a region called the Bacia Lusitânica (BL), that occurred during the opening of the north Atlantic during Triassic.
In tectonic terms, the BL is delimited by the Porto-Tomar fault and the Arrife-Vale fault in the eastern/lower Tagus and in the west by the Berlengas horst, corresponding to a ridge of intense tectonic subsistence along the north-northeast to south-southwest.
The southern limit is located at an elevation south of Arrábida (at the Arrábida fault) and the southern limit corresponds to the watershed transition situated more to the north. In addition to these faults, there are also faults with variable directions between east-west and northeast-southwest, that divide the basin into different tectonic-sedimentary areas, that could have influenced sediment deposition during Mesozoic. The BL is filled with sediments between the late Triassic and late Cretaceous, including alternating layers of marine carbonates, clastic carbonate coastal sediments, fluvial and estuarine siliciclastic deposits, among others.
Also famous, are the several dinosaur fossil trackways exposed in some of the now tilted Jurassic strata which form the cape's cliffs.  It is said that local superstition interpreted the trackways as the path taken by the Holy Virgin ("Nossa Senhora") when riding a giant mule from the ocean and up the cliffs, which led to the eventual construction of the convent at that location.
Cabo Espichel