CASCAIS TOURISM GUIDE
A postcard-perfect cosmopolitan little beach town
FIND CASCAIS HOTELS »
OR GO ON A TOUR FROM LISBON »
Click here for a professional airport shuttle service to Cascais, Estoril, or Lisbon »
(Prices start at just 8 euros per person)
A short train ride along the shore from Lisbon's Cais do Sodré station leads
to Cascais, a formerly quaint fishing village that became (along with neighboring Estoril) a
popular resort favored by European nobility and kings in the early 20th
century. Today it is a colorful cosmopolitan town with elegant pedestrian streets,
luxuriant villas, fashionable shops, restaurants and bars.
Elements of its fishing village roots
can still be felt at the lively
fish auction that takes place every afternoon by the main beach and its
brightly painted fishing boats, and the story of old Cascais is told by old
photographs, paintings, and other items at the small "Museu do Mar"
(Museum of the Sea).
To appreciate the domestic ambience of the aristocracy in the 18th and
19th centuries, visit the Castro Guimarães Museum, housed in a
mansion that once belonged to the Counts of Castro Guimarães. It overlooks the
sea and is surrounded by a vast garden. Inside, many of its rooms have been preserved
just as the last residents left them, showcasing a collection of decorative
art made up of a wealth of artifacts in gold and silver, ceramics,
sculpture, and fine furniture. There is also a library with over 25,000
volumes, which can be consulted by researchers and students.
In the pretty pedestrian streets paved with blocks recreating wave
patterns in the center of town are good restaurants, bars, and shops, and
the Church of Nossa Senhora da Assunção, decorated with paintings by
the 17th-century artist Josefa de Obidos.
A 20-minute walk along the coastal road leads to an outstanding sight,
Boca do Inferno ("Mouth of Hell"). High waves crash into gigantic
caves carved out of the rock by the sea, causing an awe-inspiring noise that
may explain the name given to the site and why Aleister Crowley chose it to
fake his own death in 1930.
The best beach nearby (reached by bus from outside the train station
every one or two hours) is the magnificent sandy beach of Guincho.
Backed by dunes and with some of the best rollers in Europe, it is a true
paradise for surfers.
The water is clean and the Atlantic waves pound onto
the sand even on the calmest of days, which is why World Surfing
Championships have taken place here. Terrace-restaurants overlook the beach
and surrounding coastline.
Back in the old town center, a waterfront boardwalk connects Cascais to Estoril
(a
stroll between the two towns is recommended), just the right place to end
your day before heading back to the capital.
Click here for a
map of the Cascais-Estoril coast, showing sights and beaches.
If you wish to stay by the beach in Cascais and take daytrips to Lisbon instead, take a look at
list of hotels in town.
CURIOUS FACT:
Some historians speculate that a navigator from Cascais, Afonso Sanches, accidentally discovered America in 1482, ten years before Christopher Columbus. On his return from this previously unknown land, Sanches and his near-death crew stopped at Columbus' house in Madeira. It is believed that Columbus got his hands on Sanches' nautical diary, learning of his discovery and repeating the trip ten years later.FIND CASCAIS HOTELS »
OR GO ON A TOUR FROM LISBON »
Places Nearby
Estoril
- The inspiration for James Bond; Europe's largest casino;
spectacular golf courses
Sintra
- Enchanting and mysterious atmosphere; romantic palaces; Europe's
westernmost point.
Queluz
- Palace mixing Versailles' French grandeur and Portuguese eclecticism
Lisbon - The
Age of Discovery, World Heritage monuments, museum treasures, vibrant
nightlife
Ericeira
- Traditional seaside village; surfing mecca, superb seafood
Mafra -
One of Europe's biggest palaces, the building that bankrupted the nation
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AROUND LISBON
AND TAGUS VALLEY Alcobaça Arrábida Azeitão Batalha Cascais Ericeira Estoril Fatima Leiria Mafra Nazaré Obidos Palmela Peniche Queluz Santarém Sesimbra Setubal Sintra Tomar |
ALENTEJO
Beja Castelo de Vide Elvas Estremoz Evora Marvão Mértola Monsaraz Vila Viçosa ALGARVE Albufeira Faro Lagos Sagres Silves Tavira Vila Real de Santo António Vilamoura |
BEIRAS (CENTRAL PORTUGAL)
Aveiro Belmonte Buçaco Coimbra Conimbriga Figueira da Foz Guarda Monsanto Piodão Serra da Estrela Viseu PORTO AND DOURO Amarante Lamego Porto |
MINHO
Barcelos Braga Gerês National Park Guimarães Ponte de Lima Ponte da Barca Viana do Castelo TRAS-OS-MONTES Bragança Chaves Vila Real THE ISLANDS Azores Madeira |