Cascais

Cascais is beach town in Greater Lisbon, Estremadura, Portugal, at the end of the mouth of the River Tagus as it meets the ocean, with spectacular beaches to be found on its Atlantic shorelines. The combination of maritime leisurely charm, strategic position and location close to Lisbon made it a favourite residence of the Portuguese royal family and several other nobles and one of Portugal's first holiday resorts.

Understand
Cascais (kush-KIGHSH, /kɐʃ.ˈkajʃ/) is dominated by the bay and the imposing Cidadela fort, and the historic centre is brimming with architectural treasures of a religious, military and civil nature. Likewise, the museums of the Sea, Casa das Histórias de Paula Rego, and the Municipal Museum Condes de Castro Guimarães are also must-see attractions.

Get in
Cascais is easily reachable from Lisbon by car or by train (40 min), from the Cais do Sodré station. A return ticket costs €5 (June 2018) and can be bought from the automatic ticket machines. Keep the ticket as it will be checked and punched by the conductor in both directions. Each ticket is only valid for one person at a time and costs to buy and can be reused until a set date of expiration. Carris operate a bus between Cais do Sodre and Lisbon Airport every 20 min.

A car ride between Lisbon International Airport and Cascais can range between 30 minutes and 1 hr 15 min (during rush hours).

Cascais once a fishermen's harbour is a nice and sophisticated town, also a great gateway to explore the beautiful gold sand beach of Guincho.

Get around
The town is small enough to explore entirely by foot. To get a feeling for the life it's best to stroll around on foot. Uphill, beyond the town centre there are numerous narrow cobbled streets to explore with interesting architecture, plants and animals to see.

By bicycle
Riding a bicycle in Cascais is one of the "must do" things. Keen cyclists with their own bikes and like hills can venture towards Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe's mainland and even to Sintra using the nice roads while crossing the heart of this incredible nature reserve so close to the capital city of Lisbon. However, these are not trips to be taken with bikes rented in Cascais. For those with more limited cycling abilities and stamina, a popular trip is to follow the coastline through the town of Cascais as far as Guincho beach, about 10 km. There is a cycle track (shared with pedestrians!) that begins after you have passed the marina. In the summer, the northwesterly winds can make the last 3 km of this trip a bit tough but, in compensation, you will have a tail wind all the way back to Cascais.

Basic bicycles are available to rent for free (providing you have ID and your accommodation address) through the municipal council's BiCas scheme. Bicycles are available from several locations around the town. The tourist office will have further information. This bikes are heavily (mis)used by locals, students, and budget minded visitors and often are not available when needed, when available most times not always in the best safety and enjoyable conditions thus the common breakdowns. Colourful bikes can be rented in the forecourt of Cascais station and the Europcar car rental company also has some. Companies operating from Lisbon include Bike Iberia (+351 96 242 3455) in Lisbon Downtown off the train station of Cais do Sodre.

By bus
A looped bus line, BusCas, serves the town and the nearby surrounding area. For travelling further afield there is an extensive bus service, mainly operating from the bus station beneath the shopping centre opposite the train station. Taxis are always available and easy enough to find in the centre of town.

See
Cascais is the dormitory of the Lisbon international working community and the "younger set" who enjoy the diverse and sophisticated nightlife.There is a famous beach and casino in Estoril.

Also, most of the pre-historic finds from the Grutas de Alapraia are stored here.

Underground caves were discovered in the late 19th century.

The Grutus do Poço Velho are in the centre of the town and date back to the Neolithic period.

Cascais boasts a smart marina with lovely yachts.

The next town to the east of Cascais is the resort town of Estoril with its popular casino. You can walk to Estoril from Cascais along the beachfront esplanade, passing many beachside bars and restaurants.

Do
Cascais is a magnet for those looking to practice every type of sport and leisure activity. Besides excellent facilities and all the professional staff and necessary equipment, the region boasts a wide range of natural advantages such as pure air, temperate year-round climate and close proximity to the sea and mountains.

Beginning on Avenida Rei Humberto II de Italia, just outside town past the marina, is a cycle lane and footpath extending the whole 5 km to Guincho beaches. This route runs beside the sea and is ideal for morning and evening strolls. The almost perennial North Atlantic sea breeze lends a refreshing air, especially during the hot summer months. Along the way you will find Boca Do Inferno, the famed "Mouth of Hell", where there is also a snack cafe, seafood restaurant and vendors of touristy gifts.


 * Football: Estoril Praia play soccer in Primeira Liga, Portugal's top tier. Their home ground Estádio António Coimbra da Mota (capacity 8000) is 2 km north of Estoril seafront.

Water sports
The marina area is very active. Sailing enthusiasts will find sailing schools open at the weekend, while regular competitions and leisure vessels can always be seen around Cascais Bay. On some of the beaches it’s very easy to hire boats and go water-skiing.

Like on the south coast, the big waves and strong winds on the west coast provide perfect conditions for surfing, windsurfing and body boarding. The world championships of these sports are regularly contested at the beaches of Guincho, Grande and Ribeira d’Ilhas north of Ericeira.

Golf
Golfers will find a lot of courses concentrated in a very small area, the majority of which are designed by the world’s best architects. This means that you can choose from a wide variety of courses that cater for players of any age or ability, right up to the highest international standards. The mild and pleasant climate offers perfect golfing conditions right through the year. There are many golf courses in the area:



Motor racing
Estoril’s famous motor-racing circuit hosts many important car and bike competitions, such as the Motorcycle GP Championships. It can also be arranged for individuals to experience the thrill of motor racing first-hand.


 * Racing Track, Fernanda Pires da Silva, +351 214 609 500.

Horse-riding
The variety of forest paths and excellent facilities throughout the region are a major attraction for those who enjoy horse riding. Here you’ll find a good selection of riding schools where you can hire horses and learn to ride.

Every year a five-star equestrian event is taking place In Portugal called Global Champions Tour. It is a social gathering for all horse shows’ amateurs and professional riders at the Manuel Possolo hippodrome in Cascais. If the thrill of show jumping excites you, check what’s on at Quinta da Marinha or the Cascais Equestrian Centre.


 * Estoril Coast Riding Centre, Charneca, Cascais, +351 214 87 20 64
 * Quinta da Marinha Riding Centre, Cascais, +351 214 86 94 33
 * D. Carlos I Country Club, Quinta da Marinha, Cascais, +351 214 87 14 03
 * Manuel Possolo Equestrian Centre, Cascais, +351 214 82 27 50

Eat
A selection of excellent food and drink can be found on the Estoril Coast if you know where to look. Cod, seabass, and squid are the most popular dishes, and many other types of seafood are available at good establishments. Within central Cascais good food, and especially good value, can be hard to find. Taking time to scout out genuine Portuguese eating houses is worth doing, however, as the tastiest and most interesting dishes often exist in tucked away more modest restaurants, where locals tend to dine.

For the best food in town skip the Indian, Italian and English restaurants and head into the residential part of town, or walk down the coast to an establishment with fresh fish and a sea view.

Bacalhau occupies top spot in terms of culinary richness. You can choose from a 100 different recipes! And if you’d like to try a typical meat dish of the region, try Leitão de Negrais or Mercês-style pork.

Find yourself a restaurant that takes its desserts seriously, and finish your meal with one of the local sweet specialties: Travesseiros, the famous Queijadas de Sintra, Fofos de Belas, Areias de Cascais or Trouxas de Malveira. Portuguese egg-based confectionery is unique and delicious, and a fine companion for some after dinner port.

Vino Verde, "green wine", is a refreshing, slightly sparkling accompaniment to Portuguese meals, and shouldn't be missed. Portuguese red wines are on a par with those in France, Italy and Spain. The main demarcated regions are found in the Douro, Dão and Alentejo, but the Estoril Coast produces very small quantities of its own fine wines in Carcavelos and Colares, a rare pleasure that you might have the opportunity to try.



Sleep
Cascais is in the development phase: several holiday apartment buildings and hotels are under construction. The corso (beach road) is busy at night so ensure you room is not directing to it.

Go next

 * To the north and within easy reach is the romantic and fascinating town of Sintra and which was made famous to foreigners after a glowing account of its splendours recorded by Lord Byron. Scotturb Bus 403 travels regularly to Sintra, stopping at Cabo da Roca.
 * Also to the north visit the great Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima (Shrine), a place of worldwide famous Marian apparitions.
 * Mafra or Queluz, Costa de Caparica, Palmela, Sesimbra, Tróia.