Cascais, Portugal
Cascais is a fishing town that Portuguese royalty adopted as a summer address in the 1800s, and it never really got over it. The mansions along the front were built by people who did not need to work.
The beaches range from tiny to serious. Praia da Rainha is a pocket of sand you could cross in twenty steps, sitting right in town. Guincho, a few minutes up the coast, is a long open beach where the wind is strong enough that it hosts windsurfing competitions. Pick according to how much you like being sandblasted.
Some Things to Love about Cascais:
Cobblestone Streets and likeable Cafés
The old centre is cobbled, painted, and small enough to cross in fifteen minutes, which most people manage to stretch into two hours because of the cafés.
Culture and Art
Cascais is also a hub of artistic expression. The Casa das Histórias Paula Rego, designed by the architect Eduardo Souto de Moura, stands as a sign of the town’s commitment to art and culture. In summer there is a music series in Cascais worth planning a night around. We were lucky enough to catch Norah Jones while visiting alongside some notable Portuguese artists.
The Port, Boat or Dolphin Tours
There is an abundance of sea and waterbird life just off the coast of Cascais. If you can go on a boat tour we highly recommend it! This was one of our highlights of our month stay in Cascais. there were dozens of dolphins only a few miles off shore!
Whether basking in the sun on sandy shores, exploring historic landmarks, or indulging in the town’s culinary pleasures, Cascais invites travelers to experience the best of Portugal’s coastal elegance. It is forty minutes from Lisbon by train, along the water the whole way.
