Cascais Travelers Recommend

The one-time sleepy fishing village of Cascais is now one of Portugal’s most-attractive coastal playgrounds, luring sun worshippers with its golden beaches and historic landmarks. Soak up its architectural charms, taste regional wines, and explore nearby towns. Here are a few ways to spend three days in Cascais.

Day 1: Get Acquainted

Spend your first day getting your bearings and soaking up the sights of Cascais. It’s a small town so you can quickly learn about its history and culture on a sightseeing tour with a guide who can explain Cascais’ transformation from fishing village to modern day seaside resort. Most tours visit historic landmarks such as the Cascais Palace (Palácio da Cidadela de Cascais) and citadel (Citadela de Caiscais), as well as the town’s lavish mansions. Soak up the scenery of the Portuguese Riviera with a walk along the promenade that connects Cascais to the nearby town of Estoril, which is known for its glitzy casino and as a former haunt of rich Lisboetas.

You’ll likely have worked up an appetite, so indulge in a meal and glass of wine with a view at one of the town’s many waterfront restaurants, and then head for Gelados Santini ice cream parlor for dessert.

Day 2: Wine or Waves

Spend your second day on a food- and wine-tasting tour that introduces you to the delicate flavors of coastal Portugal. Typical tours visit the 18th-century Carcavelos Winery to explore its vineyards and cellars while learning about the production of its wines, from grape to glass. These tours typically include tastings of local wines and lunch, offering the chance to enjoy regional cuisine.

For more adventurous thrill-seekers, catch some waves with a surfing lesson on one of the best surfing beaches in the Lisbon area. Whether you are an experienced surfer or trying it for the first time, a guided tour can take you to surf spots at either Praia do Guincho or Praia do Carcavelos. Instructors typically determine which beach to surf depending on your experience level and the day’s surfing conditions.

Day 3: Sintra or Fátima

Cascais’ location makes it easy to explore nearby attractions such as the city of Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or the religiously significant town of Fátima. Learn about the history of Sintra on a guided full-day trip while admiring the city’s 19th-century Romantic architecture, including many castles and estates. These tours often also include a stop at Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of Europe, and the seaside cliffs of Boca do Inferno.

Fátima is famed for the appearance of the Virgin Mary in 1917, and its Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima is an important place of Catholic pilgrimage. A full-day tour from Cascais allows you time to visit the Sanctuary and learn more about this significant moment in Fátima’s history. On the way back, some tours visit the fishing village of Nazaré, known for having the biggest surf waves in the world, and the medieval town of Óbidos.

Two days based in Cascais allow you time to thoroughly explore the town and its coastline; get a sense of its history and culture; and venture on a day trip to nearby Sintra. Here’s how to spend two days in one of Portugal’s most charming coastal towns.

Day 1: Explore Cascais

**Morning:**Check off Cascais’ major attractions, including its forts and lavish mansions, on a sightseeing tour led by a guide who can fill you in on its history. Some tour itineraries include a walk along the coast to the once-glamorous casino resort town of nearby Estoril.

**Afternoon:**Spend your afternoon catching waves on one of the best surfing beaches in the Lisbon area. Guided tours with instructors travel to surf spots at either Praia do Guincho or Praia do Carcavelos, depending on your skill level and current conditions.

**Night:**Conclude an action-packed first day in Cascais with a seafood dinner, a glass of wine, and a view at one of the town’s many waterfront restaurants. Make sure to leave room for dessert: Gelados Santini ice cream parlor is considered the best in the area.

Day 2: Discover Sintra

**Morning:**Cascais’ location makes it an ideal base from which to explore. Travel to nearby Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in about 30 minutes by car or 90 minutes by train or bus. Learn the history of the city from your guide while strolling the streets and admiring the 19th-century Romantic architecture, including many castles, estates, and palaces. 

**Afternoon:**To see more than just city sites, book a full-day tour with transportation from Cascais included. These tours often stop at Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of Europe, and the seaside cliffs of Boca do Inferno (Mouth of Hell) where you can see the waves of the Atlantic Ocean plunging into an ancient cave, now collapsed due to erosion. 

**Night:**After dinner, sample the city’s popular almond cream puff pastry, known as a travesseiro. If on a guided day trip, you’ll arrive back in Cascais with time for dinner as well as a taste of the nightlife scene on your last day.

The once-sleepy fishing village of Cascais has transformed itself into one of Portugal’s most-attractive coastal playgrounds, luring sun worshippers with its golden beaches. Whether you are visiting on a day trip from Lisbon or spending the night, here’s how to make the most of one day in Cascais.

Morning: See the Sights

Soak up the sights and learn the history of Cascais on a sightseeing tour that explains the town’s transformation from fishing village to court’s town in the late 19th century, to today’s modern seaside resort. Most tours visit historic landmarks such as the Cascais Citadel (Citadela de Caiscais) and palace (Palácio da Cidadela de Cascais), as well as the town’s lavish mansions. For stunning scenery of the Portuguese Riviera, walk along the coast to nearby Estoril, where you can glimpse the faded glamour of this one-time luxurious haunt of the rich and famous, known for its glitzy casino.

Afternoon: Catch Some Waves

Whether you are brand-new to surfing or an experienced surfer, you should not miss the chance to catch a wave in Cascais, home to some of the best surfing beaches in the Lisbon area. Guided tours typically include transportation from Cascais to surf spots at Praia do Guincho or Praia do Carcavelos. Both beaches are around 20 minutes away by car. Instructors choose the appropriate location for the lesson based on your level of surfing experience and skills, as well as the day’s surfing conditions.

Night: Enjoy Dinner and Dessert

Back in Cascais, having worked up an appetite, you can take your pick from the many restaurants. Seafood dishes are prevalent, but you’ll find plenty of other options, from steaks to vegetarian plates. Try to find a spot at a restaurant on the waterfront for dinner with a view. Afterward, if you are in the mood for dessert, stop into a popular ice cream parlor for a sweet treat. Some shops are considered the best in the Lisbon area.