Worth getting out of bed for
Highlights the best Cascais has to offer, from art and culture to fun-packed activities; we've even found the most inspiring place to enjoy the views from.
- Viewpoint
- For the best sunset views, take a drive up the coastal road past Guincho to Cabo da Roca, and sit by Europe’s most westerly cliffs as the big Atlantic rollers crash beneath you.
- Arts and culture
- The Convent of Mafra is considered the world’s best example of baroque architecture, with its imposing dome and magnificent 88-metre-long library. In Lisbon, the Gulbenkian Museum and Gallery is particularly wonderful (www.museu.gulbenkian.pt).
- Something for nothing
- Head to Carcavelos beach and watch the rollers. Carcavelos is a surf paradise, with a long sandy beach and decent-sized Atlantic waves. There’s also a clothes market there on Thursdays, and a Portland-Bill-perfect lighthouse.
- Shopping
- There’s a lively market in Cascais on Wednesdays and Saturday mornings, and a daily fleamarket. The designer-label zone in Lisbon is Rua Garrett in the Chiado area. Glove emporium Luvaria Ulisses is worth a look just for its tiny exterior and drawer upon drawer of kid-leather mitts. Stock up on port and Madeira.
- Daytripper
- Follow in Lord Byron's footsteps northwards and visit Sintra for its glorious Gothic and Renaissance palace and tropical micro-climate. In low season, it’s misty and mysterious, with empty streets and a fairy-tale feel. If you drive there, stop off on the way back at Cabo da Roca and look out to the open sea from the westernmost point in Europe.
- Best beach
- The sheltered sandy beaches of Praia da Rainha and Praia da Ribeira are popular with families. To the northwest of Cascais lies Praia do Guincho, a magnificent beach whose exposure to the full force of the Atlantic makes it popular with surfers.
- Activities
- Sailing is a major draw; Cascais marina often hosts major regattas. There are several outfits in town hiring out sailing dinghies, yachts and motorboats. Guincho and Carcavelos are some of the best surfing beaches in Europe. For something a little more sedate, there are five excellent golf courses within easy reach of Cascais.
- And...
- Check out Boca do Inferno (the 'Mouth of Hell'), just to the west of Cascais. Legend has it that this unusual crater-shaped rock formation is the entrance to the underworld. The constant pounding of the Atlantic waves has hollowed out some impressive caves, which can be viewed from a small platform overlooking the cliff.
Diary
- June or July Cascais Sailing Week is a major event, attracting an armada of international competitors (www.cncascais.com). July Jazz on a Summer’s Day takes place in Palmela Park Auditorium, and scores of musicians supply the soundtrack to balmy evenings. Late July The Festival of the Sea is an annual event run by the town’s fishermen. Besides music and dancing, the event sees a herd of bulls released onto the beach. Anyone brave or foolish enough to grab one by the horns is rewarded with a dubious prize of dried fish. Fireworks, folk singing and bizarre games go on into the night.
