Hugely popular with visitors, Cascais is around 35 minutes’ drive from Lisbon, just outside the expansive Sintra-Cascais Natural Park which runs down Portugal’s most westerly fringe. Once a small fishing village, it’s now a major resort with the facilities to match, but it hasn’t lost its charm or a sense of its history – you can still see why it was the place to be for the Portuguese nobility of the 1800s.
With none of the hilliness of the capital, a day spent in Cascais is an easy-going affair. One of its key attractions is the opulent Castro Guimares Museum, featuring artefacts of Portuguese history dating back many centuries. The museum sits in the pretty Jardim Marechal Carmona gardens, and its brightly coloured, decorative facade means you are unlikely to miss it.
The Praia da Ribiera is just one of many fine beaches in the area and centrally located. The walk to the impressive Boca do Inferno cliffs is a popular one and scenic too, while the marina area provides another pleasant spot to while away some time with a drink or two.
Around 4km north of Cascais, Estoril is a sophisticated spot famed for both its motorsport racetrack and its centrepiece casino – said to have provided Ian Fleming with the inspiration for a certain James Bond, no less. It lacks the heritage of Cascais, but if you fancy a night at the roulette wheel, or a day at the steering wheel, it’s the place to go.
Sintra, on the other hand, is not lacking in history and punches above its weight when it comes to intriguing architecture. From the romantic Palacio da Pena with its whimsical details to the arabesque Palacio de Monserrate and gothic Palacio Nacional, it’s worth arranging an organised tour to learn about these sights in more detail. You certainly won’t run out of things to see in a hurry – and if you need a break from it all, the wonderful Guincho beach or landmark Cabo da Roca provide excellent chill-out locations.