One week tour in Portugal

Welcome to Portugal, the western little old rectangle of Europe. Full of history, beautiful monuments and castles, good food (better wine), awesome beaches and much more. The good news is that the country itself is small, so the main cities and points of interest are near each other.

Street of Alfama
Alfama neighborhood

First in the tour, the capital Lisbon of course. I suggest to start with a walk, a walk 1000 years back in time, when the Arabs ruled the city. Explore the very old and very narrow and steep streets and stairs of Alfama the oldest neighborhood of town.

Castelo S. Jorge
St Jorge Castle viewpoint

Take your time (and take many photos) to go all the way up to St. Jorge castle. On the way up or down, route yourself to Miradouro de Santa Luzia for breathtaking sights, and to Sé Catedral the oldest church in town, and just 50 meters ahead? Another church! St. Anthony church marks the birthplace of the famous matchmaker saint, and he is always there (well his spirit anyway) just to help with every love problem of yours.

Lisbon downtown - Augusta Street
Augusta street

Leaving the old town follow the natural city expansion to downtown, this is the part of the city that was rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake, with straight and square streets, open spaces with lots of light, and beautiful architecture.

A Ginginha
A Ginginha

To give you a power boost, start in Rossio square just like a local drinking a shot of cherry liqueur called ginginha in the very small, yet historic, open-fronted bar A Ginginha. Just in front there is a small monument with the star of David, a tribute (and reminder) to the hundreds of people killed by the inquisition bonfire in the Lisbon massacre.

Cais do Sodré - Pink Street
Pink Street

Take Rua Augusta and enjoy the walk to Praça do Comércio square, one of the big beautiful squares of Europe framed by the Tagus river, the bridge, and the boats. Proceed with the river on your left to Cais do Sodré, a place full of bars and restaurants ready to satisfy your famine and thirst. You should check out Pensao Amor an old brothel converterted into a fancy bar that actually kept some charm.

Beware, Cais do Sodré is just one of those places lost to gentrification. Pink street has too many tourists, few locals. Lots of bars and restaurants with little to no soul. High prices alert!

Fernando Pessoa
Fernando Pessoa

Time to move up to Chiado the posh neighborhood and the adjacent Bairro Alto the classic nightlife quarter. In Chiado please do take a coffee at A Brasileira with Fernando Pessoa (a famous dead poet) or if it’s the end of the day a drink (and a haircut) at O Purista. Do some shopping, the finest shops in town are in Chiado (and also in Avenida da Liberdade), checkout Livraria Bertrand, the oldest book store in the world, selling knowledge stamped on dead trees since 1732!

S. Pedro Alcantara viewpoint
S. Pedro Alcantara viewpoint

Bairro Alto comes alive at night, packed with restaurants, bars and people happily roaming the streets. Close to S. Pedro de Alcantara viewpoint I strongly suggest a drink in Pavilhão Chinês, one of the most beautiful bars in Lisbon. Also in Bairro Alto you will find Tasca do Chico, one of the last strongholds of bummer fado music. You can come in sit down have a glass of red wine and enjoy. Also a very good option to seat down, have a drink, and listen to fado, is Mesa de Frades in Alfama.

Tasca do Chico

Fado nowadays is mostly served in an expensive tourist package sold by the hotels that includes the transportation, fado museum, fine dinner (this and that), and fado presentations. I’m pretty sure that you will eat good and enjoy your time if you choose this option but the bummer fado is way cheaper and perhaps more authentic.

Torre de Belém
Torre de Belém

Back to daytime you should visit Belém, still Lisbon just a bit off the city center, this is the district that best symbolizes the portuguese age of exploration and discovery. Easily reachable by train from Cais do Sodré heading to Cascais (just a couple of stops between), there you will find the iconic Belém Tower, a fortification dating back to the fifteen hundreds, the Jerónimos monastery dating back to the sixteen hundreds, also Padrão dos Descobrimentos a beautiful monument dating back to 1960 dedicated to prince Henry the navigator and the portuguese that discovered the roads of the sea.

Pastéis de Belém
Pastéis de Belém

And of course, for me the main highlight of Belém, and the reason of all the work and hassle of sending boats filled with men across the globe, the Pastéis de Belém factory. So remember and praise all the history behind the moment you dust with cinnamon the delicious egg tart pastry.

And you are done with Lisbon city highlights. But please reserve one more day in town and do the day trip do Sintra, Cabo da Roca and Cascais. You can get to Sintra from Rossio train station (about 1h), from Sintra do Cabo da Roca by bus (about 30m), Cabo da Roca to Cascais by bus (about 20m) and Cascais train back to Cais do Sodré station (about 1h). And I really suggest to do Sintra in daytime, Cabo da Roca end of the day, Cascais at sunset/night.

Pena Palace
Pena Palace

Sintra is all about palaces, beautiful nature, castles, legends, knights Templar, moors, elves, fairies, and BAD WEATHER, so try to choose a perfect sunshiny day.

Monserrate Palace
Monserrate Palace

Right in the center of the village you will find the Town Palace (the one with two distinctive chimneys) even though is the most visited would strongly advise a skip to this one… because climbing up up up the hill (there are buses available) you will find the much more beautiful Pena Palace, just like a fairy tale construction, sitting proudly on the top of he ridge with breathtaking views and mind blowing gardens. Also would strongly advise a visit to Quinta da Regaleira, and also to the “small” but exquisitely beautiful red domed Monserrate Palace with exotic gardens and strong Moorish influences.

Cascais Bay Night
Cascais Bay

If you have time go to Cabo da Roca, the western point of continental Europe for some cool photos. If you love motorbikes, you definitely should go because there are always lots of cool bikes there so it’s a plus. If you spent to much time in Sintra then proceed straight to Cascais. Once a small fisherman’s village, now the Portuguese riviera, the perfect place to eat, drink and have some fun before returning back to Lisbon (or maybe to stay a couple of days to enjoy the easy going life, party at night, and the sun, surf, and sandy beaches at day) . For more detailed information please refer to this post about the area.

28 tram
28 tram

One more thing, when you move around in Lisbon please take a bit of time and do the classic 28 tram line thru the 7 hills. Usually is very crowded, so try to go really soon or late at dinner time. Buy the tickets before in the subway (much cheaper), and pay attention to your wallet (some pickpockets work daily in the trams).

Lisbon Oceanarium
Lisbon Oceanarium

If you are travelling with kids, and / or never went to a massive aquarium, please consider going to Lisbon Oceanarium. Located in the posh neighborhood of Parque das Nações it’s the flagship from 1998 World Fair, is the largest indoor aquarium in Europe, and truth to be told, if you have some kind of affinity with the ocean, it’s just an awesome sight to contemplate the main tank.

Praia da Marinha

Decisions time… if you fell in love with Lisbon, just hang around for the rest of your stay, enjoy time slowing down, the city light and the city night, drink lots of coffee and wine, make friends, explore the less touristic spots. If it’s Summer, and it’s hot, and you are dreaming of a city break, go ahead and take the 3 hour bus to Algarve, beautiful sandy beaches with warm water wait you there, after all the city bustle it’s a well deserved rest.

But if you really want to know the true soul of Portugal you must head North, not just because of monuments and landmarks but mainly because of people, honest, straight forward, with strong values and traditions, are probably the best hosts in the world. Also the food up North… delicious.

Praia do Norte - Nazaré
Praia do Norte – Nazaré

Heading North, the best way to do it is with a rented car but you can also do it by bus. Start early in the day, first stop Óbidos a well preserved fortified medieval village with a castle. Several times during the year the village celebrates the middle Ages with parades, markets, and more, so definitively check it out. Next stop, Nazaré – Praia do Norte, home of giant waves and the spot with the world record of biggest wave ever surfed. When conditions are good and surfers are in the water the view from the lighthouse is amazing.

Batalha monastery
Batalha monastery

Next stop Batalha monastery, an heritage monument celebrating the 1385 battle of Aljubarrota victory over the Spanish. I invite you to continue in the religious trail and visit the nearby Sanctuary of Fátima, place of many miracles, apparitions, celebrations, and many pilgrims.

V. N. Gaia wine cellars
V. N. Gaia wine cellars

Eventually you will arrive at Oporto the second city of Portugal and the capital of the north. It’s not my hometown like Lisbon, so do some research about it. I can strongly suggest is a visit to Vila Nova de Gaia port wine cellars. There are many of them, and it’s a really fun afternoon to visit some of them and tasting the nectar of the gods. For the definitive port wine experience there are several tours up the river Douro into the vineyards with visits, fine dining, and overnight stays in the producers farms.

That’s it folks, my personal suggestions for a week in Portugal.

Seafood
Seafood

One more thing, the food… everywhere you can eat really good with reasonable to exceptionally good prices. So, don’t waste your time, money, and body in MacDs or BKs that taste the same shit everywhere.

Some places that you should try:
Verde Minho – Honest old fashion portuguese food. In the center of Lisbon and great prices.
Cervejaria Trindade – in Chiado, old monastery (different and beautiful architecture for a restaurant). Good steaks and “pregos”. Not cheap nor very expensive.
Novo Edmundo – Grilled meat and typical food. Outside the city center, good price quality quantity relation.
Tasca da Esquina – Portuguese fine dining. Gourmet experience. Expensive (for Portuguese standards). Put yourself in the hands of the chef.
Cervejaria Ramiro – if you are into seafood this is the place to go in Lisbon. Lots of tourists and queuing since the late Anthony Bourdain filmed No Reservations here . A bit expensive to very expensive (varies a lot with the seafood you order).
Viveiros do Atlântico – 30 minutes north of Lisbon, in the picturesque surf village of Ericeira the seafood is also great and not so expensive as Ramiro. If it’s full or closed, in 1 kilometer radius around it, there are many other good seafood places.
Nova Casa dos Leitões – Perhaps the best roasted suckling pig in your life… up north in Anadia.

Moving around in Lisbon

So, here you are in beautiful Lisbon! Now there are so many places to visit, sights to be seen, monuments, restaurants, bars… how to get around to all these places?

First rule, very important to be an happy tourist, AVOID taxis like the plague. They exist in two color schemes: green/black or beige color, but they have only one goal, to rip off tourists and non locals.

A good alternative is Uber, the cars are new, the drivers polite, and most important you will know beforehand the price range of your trip so you will NOT be ripped-off.

Use this link to get €5 off your first ride


But unless you are wealthy, or lazy, or american, you don’t need/want to go by car to everywhere. So I invite you to also use the Lisbon subway network, it’s cheaper, eco friendly, and one of the best ways to move around in Lisbon specially at the rush hour (but sometimes a bit crowded though).

It’s called Metropolitano de Lisboa, or simply “Metro” and they do have an english version of the website, where you can find the network diagram (yes there is a station at the airport), ticketing and price information, and so on. The trains start running at 06:00am and stop at 01:00am. The stations are clean, safe, and the trains well maintained.

About the ticketing and pricing, it can be a bit tricky (even for locals) as you can mix subway, bus and trains, several time frames, and rechargeable tickets… my advice is to always keep the ticket during and after the journey as quite probably you can recharge it for other trips.

Cycling in Lisbon. The bad news is that we have lots of hills, not so good roads, nor cycling culture. The good news is that for most of the year the weather is perfect, there are more and more bicycle paths and more people cycle. It can be a perfect mean of transportation for short distances, or for a leisure ride by the river.

In some places of the city, you will find the city municipality shared bicycle stations, called Gira. They do have e-bicycles that assist you in the climbs, and the equipment is quite new. But the stations are not in touristic spots, and please beware this is almost a government funded scam, you see the daily pass, and think, cool for 10 euros one gets a bicycle for a whole day, right? WRONG, it gives you the possibility of using the service in that day. In practice it means for 10 euros you can do multiple trips of 45 minutes maximum time. If you make a 46 minute trip they charge plus 2 euros. And after 90 minute they charge more 2 euros for each 45 minute additional time. For example:

Let’s say you get a bicycle in the middle of town, go downtown (there are no stations to return the bicycle and stop your trip), then by the river (also no stations by the river), then go by the river to Belém for the monuments (again no stations there), take some pictures eat the pastries, and get back to the middle town and finally park/deliver the bicycle at a station.

It can easily take 5 hours, the total cost will be 10 euros for the “daily pass”, plus 12 euros for the extra time, for a total of 22 euros.

So if you enjoy ciclyng, maybe better off to rent a bike in a rental agency, or trough the bike peer to peer Spinlister.

A very cool alternative to cycling is the eCooltra electric scooter sharing service. You install an App (there is always an App…), take a picture of your drivers license, pick a nearby scooter, and go.

The cost is 0.24 cents per minute, but you can get the first 30 minutes for free with this code: jbvsg

The scooters are 100% electric and 0% emissions, and so easy to ride (low center of gravity, no vibrations), in my opinion a bit under-powered but it will take you where you want to go, in my book it beats any public transportation by a mile. The best thing is that you don’t need to find a specific station to park, just leave it (at least reasonably parked) when you finish your trip and carry on with your life.

With all the cheap and convenient means of transportations, don’t forget to walk, it’s the best way to fully enjoy the streets, the city stairways and charming alleys, so bring your best walking shoes.

And just one more thing, this is Lisbon, it’s not Bangkok nor Mumbai, don’t make yourself look like a dumb fool, and just don’t go around in a Tuk-tuk. It’s stupid, nobody likes them (maybe except for the Tuk-tuk owner, maybe), they bother people, they bother other vehicles on the roads, they can be quite expensive “for a tour” that would be much nicer to walk… Please just don’t do it.

Estoril/Cascais personal tips, favorite places and insights

So Estoril/Cascais 🙂 it’s a perfect spot for a short break or a week vacations. Both as local and an AirBnb host I have been gathering some tips and insights that I’m glad to share with you. Welcome to my personal guide.

For a general institutional view of the area and presentation video take a look at http://estoril-portugal.com done by the good people of the government….

How to arrive

EN6 - Estrada MarginalFrom Lisbon by car,  ignore the A5 motorway and set your GPS to the scenic (and toll free) Estrada Marginal – EN6, take your time, drive slowly and enjoy the beautiful coastal landscape and the feeling of leaving behind the stress of the big city and switch to a much more relaxed mindset.

From Lisbon airport by public transportation, take the subway red line from Aeroporto station, and switch at Alameda station to the green line to Cais do Sodre (it’s the terminal station). You pay 1.90€ per person, 1.40€ for the ticket and 0.50€ for the rechargeable card, so keep the card.

Viva ViagemAlso don’t put more money at the card or else you can’t use afterwards on the train, the money you put in the subway can only be spent at the subway, the money you put in the train can only be used in the train and so on. Remember that is only possible to switch operator with a zero balance…. yeah… typical Portuguese bureaucracy

At Cais do Sodré exit the subway system and go to the upstairs to the train. Charge the card with a 1.80€ zapping (it’s just a marketing word for money) and catch a train to Cascais. All trains from Cais do Sodré go to Estoril/Cascais. Relax and enjoy your trip.

Taxi, personally I would avoid the usage of taxis in Lisbon/Cascais trip. Unfortunately many of the taxi drivers are simply dishonest and some are even rude…. but if you really have to, like arriving very late or travelling with heavy bags, expect around 40€ trip rip-off. A very good alternative is to use Uber instead.

Now that you are here!

Cascais BoardwalkBoth Estoril and Cascais are very safe areas that you can walk around with no worries at all, and my first invitation to you is to go by the sea and walk the waterfront boardwalk from Estoril to Cascais, it’s a leisure walk of 2750m all the way from S.João do Estoril to Cascais, nice views for photos and lots of bars to stop for a coffee on the way. Take your time to scout for the beaches, my favorites are Tamariz and Praia da Duquesa, both have nice yellow sand and calm clean water to swim. Take notice that at peak Summer the beaches can get a bit crowded. The boardwalk ends in the heart of Cascais, a picturesque former fishing village with an aristocratic touch. If your legs can keep up, stroll around in the many pedestrian only streets.

bicas_cascaisIf you want a break from the beach and are the kind of person that enjoy to ride a bicycle, Cascais has a special treat just for you… the town provides bicycles for free (free, no cost, gratis).

  • You must take an ID card.
  • You can pick up them up in 3 spots. At Cascais train station (in front of MacDonalds), at Av. República near the Eco Turism information spot, and at the roundabout before Casa da Guia on N247 heading to Guincho.
  • You can use them everyday (except 25 December and 1 January) from 08h00 to 19h00 on Summer (01 May to 30 September) and from 09h to 17h on Winter (1 October to 30 April). You can only pick up 1h30 half hour before the station closes.
  • You must return the bicycle at the end of the day (no overnight) and in the same pick up station

Take notice, there are some 20 bicicles in each station so at peak Summer they tend to disappear pretty fast (specially from the Cascais train station pick-up spot) so arrive there early.  Also the BICAs, as they are called, are a little heavy and single shifted (but well maintained), they are perfect for a leisure ride but not at all sporty bicycles. Also they don’t come with lockers, so if you plan to leave the bicycle (to enjoy Guincho beach for example) is best to bring your own locker, if you don’t have lockers and you stay with me I can provide for free a couple of lockers to guests.

Now time to enjoy the beautiful bikepath from Cascais to Guincho, around 9Km always by the ocean

guincho_beachAs you progress you will leave the civilization behind and enter at the Cascais-Sintra natural park, eventually you will arrive at the world renowned Guincho beach, one of the best places in the world for kitesurfing or surfing. For the more adventurers there is a surf shop that can rent all the material or provide a surf (or kitesurfing) lesson/experience.

I would recommend the surf lesson. For a first timer most of the kite lesson will be spent on the sand learning all the gear and wind dynamics, on the other hand in the surf lesson most of time is spent in the water with a huge learning board and there are real chances to do a stand-up and snap that cool picture…

Most of the year Guincho beach is pretty windy and kind of uncomfortable to sunbath and swim, but in the real hot days (35ºC and up) normally is the best beach to go.

Beware! The ocean can get a bit tricky at Guincho (particularly in Winter). If you are not a seasoned swimmer and the water is choppy with big waves please don’t take any unnecessary risks.

Looking North Boca do Infernofrom Guincho you can have a glimpse of Cabo da Roca, the western point of continental Europe, it’s also a hot spot to go. but would not advise with the BICAs bicycle, it’s doable… but you will face some sharp climbing with an inadequate bicycle.

So time to come back, please stop at Boca do Inferno (the Hell’s Mouth) viewpoint. There you can have some photos and there are many places for a coffee break or ice-cream.

Casino EstorilThis is a pretty obvious tip, but since you are here, please don’t skip a visit to Casino do Estoril. During World War II, it was reputed to be a gathering spot for espionage agents, dispossessed royals, and wartime adventurers. It was the inspiration for Ian Fleming’s 007 novel Casino Royale. Also, it’s the biggest casino of Europe and besides all the expected gambling, there is always entertainment with shows and live music (some events are free). And why not to try your luck (with just a bit of money)? Who knows you can get rich during the holidays 🙂

There are many places inside the Casino where you can eat, restaurants, buffets and lounges. Some years ago i went to a show with a dinner and it was good but it wasn’t good enough to go to my restaurants list (a bit down), but some say the Chinese food restaurant Mandarin is the best and most authentic in Portugal.

cabo_da_rocaAs referenced before i also invite you also to go to Cabo da Roca. This landmark is the westernmost extent of continental Europe, has a beautiful view of the ocean and Sintra mountains, and very picturesque old lighthouse. You can get there by bus, line 403, from Cascais station.

If you like palaces and gardens (who doesn’t?) is also a very good idea to visit Sintra village – lots of material for a full post – on the same day of Cabo da Roca.

Unfortunatetly at this writing time the bus company website is only in portuguese, but I can help you with timetables and ticket prices.

But in my opinion the perfect way to go from Estoril/Cascais to Cabo da Roca (and Sintra) in the Summer is to rent a scooter, and to enjoy the fresh mountain air and the winding, but calm road. You can easily rent one in Cascais around 30€/day. I also strongly suggest that you install in your smartphone, MEO Drive a very good and FREE GPS app (available for Android and iOS) with detailed off-line (no Internet connection needed) maps of Portugal.

Check out the bar tips bellow and mark on the GPS the amazing Bar Moinho D. Quixote, located 1km before Cabo da Roca.

peninha roadIf you like stunning views, go up to Peninha, in a clear day you can enjoy a breathtaking view, all the way North to Peniche and all the way South to Serra da Arrábida, more than 100kms panorama…. for me simply the best view in the region. You can get there from a dirt road on N247 on the way to Cabo da Roca after Malveira da Serra. Or on narrow but paved road turning left on N9-1 also after leaving Malveira da Serra (this paved road takes you deep inside a pristine forest before climbing up do Peninha).

These are my suggestions for the days off the beach in Cascais/Estoril area, but of course i would very strongly suggest also a day trip to Lisbon, but that deserves a full post on its own.

Where to eat in Estoril/Cascais?

These are my favorite places, based on quality/price, kind of food, location and service around the area. Keep in mind that I haven’t tried all the restaurants, so there should be also other nice options not listed here. Also the order of listing is of no importance of preference.

  • dom_pregoDom Prego
    This is a local favorite, it’s got a very good (and very very cheap) steak with chips. You must ask for “Prego no prato” and choose with or without the egg. For a complete Portuguese experience choose draft beer (the litlle 20cc cup – but always cold and bubbly) to go with the steak. All the other stuff that I tried here didn’t even come close to the steak, so again ask for “Prego no prato” and you can thank me later 🙂
    ps – on top you will get also the free sea view from most of the tables
  • esplanada-santa-martaEsplanada de Santa Marta
    This one is dedicated to all the fish lovers. Located after the Cascais marina on the way to Guincho, you will see just before the old roman bridge some inconspicuous stairs that lead to an esplanade. This place my best advice for you is to stick to the grilled fresh fish. The prices are very reasonable and it has a beautiful sea view and Santa Marta lighthouse, best at sunset.
  • a_tascaA Tasca
    Deep inside Cascais, you will find this gem of typical Portuguese food. It serves daily dishes with seasonal ingredients. So my best advice for you is to ask Lita (the owner) for the daily special. This place is simple, honest, cousy, kind of old style restaurant that everybody enjoys. The prices are a bit higher than the previous two suggestions, but still retains a great price/quality ratio. My personal tip, go there when you are really on empty stomach 🙂
  • CapricciosaCapricciosa
    For all the Italian food lovers, this place offers good pizza and pasta at reasonable prices. It has a very good sea view and a lovely open balcony ideal for Summer dinners. Sometimes, not so good service and sometimes a little bit overcrowded for my taste.

Bars and discos in Estoril/Cascais

  • O Moinho D QuixoteBar Moinho D. Quixote
    On the way to Cabo da Roca, just 150m after the turn off the main road to Cabo da Roca/Azoia sign. It’s difficult to spot so here are the GPS coordinates
    Lat: 38.770783389980174
    Lon: -9.47728380560875
    It’s a lovely spot in Summer with a stuning outside view over Guincho at the outside tables, and very cosy in the Winter with the fireplace that warms up the several typical wood decorated rooms.
  • Quiosque Jardim dos PassarinhosQuiosque do Jardim dos Passarinhos
    This is a local neighborhood coffee terrace kiosk, good for morning coffee and newspaper on the way to the beach. It’s located on Carlos Anjos garden, a small but charming public garden at the end of Avenida Saboia in Monte Estoril. There is a cage with exotic birds thus the name Jardim dos Passarinhos (The Birds Garden).
  • Attic CascaisAttic
    This bar is a classic in Cascais night scene, it’s open everyday until 4am. At the weekends sometimes it has DJs and live music playing. My personal tip, ask for the 10 bottles of beer in the ice bucket for 10 euros (yes… that’s 1 euro for each beer).
  • 2001 rock club2001 Rock Club
    For all the rock and heavy metal lovers, you should go to the 2001 Rock Club – nicknamed the Cathedral of Rock – this place is open since 1973, and thank God little or nothing has changed since then… it’s located under the Autódromo do Estoril stands 🙂 unfortunately the best way is to get there is by taxi. Expect pretty reasonable prices and loud rock until morning.
  • Bauhaus EstorilBauhaus
    This is a pretty normal discotheque that usually i wouldn’t put in these suggestions. But here comes the insider tip, every first Friday of each month this place trows a rock party (expect lot of 80’s and 90’s) that everybody loves. It’s always fully packed and alive. So, if you are staying nearby at one of these special Fridays you should go. It’s located in front of Monte Estoril train station, at the other side of the road. High prices in the drinks are to be expected.
  • jezebelTamariz/Jézebel
    The more fashionable clubs in Estoril/Cascais. They are siblings, as Tamariz club (located in Tamariz beach) is open during the Summer then it closes and the staff moves to Jézebel (in Casino do Estoril) during the Winter. Both are high life clubs with lots of pretty people to see and be seen. Commercial dance hits of the season and some 80s tunes are the common airplay music. Personally I enjoy more Tamariz with lots of outside space, but on weekends you can get some pretty amusing nights on both of them (thats why they are on this guide…). Be prepared to spend some money as they are quite expensive.

Warning, tourist trap! At Cascais center, just near the Cascais bay and town-hall you will find a square called Largo Camões, packed with restaurants, bars and coffee shops. Most of the places during daytime are restaurants, then in the night transform in a bad mix of bars/clubs playing loud music to outside doing the best to get people inside where half dozen of inebriated people drink and dance with the big TVs on sport channels as background…. consider yourself warned.

And that’s all folks, I hope you really have a wonderful time here, relax, enjoy the sun, the sand, the good wine, the good food and the people.

And if you have any tips please use the comments box bellow.