Lisbon · Portugal
Cascais travel guide
Cascais is a city in Lisbon, Portugal, home to about 214,000 people.
- Best months
- March to September
- Nearest airport
- CAT7 km · Cascais Airport
- Currency
- EUReuro
- Time zone
- Europe/Lisbon
- Language
- Portuguese
About
About Cascais
Cascais is a town and municipality in the Lisbon District of Portugal, located on the Estoril Coast. The municipality has a total of 214,158 inhabitants in an area of 97.40 km2.
Cascais (kush-KIGHSH, /kɐʃ.ˈkajʃ/) is dominated by the bay and the imposing Cidadela fort, and the historic centre is brimming with architectural treasures of a religious, military and civil nature. Likewise, the museums of the Sea, Casa das Histórias de Paula Rego, and the Municipal Museum Condes de Castro Guimarães are also must-see attractions.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Cascais
See
- Boca do Inferno
- Palácio de Conde de Castro Guimarães
- Museu do Mar Rei D. Carlos
- Parque Palmela
- Guincho beach
- Casa das Histórias Paula Rego
- Town Hall
- Lighthouse museum
- Casa de Santa Maria
Do
Cascais is a magnet for those looking to practice every type of sport and leisure activity. Besides excellent facilities and all the professional staff and necessary equipment, the region boasts a wide range of natural advantages such as pure air, temperate year-round climate and close proximity to the sea and mountains.
- Belas Country Club
- Estoril Club
- Lisbon Sports Club
- Penha Longa Golf Resort
- Quinta da Marinha
- Oitavos Golf Course
- Penha Longa Monastery
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Cascais to stay in
Cascais is in the development phase: several holiday apartment buildings and hotels are under construction. The corso (beach road) is busy at night so ensure you room is not directing to it.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Cascais
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Cascais are March to September. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 29 °C; November is the wettest, with about 116 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Cascais: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Cascais Airport (CAT), about 6.5 km from the city centre in a straight line; Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS, 26 km) is also within reach.
Getting in
Cascais is easily reached from Lisbon on the CP Cascais Line, with trains departing from Cais do Sodré station. The journey takes around 40 minutes. By car, Cascais is connected to Lisbon by the A5 motorway and the coastal Estrada Marginal (N6). Lisbon Airport is approximately 35 km from Cascais.
Getting around
The town is small enough to explore entirely by foot. To get a feeling for the life it's best to stroll around on foot. Uphill, beyond the town centre there are numerous narrow cobbled streets to explore with interesting architecture, plants and animals to see. Riding a bicycle in Cascais is one of the "must do" things. Keen cyclists with their own bikes and like hills can venture towards Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe's mainland and even to Sintra using the nice roads while crossing the heart of this incredible nature reserve so close to the capital city of Lisbon.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
CAT · Cascais Airport
LIS · Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Cascais
Eat
A selection of excellent food and drink can be found on the Estoril Coast if you know where to look. Cod, seabass, and squid are the most popular dishes, and many other types of seafood are available at good establishments. Within central Cascais good food, and especially good value, can be hard to find. Taking time to scout out genuine Portuguese eating houses is worth doing, however, as the tastiest and most interesting dishes often exist in tucked away more modest restaurants, where locals tend to dine.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Cascais: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Cascais?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Cascais are March to September. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 29 °C; November is the wettest, with about 116 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Cascais?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Cascais Airport (CAT), about 6.5 km from the city centre in a straight line; Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS, 26 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Cascais?
euro (EUR).
Nearby
Destinations near Cascais
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.