What to do in Cascais? Some tips for your planning

Cascais, a must-see destination for any visitor to Portugal, it is located just 25km faraway from Lisbon. Here 5 reasons why you should visit Cascais, during your next trip

In the western region of Europe, Cascais is the gateway to Sintra-Cascais National Park. Its exceptional beautiful region hosts the estuary of the River Tejo and Carcavelos beach and Guincho Beach, there you can admire some of the outstanding natural features you can see in Portugal.

If you already know the reasons why to visit Cascais, but you need to know something more when planning your next trip, here some tips to visit Cascais.

Excellent accommodations and service

In the town of Cascais, you can find a place to stay at that will do everything they can to guarantee your comfort, paying attention to every single detail. And you can expect the same care if you choose to take any of the tours or trips: companies that organize tours are the top ones, they can suggest you what to do in Cascais and help you to organize your private visit.

Iconic places

There are several memorable places you can include in your checklist for your stay.
Take a walk through the town market, it takes place every Wednesday and Saturday morning and it’s not only a market! In a daily basis you’ll find several restaurants or small shops where you can taste Portuguese flavours, ideal for a break.
Reach the most westerly point of mainland Europe at the mythical Cabo da Roca and stop by Boca de Inferno (Hell’s Mouth), an interesting cliff formation close to Cascais, the ceaseless pounding of the Atlantic Ocean on the cliffs chiseled a small cave, which subsequently collapsed forming a small bay and natural arch.
For a day trip, the best choice is Sintra: in the 19th century this town became the first centre of European Romantic architecture. The Castle of the Moors, the Palacio National de Pena and the National Palace of SiIntra are just some of Sintra see-sights, they are all surrounded by beautiful gardens and built with different kinds of architecture: Gothic, Egyptian, Moorish and Renaissance. This area is so unique and beautiful that in 1995 the Cultural Landscape of Sintra entered in the World Heritage list of UNESCO.

Cultural programs

Visit some museums, Casa das Histórias Paula Rego or Centro Cultural de Cascais are part of a project called “Museum Quarter”: 12 museums and 2 parks in the area between the Parque Marechal Carmona and the historical centre of Cascais got together with the purpose of promoting and scheduling events and exhibition to meet tourist interests.

Enjoy the tastes

Cascais is a town known for its wonderful food. The seafood is, of course, its greatest strength: shrimp, crab, barnacles, crayfish and lobster are all prepared in a unique and traditional way. Any restaurants combine seafood with fresh products of the highest quality for an healthy and genuine meal. But leave some room for dessert: don’t forget to taste the Areias de Cascais (Cascais Sands), a simple but rich traditional treat.

Before leaving... let’s go shopping!

Take a little piece of Portugal with you and try visiting the numerous markets and fairs all over Cascais. In the center of the city you can find traditional shops: art, wine, and jewelry are just some of the items you can buy by local people. Most of these shops stay open until 7 p.m. and some of them are also open on Saturday mornings. The town market, for example, or the São Pedro Fair in Sintra are just two of the many options you can choose among several markets. But don’t forget – some markets are seasonal or only happen on certain days of the week:

Cascais: Wednesdays and Saturdays in the morning
Adroana: on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month
Carcavelos: Thursday mornings
Sintra: the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month in São Pedro