Description of Apartment/Location
The apartment is located in a family & serene surrounding. Around it you may find many coffee shops (for a quick portuguese café and fresh pastry), your closest supermarket is Jumbo which is about a 5 min drive towards the centre and a brief 15 min walk, around the area be sure to find small mini markets for quick daily purchases (bread, milk). Your commute into the centre can be done by car, foot or public transport with a stop close to the apartment which leads you to the terminal and you find different connecting routes towards Sintra, Cabo da Roca and the trains station which connects you all the way to Lisbon and the coast.
Out and About Locally
Out & About in Cascais
Ideal for those looking for something a little more special. A great base for golfers/family reunions/celebrations/sailing/ water sports or sun & beach holiday!
Easy train &Get a feel for the Portuguese life, Casa da Guia with all of its speciality shops, boutiques, restaurants & cafés offers afternoon refreshments overlooking the sea with wonderful views up to the Cascais marina bus links to Lisbon, Belém, Sintra and Estoril make it ideal for anyone wanting to add a little cultural substance to their beach holiday.
Get a feel for the Portuguese life, Casa da Guia with all of its speciality shops, boutiques, restaurants & cafés offers afternoon refreshments overlooking the sea with wonderful views up to the Cascais marina
Out & About in Lisbon
Lisbon & the Lisbon Coast are both an all-year-round destination. Summers, whilst warm are rarely oppressive and the cooling sea breeze keeps it comfortable even during the hottest months. Very mild winters mean you can enjoy your short break in the winter sun in Cascais and Lisbon.
Lisbon itself has lots to delight; from taking an old electric tram up the steep hills of Lisbon to whizzing up to the top of the Santa Justa Elevator to get a panoramic view of the city of Lisbon. Do visit Alfama (the old quarter) and be sure to wear comfortable rubber soled shoes to avoid slipping on the cobbles. In the evenings, take in a Fado evening over dinner in one of the many restaurants in this area - feel free to ask us where best to go. Bairro Alto is also wonderfully lively at night – quite a young atmosphere where you will find party goers spilling out of the restaurants and bars onto the pavements to continue the party. Try the Fado houses and late night bars/clubs.
June 12th is the night of the Festival of St Anthony; the best night for trying traditional sardines in Lisbon.
Go by tram - #15 is the best - to Belem. It leaves from Praça Figueira and stops at Praça do Comerçio and Cais do Sodré before going on to Belem - a wonderful place of fountains, parks, monuments and monasteries.
Worth visiting in the Estremadura and beyond are, Óbidos, Sintra, Azeitão & Setúbal, Fatima & Nazaré. Alentejo is a little further (about 2 hours) but worth visiting are Évora and Monsaraz. The Esporão Wine Estate is worth having lunch at if you are going as far as Monsaraz.
We can offer you a day excursion at competitive rates. See our Tours section.
Out & About in Sintra
The town of Sintra is well worth a visit. Its a world heritage site and has a lot to enjoy both for adults and children, including the Moorish Castle, Pena Palace, National Palace and the mysterious Quinta da Regaleira. It also offers great shopping and restaurants. Markets in Sintra are on the 1st and 3rd weekends of each month. Take a horse and carriage ride around the villa in true turn of the century style if you want to see it all! Its Sintra's answer to the sightseeing bus.
And with Lisbon only 25 minutes away and Cascais only 15minutes, you can get all the cosmopolitan and night life you need.
A short distance away you can enjoy a lovely out door or indoor lunch at the Don Quixote Restaurant. This terrace bar is located at a windmill just a stone's throw away from the westernmost point in Europe. You'll really feel on holiday with a jug of Portuguese sangria and the incomparable view of the Guincho Beach and the Atlantic in front of you and the Sintra Hills behind. A truly perfect location for sunsets. Snacks served all day include scones and tea. Pay a visit Cabo da Roca, the most westerly point of Europe where you can enjoy a cliff top walk with spectacular views and visit to local tourism point.
There are many walking routes in the mountains (parts of it protected by World Heritage) behind Cascais, if you wish we can provide information and/or contacts to the local walking groups. Otherwise for the more adventurous traveller, we can arrange organized buggy/go-cart tours along the coastline or into the protected mountain area. (some tours need to be pre booked so that permits can be obtained for the protected areas)
The delightful old town of Ericeira (a little further north of Sintra) takes you back in time to the days when it was a tiny fishing village. Cobbled streets, white-washed houses and a plethora of restaurants and cafes offer excellent food, especially the sea-food for which Portugal is deservedly famous.
Other Information
Beaches, Golf & Gastronomy
Coast / Beach
Beaches in the Bay of Cascais are about 10-12 mins walk from the property; other beaches on the Cascais / Estoril coast are within easy walking distance 15 to 20 minutes along the promenade. A few mins drive away is the magnificent, spectacular Guincho coastline, with sandy beaches and rocky coves. The alternative popular surfer beach of Carcavelos just 15 minutes drive away is very accessible also by train. You can have surf lessons here on this beach as well as on Guincho.
There are a great many fine sandy beaches on the Lisbon Coast. You have the choice of 3 beaches in the centre of Cascais. Fisherman's beach, Praia da Rainha, or the longer stretch at Praia d Conceição and many more as you travel in the direction of Lisbon. They are all very easy to access by train which runs along the water's edge for most of the way between Lisbon and Cascais.
These have superb beach restaurants dotted all along the way serving fresh fish, sardines, various seafood and the famous Portuguese steak roll (Prego no pão). Otherwise, visit (by bus or cycle there on the purpose built bicycle path) the Guincho Beach on spectacular un-spoilt coastline. It offers perfect conditions for surfing and there are beach bars on most of them offering refreshments.
Take a day trip to one of the Sintra beaches such as Praia Grande, Praia Maças and Praia da Adraga. Adraga Beach restaurant serves fish and seafood which tastes like they caught it just before serving it. Or try the "restaurant with a view" Azenhas do Mar. Beautiful views and beautiful food.
Golf
We offer to pre-purchase your Golf Passports with our golf & accommodation packages which entitle the golfer to play 3/5 courses (1 green fee p/course, as many rounds as possible). If you would like us to make the necessary arrangements, please just let us know in advance whether your preference is the 3 or 5 day passport and which other course you would like to play.
For more information and pricing please email us or call us on +351 21 486 7767
There are 8 excellent golf courses within a 20 min drive from Cascais.
The golf courses of Quinta da Marinha, Quinta da Beloura, Estoril (27 holes) are nearby all within 10 to 15 minutes drive. Penha Longa (27 holes), Belas, the Lisbon Sports Club are within a 20 to 30 min drive. The Atlântico da Penha Longa course has already been the scene of several European Tour competitions. This hilly course offers broad magnificent views over the countryside that surrounds you with the mountains and the sea.
Around an hour's drive are Praia D'El Rey, Ribagolfe I & II, St Estavao, Qtª do Peru, Aroeira I & II, Montado and Troia golf courses.
The Quinta da Marinha Oitavos course, the newest in the region, designed by the famous American architect Arthur Hills, is the first course in Europe and the second in the world to have the Audubon International ‘Certified Signature Sanctuary/Gold'. With excellent views over the Palácio da Pena and Cabo da Roca.
Gastronomy