Cascais is a beautiful beach town, serene during the low-season, and brimming with vacationers in the summer. Surfers and beach lovers will find everything they need in this tight-knit community.
Transportation. Trains from Lisboa’s Estação Cais do Sodré (☎213 42 48 93; M: Cais do Sodré) head to Cascais (30min., 3 per hr. 5:30am-1:30am, €1.65). Scott URB has a bus terminal in downtown Cascais, to the left side of the blue glass tower of the shopping center behind the train station. Buses #418 (40min., every 50min. 6:30am-7:50pm) and the more scenic #403 via Cabo da Roca (60-80min.; every 75min. M-Sa 6:30am-8:40pm, Su 9:10am-8:40pm) go from Cascais to Sintra for €3.35. To visit Praia de Guincho, a popular windsurfing beach considered by many to be best on the coast, take the circular route bus #405/415 to the Guincho stop (22min., every 1-2hr. 7:15am-7:40pm, €2.60).
Practical Information. To get to the tourist office, Av. dos Combatentes de Grande Guerra, 25, exit the train station through the ticket office and look for the McDonald’s arches across Lg. da Estação. To the right of McDonald’s is Av. Valbom; the office is a yellow building with “turismo” in big letters at the end of the street. The staff has English, Spanish, French, German, and Russian speakers. (☎214 86 82 04. Open in summer M-Sa 9am-7pm, Su 10am-6pm; in winter M-Sa 9am-7pm, Su 10am-6pm.)
Accommodations And Food. Sleeping in Cascais; most stay in Lisboa or at nearby Oeiras, which has a pousada da juventude (HI youth hostel). If you do stay, the best place to crash is Cascais Beach Hostel , R. da Vista Alegre, 10, located five blocks away from the beach, and relatively well-located. Green co-ed dorms with 4-8 beds are very clean. Offers shared kitchen, free internet, luxurious common room with TV, swimming pool, and sunbathing deck. (☎309 90 64 21; www.cascaisbeachostel.com. Dorms Apr. 15-Nov. 15 €20; Nov. 16-Apr. 14 €18; doubles €49, with bath €69. Cash only.)
There are several restaurants on Av. dos Combatentes de Grande Guerra. The best is Restaurante Dom Manolo , R. Dra. Iracy Doile, 9A. Located 1 block from the train station, it serves up Japanese favorites to go. (☎214 86 74 28. Rolls €5-10. Sushi/sashimi boxes €7-16. Open daily noon-9pm. Cash only.)
Outdoor Activities And Entertainment. Praia da Ribeira, Praia da Rainha, and Praia da Conceição are especially popular with sunbathers. To reach Praia da Ribeira, take a right upon leaving the tourist office and walk down Av. dos Combatentes de Grande Guerra until you see the water. Facing the water, Praia da Rainha and Praia da Conceição are to your left. Or take advantage of the free bike rentals offered at two kiosks in Cascais (one is in front of the train station, by the McDonald’s, the other is in the parking lot of the Cidadela fortress, up Av. dos Carlos I). With a passport or driver’s license and your hotel information, and you can use the bikes from 8am to 6:30pm. Ride along the coast (to your right if facing the water) and check out the Boca de Inferno (Mouth of Hell), a stunning open cave where the crashing waves supposedly whisper the devil’s words. Go on a rainy day to really hear the cave roar. (About 1km outside Cascais, a 20min. walk up Av. Rei Humberto de Itália.) Devilry of a different sort starts as the sun sets, as nightlife picks up on Largo Luís de Camões, the main pedestrian square.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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