Travel Guide of Cascais in Portugal by Influencers and Travelers

Cascais is a municipality in the Lisbon District of Portugal, located on the Portuguese Riviera. The population in 2011 was 206,479, in an area of 97.40 km². Cascais is an important tourist destination.

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The Best Things to Do and Visit in Cascais

TRAVELERS TOP 10 :

1 - Boca do Inferno

Boca do Inferno is a chasm located in the seaside cliffs close to the Portuguese city of Cascais, in the District of Lisbon. The seawater has access to the deep bottom of the chasm and vigorously strikes its rocky walls, making it a popular tourist attraction.

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2 - Praia do Guincho

   6 km away

Praia do Guincho is a popular Atlantic beach located on Portugal's Estoril coast, 5 km from the town of Cascais, and is located in the municipality of Cascais, more precisely in the parishes of Cascais and Alcabideche, in the District of Lisbon.

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3 - Tours & Sightseeing | Sintra Day trips from Lisbon

   12 km away

Tour some of Portugal's most magical cultural heritage, and enjoy the lush gardens, lakes, grottoes and enigmatic constructions of Quinta da Regaleira. Visit the famous Initiation Well, and other places that hide mysterious meanings evoked by orders such as Freemasonry and the Knights Templar! Stop for a lunch break in old Sintra, and enjoy some free time to explore the historical charm of old Sintra, and the opportunity to taste the traditional pastry from Sintra, Travesseiro! Feel like royalty as you enter the romantic Pena Palace and Park, a unique expression of the architectural Romanticism. Like something out of a fairy tale, it's breathtaking architecture blends many styles together: Gothic, neo-Manuelin, neo-Islamic and neo-Renaissance. With an astonishing variety of plants and trees, amazing views of the Moorish castle, and the Atlantic Ocean, it's a perfect way to end the day before returning to Lisbon.

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4 - Farol da Guia

The Guia lighthouse is an active Portuguese lighthouse located at Cabo da Guia, about 2 km west of the centre of Cascais. It is an octagonal tower in white masonry with a red lantern that has a range of 18 nautical miles.

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5 - Ribeira Beach Cascais

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6 - Surfing in Lisbon

Learn how to surf, or improve your skills at Sao Pedro beach near Lisbon, and rest assure that you will get easily on the board and start riding the waves. The essential part when learning how to surf, is to have a good instructor... and the instruct...

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7 - Carcavelos beach

   8 km away
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8 - Praia da Conceição

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9 - Paragliding in Lisbon

   7 km away

Paragliding over the skies of Portugal, having a fantastic view of Lisbon and their unique landscape is an experience you will never forget. Come and enjoy! Not so long ago flying was just a dream for the "crazy" people. Nowadays there is a...

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10 - Parque Marechal Carmona

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11 - Palácio dos Duques de Palmela

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12 - Morning | Castelo dos Mouros Sintra

   11 km away

Looking for the best views of Sintra? You'll get them up at this 10th-century Moorish monument. Skip the line and walk the beautiful pathways, see ancient artifacts from the Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Neolithic period. All the while you'll learn about the castle's history and see Sintra, the Palace of Pena, and the hills beyond from a whole new perspective.

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13 - McDonald's

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14 - Lighthouse Museum of Santa Marta

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15 - Evening | Park and National Palace of Pena

   10 km away

This picture-perfect mountain retreat was a monastery until transformed into a private palace by King Ferdinand II. The surrounding Park of Pena is just as big of a treat, full of exotic plant life and other secret treasures. Discover for yourself the 'Crown of the Sintra region'.

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16 - Sintra

   11 km away

Sintra is a town and municipality in the Greater Lisbon region of Portugal, located on the Portuguese Riviera. The population of the municipality in 2011 was 377,835, in an area of 319.23 square kilometres.

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17 - Sintra-Cascais Natural Park

   12 km away

The Sintra-Cascais Natural Park is a park on the Portuguese Riviera, one of the 13 Natural Parks of Portugal. While only established in 1994 as a Natural Park by the Portuguese Government, it has been protected since 1981.

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18 - Cabo da Roca

   12 km away

Cabo da Roca or Cape Roca is a cape which forms the westernmost point of the Sintra Mountain Range, of mainland Portugal, of continental Europe, and of the Eurasian land mass.

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19 - Quinta da Regaleira

   12 km away

Quinta da Regaleira is a quinta located near the historic centre of Sintra, Portugal. It is classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO within the "Cultural Landscape of Sintra".

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20 - Colares

   12 km away

Colares is a civil parish along the coast of the municipality of Sintra. The population in 2011 was 7,628, in an area of 33.37 square kilometres.

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21 - Praia da Ursa

   12 km away
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22 - Queluz National Palace

   16 km away

The Palace of Queluz is an 18th-century palace located at Queluz, a city of the Sintra Municipality, in the Lisbon District, on the Portuguese Riviera.

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23 - Azenhas do Mar

   16 km away

Azenhas do Mar is a seaside town in the municipality of Sintra, Portugal. It is part of Colares civil parish. It is located just 30 km away from Lisboa, near Cabo da Roca, Palácio da Pena, and other attractions.

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24 - Costa da Caparica

   17 km away

Costa de Caparica is a Portuguese civil parish, located in the municipality of Almada along the western coast of the district of Setúbal. The population in 2011 was 13,418, in an area of 10.18 km². Since 9 December 2004, the Costa de Caparica has been designated as city within the urban hierarchy of Portugal.

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25 - Reboleira

   18 km away

Estádio José Gomes, informally known as Estádio da Reboleira, after its location, is the stadium of the Portuguese football team C.F. Estrela da Amadora and it has a capacity of 9,288.

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Pictures and Stories of Cascais from Influencers

20 pictures of Cascais from Zoltan Tasi, Etienne Girardet, Gabriel Castro and other travelers

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Why should you visit Cascais ?

Travel to Cascais if you like:

  ⛰️ Cliff     🏖️ Beach     🏰 Historic site     🏖️ Coast     🏖️ Ocean     🏘️ Town  

How to visit Cascais ?

o reach Cascais, you can fly into Lisbon's Humberto Delgado Airport and then take a train from the Cais do Sodré station. The train ride takes around 40 minutes and offers stunning views of the coastline. Alternatively, you can rent a car and drive to Cascais, which is approximately 30 kilometers away from Lisbon.

Before your trip, it's essential to book accommodations, as Cascais can get quite busy during the peak season (from June to September). You may also want to reserve a spot on one of the many guided tours available, such as a boat tour to explore the beautiful coastline or a bike tour to discover the charming villages nearby.

Costs in Cascais are relatively affordable compared to other European destinations. You can expect to pay around €50-€100 per night for a mid-range hotel, while meals at local restaurants will typically set you back €10-€20 per person. Entrance fees to most attractions are also reasonably priced, usually ranging from €5-€15.

Some of the best things to do in Cascais include visiting the Boca do Inferno, a dramatic cliff formation; strolling through the charming old town; and soaking up the sun on the beautiful beaches, such as Praia da Rainha and Praia do Guincho. In addition, don't miss the opportunity to visit the historic sites, such as the Cascais Citadel and the Santa Marta Lighthouse Museum.

For a delicious meal, try Restaurante Mar do Inferno, which offers fresh seafood and stunning views of the Boca do Inferno, or O Pátio dos Petiscos, a cozy tapas bar specializing in traditional Portuguese dishes. For something more upscale, consider dining at Hemingway Cascais, a trendy restaurant offering a fusion of Portuguese and international cuisine.

When choosing where to stay, consider the charming Pergola House, a beautiful guesthouse located in the heart of Cascais. Alternatively, you can opt for the luxurious Grande Real Villa Itália Hotel & Spa, which offers an extensive range of amenities and stunning ocean views. For budget-conscious travelers, the Nice Way Cascais Hostel is a great option, located just a short walk from the beach.

Off the beaten path:

For an unusual travel experience in Cascais, consider visiting the Condes de Castro Guimarães Museum, housed in a beautiful palace surrounded by lush gardens. The museum features an eclectic collection of art, furniture, and other items, including a rare edition of "The Lusiads," an epic poem by Portuguese poet Luís de Camões. Another off-the-beaten-path experience is hiking in the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, where you can explore the beautiful landscapes and enjoy stunning views of the coast.

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Cascais, a seaside resort as pretty as it is popular!

If there are plenty of good reasons to visit Lisbon, it's hard not to succumb to the charm of its little neighbor,
Located at about 30 kilometers from Lisbon, the city offers a coastline lined with 17 superb beaches, a park, a marina...
So, if you hesitate to go and discover it

Visit Cascais: between charm and sophistication

 The city has a quiet atmosphere of a very pleasant seaside resort. We cross human-sized squares with merchants, the breeze that blew that day agitated the dream catchers and other handmade wool ponchos...

Continuing to walk, we end up on a small sandy beach, the Praia da Ribeira. It is the ideal place to stroll from the early hours of the morning until late at night. You can buy ice creams and enjoy them on the jetty that juts out into the Atlantic, filled with fish traps.

Cascais is a very big city, with more than 200,000 inhabitants. 

It attracts tourists as well as rich Portuguese, not to mention the massive influx of foreign retirees who come to enjoy its pleasant climate and atmosphere.
The city acquired this special status in the 1870s: at that time, the Portuguese royal family began to spend their summer vacations in Cascais, thus arousing the interest of the local aristocracy

This attraction to the city also led to its development, improving the quality of roads, infrastructure, and the Portuguese oceanographic laboratory in the Cascais citadel
Today, Cascais remains one of the richest municipalities in Portugal but has managed to keep a peaceful and charming atmosphere.

It has been a long time since Cascais has been living from fishing and sea products, even if this is what would have given its name to the city ("Cascais" would derive from "cascas", the "shells", which could be collected in abundance on the coast).


Nevertheless, the city is still turned towards the sea, with a large marina that can accommodate 650 boats.

Frequently Asked Questions by Travelers planning a trip to Cascais

What to do in Cascais?

The beaches of Cascais

The Portuguese coast, of which Cascais is a part, has 17 beaches. As you can imagine, they are not all located near the city center.
First of all, there are a few beaches that are very convenient because they are easily accessible on foot from the center of Cascais and allow you to swim quite easily without the waves being too big. 

They are therefore perfect if you have children, want to relax without going too far or if you don't have a means of transportation on site.
They have the disadvantage of their advantage: as they are small "city" beaches, they quickly become crowded when temperatures rise.

There are for example :

• Praia da Ribeira - The most touristic

• Praia da Rainha - A tiny piece of beach 3 minutes walk from the Cascais train station!

• Praia da Conceição and its neighbor Praia da Duquesa are also very popular.

 Just a few steps away, there is a seawater pool, the Piscina Oceânica Alberto Romano. It is very popular with children because it is safer to swim in this type of environment than in the open sea!

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Discover more travel spots to explore around Cascais

  🏖️ Beach spots     🌊‍ Ocean spots     🏘️ Town spots     🏞️ Waterway spots     ⛰️ Cliff spots     🚢 Lighthouse spots     🏖️ Shore spots     🏖️ Coast spots     🏰 Historic site spots     Ferris wheel spots     🚢 Dock spots  

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