August is the month when Lisbon gets its largest number of tourists, and that’s also when they stay for a longer period of time. It’s a fact that doesn’t allow for excuses for not visiting Sintra, something that should be done even with only 3 or 4 days in the city.

Sintra is the stunning World Heritage town right outside Lisbon. It’s Portugal’s most beautiful, and undoubtedly also one of Europe’s. Visit its fairytale palaces (even Disney couldn’t have come up with one as fantastic as Pena), and then escape to its beaches. Adraga has been ranked among the most beautiful in Europe, and you probably won’t disagree. And if you’re in town on a family holiday, Praia das Maçãs should be your sandy destination.

But if it’s in fact sand and the sea you’re after (and understandably so considering the warm August weather), get on the train in Lisbon, and within minutes you can have your feet in the Atlantic. Cascais and Estoril were the secret resort destinations for European nobility and royalty in the early 20th century, but they’re now open to anyone looking for a beautiful setting in which to relax and catch some sun.

Check out GoLisbon’s guides to Sintra, Cascais, and Estoril, for beauty and the beach right outside Lisbon, to follow the city’s cultural and cosmopolitan attractions.

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2. Lisbon’s Best Beach Bars
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4. Nightlife’s a Beach – Lisbon’s New “K Urban Beach”
5. A Lisbon Trip Report in Budget Travel Magazine

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 at 12:10 pm and is filed under Activities, Beaches, Portugal. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.