Address
The Pergola Boutique Hotel
Avenida Valbom 13
Cascais
2750-508
Portugal
Just half an hour from Lisbon and a short walk from Cascais’ golden shores, The Pergola Boutique Hotel resides at the heart of the Portuguese Riviera.
Planes
Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport is 30 minutes by car from the hotel, with transfers available on request, for an additional charge.
Trains
Cascais station is barely two minutes’ walk from the hotel, with daily connections to Lisbon departing every 20 minutes.
Automobiles
There’s little need for a set of wheels given the lack of parking at the hotel, and Cascais isn’t the most car-friendly town. If you decide to drive from Lisbon, take the scenic route along the N6 coastal road and take your pick of beach stop-offs.
Worth getting out of bed for
Slip into the locals’ unhurried pace along Cascais’ beach-strewn coastline, with over 15 sandy spots offering something slightly different from the next. Praia da Rainha and Praia da Ribeira are the closest to The Pergola Boutique Hotel, but it’s worth venturing to the remote Praia da Ursa (only accessible on foot, if you’re up for a windswept hike over rugged cliffs). The big-swell stretch between Estoril and Carcavelos draws a surfing crowd, and the calmer waters around Baia are best for paddleboarding and wild swimming. The coastal path from Cascais to Guincho is scenic biking and jogging territory, and the countryside just north of the fishing town is home to Europe’s westernmost vineyards for a wine tasting (or two).
The tram-trundled streets of Lisbon and turret-topped mountains of Sintra are within easy day-trip distance, including the must-visit majestic Monserrate and Romanticist castle, Pena. Back in Cascais, set aside some time to wander around the Museum Quarter. There are nine cultural sights and villas to visit, with exhibitions spotlighting the region’s maritime, royal and artistic heritage – the first of which is, rather fittingly, displayed in the blue-and-white-striped Santa Marta Lighthouse.
Local restaurants
Cascais’ fishing village origins can still be tasted throughout its seafood taverns and waterfront restaurants. The generous platters at Mar do Inferno (known locally as ‘Lourdes’) are fresh from the Atlantic, and you can watch the waves roll in from your ocean-facing table. Peruse the seafood counter at Marisco na Praça (next door to some of the town’s sought-after fishmongers), where the day’s catches are displayed over ice – simply place your order (by weight or by the piece) and take a seat, your meal is then prepared following traditional Portuguese recipes. There’s more turf than surf at Patéo do Petisco — a sharing style, terraced eatery, making a name for itself on its excellent steak sandwiches alone.
Local cafés
Mosey over to Mercado da Vila in the morning for your pick of pastry-piled stalls. Of course, pastéis de nata are a must, but the cinnamon-dusted areias, a local cross between a cake and a biscuit, are equally moreish. Small farms around Cascais supply the grains and stone-milled flour to Gleba, which bakes a range of slowly fermented, natural breads each morning.
Local bars
The ocean-oggling balcony at Hífen is as ideal for yacht spotting as it is for sipping your way through the inventive cocktail menu. The mango mojitos are particularly refreshing, and anything with a jalapeño liqueur base has a good, evening-fuelling kick to it. It’s also worth making the short pilgrimage to Holy Wine for natural labels (sold by the bottle and glass) and heavenly tastings.
