Cascais - lovely town in Lisbon District

The perfect place for one day trip from Lisbon is beautiful Cascais. During the season it can be a little bit crowdy but it's realy worth to visit. Cascais is a charming Portuguese fishing town with a lovely old town, located near some of the finest beaches in the Lisbon region. It is full of interesting tourist attractions, such as museums, historical manors and beautiful parks, marina and many bars, restaurants and shops.

When you go from Lisbon by train it is worth to leave the train in Estoril and alk to Cascais along the seaside promenade. You will pass beautiful nineteenth-century manor houses, a swimming pool with sea water and many cafes and bars. The walk takes about 30 minutes. The Cascais region is very diverse, and in the area you will find bustling holiday resorts, as well as the beautiful natural landscape of the Serra de Sintra, with many hiking trails and excellent surfing spots. Cascais is full of tourist attractions, thanks to which it has gained the reputation of a great resort that's why it is the popular direction of day trips from Lisbon. Cascais has a beautiful coastline full of wonderful, sandy beaches. Beaches south of Cascais face the power of the Atlantic Ocean, whipped with huge waves, something for surfing fans. This part of the coast is located in the Serra de Sintra Landscape Park, and beaches in this part are wild and mountainous. One of the most interesting place in Cascais area is Boca do Inferno (Mouth of Hell). It is a collapsed cave and a series of weather-shaped cliffs, it is located about 2 km from Cascais. The unique rock formations of Boca do Inferno have been eroded by the strong Atlantic waters that constantly hit the coast. Boca do Inferno is an interesting place for a short break from visiting Cascais; they are connected to it by a pleasant, 20-minute walking trail along the coast, starting from the marina. Cascais has also a beautiful center with traditional fishing houses, which now serve as stylish stores, crowded bars and restaurants. If you like to surf the best spot will be Guincho Beach, located 8 km north of Cascais. Cascais and Guincho are connected by a bicycle path that runs along the breathtaking coast. If you would like to see more interesting places in Cascais it is worth to go to the Condes de Castro Guimarães Museum which is located in a charming, stylized Gothic castle built in 1902 by an Irish tobacco billionaire. After his death, the building was handed over to the council of Cascais, which changed it into a public museum displaying furniture and art from private collection. The most important attraction of the museum is the sixteenth-century manuscript, in which one of the oldest performances of Lisbon is located. This decorated building stands in the gardens of Marechal Carmona. When you came to Cascais in the morning, definitely Mercado da Vila is must see. It is a traditional, covered market in Cascais. I love place like this! Inside you will find many different stalls selling fresh fish, local products and classic handicrafts. Like all other Portuguese markets, Mercado da Villa it is closed at 2PM. When visiting this market, do not miss the detailed paintings on the Azulejos tiles, depicting the Cascais heritage. Cascais has an unique charm, lovely buildings, beautiful coastline, nice small streets and wide offer for turist. You can just go for a walk, you can spend time on beach or try some water sports. I think that it is a place where everyone will find something interesting for themselves. And what most important it has very good connection with Lisbon.