A soft breeze fans the sultry heat of another suave summertime in Portugal.
Pine trees exude a fresh scent of terpenes released by the heat. The sky is pure azure with nanometric silver particles, perfect stage for the best selfies in gowns under natural light.
Nestled in the heart of Cascais, the secluded Praia da Rainha (Queen’s Beach) stretches out at sunrise to a bright new day with Lido elegance, leaning against its headland with aristocratic nonchalance. Once the private beach of Queen Amélia (1889)—who could blame her?—it is today, and hopefully forever, a democratic beach at the heart of the city.
Praia da Rainha (Queen’s Beach) at sunrise and sunset.
Here, a local and international crowd cohabits on millimetric patches of sand, snapped by visitors from the staircases as if part of a Hollywood movie set. Towards the golden hours, the towels amusingly move along with the last rays of sun that cast their magic on an oblique path. The sand’s texture evokes the rice powder European women would leave on their art deco cabinets, in a cloud of scents made of iris and violet.
Praia da Rainha in Cascais is as close in distance from Lisbon as Venice Beach is from Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles—less than 20 miles or 24 kilometers to be precise. Sit on one of the loveliest train rides along the sea for €2, and 40 minutes later, your toes will touch and sink into the talc-soft sand.
Santos Station in Lisbon, the closest to Estrela, has trains leaving for Cascais every 30 minutes before dawn and until after dusk, like a mermaid's call for a stylish escape.
Situated to the west of the Tagus estuary, the territory covered by the Municipality of Cascais borders the Municipality of Sintra and its mountains, and the municipality of Oeiras. The rest of its borders are shaped by the Atlantic Ocean.
In the second half of the 12th century, Cascais was a small village of fishermen and farmers that derived its name from the word Cascal—a heap of shells, due to the abundance of marine mollusks.
At the time, the fear of Moorish and Norman pirate attacks kept Cascais as an agricultural land as well as a fishing estuary. Administratively dependent on Sintra, of which it was part, Cascais turned into a busy fishing port because of the privileged geographical location of its bay. In this context, on the 7th of June 1364, the good men of Cascais successfully petitioned King Pedro I to elevate the status of the village to a town.
Cascais exudes historical charm and stories, unique natural settings, and lately, the exhilaration of its growth. This is one of the most spectacular real estate success stories in Portugal, bringing with it a cosmopolitan crowd from all parts of the globe, and indeed radical wealth with its peculiar expectations.
Along N247: Truck 'Excellent Carrier of Exclusive Cars'
A privileged Portuguese region nestled in pine woods, tropical vegetation, and spectacular seashores, where golf clubs slide parallel to the solemn wilderness of the Atlantic. The untamable mustang of a beach, Praia do Guincho on the Boca da Roca scenic road, contrasts in raw energy with Cascais’ offerings of polished beauty parlors, gourmet restaurants, jewelry shops, boutique hotels with eco ethics, and elaborate festivals.
The local population, who have been pushed further inland by the display of wealth, the increase in tourism, and essentially by skyrocketing property prices, may disagree. But Cascais, a small fishing village once living in the shadow of the magnetic Sintra that overshadowed it, has now built its Riviera on the Rocks with stunning swagger, gifted by its surrounding landscapes.
The area offers a great variety of beaches and activities for different tastes, pleasing everyone across the spectrum. And although the display of wealth is palpable everywhere, the city remains accessible, sharing, and welcoming without discrimination.
Live in Lisbon, and you’ll be thrilled to escape to Cascais throughout the seasons, as if it were a Venetian Lido or the stylish Cap d’Antibes in the heyday of the French Riviera. You will be thrilled by its current offerings and at times, yes, concerned by its rapid growth.
The price of a square meter in Cascais in January 2024 was €4,812 / $5,330. In one year, the price has increased by 8.6%. Real estate development is in full view everywhere around Estoril, Oeiras, and Cascais.
Views of Cascais in the city center
No wonder this state of affairs has brought in a pulse closer to Manhattan’s West Riverside rather than the often-described Californian languor. Each new day, right after dawn, people are jogging, biking, carrying deliveries, serving early-bird guests, taking phone calls while fast-walking, and ordering espressos at the counters.
Cascais is quintessentially Portuguese and superbly Southern European in style.
Still, the city cannot entirely disregard its Californian reference, with its microclimate and consistent sunshine, its lines of palm trees swaying in the wind, and, like Californian cities, its surrounding millenary nature of sublime beauty.
Cascais is a 21st-century city with a progressive mindset and quality services by the sea. It offers an upbeat, stylish experience steeped in #oceanrespect, eco-hotels, and fun options for aficionados of a healthy outdoor lifestyle.
Dramatic viewpoint of Cabo da Roca
The same running trails, whether along the scenic road towards Cabo da Roca or in the opposite direction towards Estoril, attract baby boomers and millennials from all over the world, sharing the same running pulse, tech accessories, and a clear love for wind sports.
Curious, elegantly needy, with refined tastes, they wear ‘Gorpore Fashion’ (a buzzword for utilitarian fashion) and the latest rage, the Supro Lite Sweep Oakley sunglasses, highly praised by those running and cycling in blinding daylight.
Note that sport has always been part of Cascais’s pedigree. The first notable entity dedicated to football and tennis, among other sports in Portugal, was the Sporting Club of Cascais, founded in 1879.
A club for the elite, it was patronized by King Luís and King Carlos. Portugal was introduced to football in the late 19th century by a combination of British immigrant workers, visiting sailors, and Portuguese students returning from Britain, which reminds us that Greater Lisbon has always been cosmopolitan, thanks to its ports and navigators.
Cascais Cultural Center. Exhibitions A Geography of Mysteries + Coco Chanel
Today, if you're curious about the latest trends in automobiles, mountain bikes, and outdoor sporty glamour, Cascais is an open-air catwalk. The climbing school of Gaia neighbors the Golf Club of Quinta da Marinha, itself near Cascais’s Sheraton and its open-air cinema nights by the pool.
On the seashore is Casa da Guia, centered around a sunflower-yellow 19th-century mansion called Quinta dos Condes de Alcáçovas, which once hosted a dynasty of counts until the 3rd Count of Alcáçovas’s daughter, Tomásia de Magalhães Mexia Sande Salema Guedes de Meneses (1850-1938)—a name that sings like a string of noble beads.
Today, the mansion and gardens are open to visitors, with several ATM stations at hand—a Portuguese invention, after all. On display are bohemian fashion pop-ups, Brazilian coconut refreshments, culinary experiences ranging from meat to vegan, ice creams to tempt the kids, and a mini village of kiosks, cafés, and restaurants like Grelhas, strategically located for twilight views. Adjacent is the Eco Lounge Palaphita, a dining camp under transparent huts and outdoor communal tables, steeped in Brazilian Amazonian roots. It’s casual chic with a live music stage under the pines, and the majestic sunset naturally lighting up the stage.
Casa da Gaia / Volunteers Mare Viva / Food Hut Palaphita
Rent a mountain bike in Cascais at Scooters Na Linha and cycle towards Cabo da Roca on the N247 for more unrestricted views of majestic wilderness, and more exclusive venues peppered along this preserved landscape. Circle the secluded villas nestled in Quinta da Marinha that recall California’s Melrose lifestyle, with sprinklers wasting precious water to fuel thirsty Thuya hedges serving as natural curtains for privacy.
Now escape on the trail along the seashore to Guincho Beach and soon you’ll find The Arribas Sintra Hotel leaning against the rock formation of Praia da Arriba. From its outdoor pool, the breaking waves offer one of the most incredible 360-degree telluric experiences.
Praia da Arriba viewed from the eponymous hotel
Further down, the Hotel Fortaleza do Guincho Relais & Châteaux is your best survival strategy against the tricky winds of Guincho Beach. The bar is cozy and serves all day.
The Fortaleza do Guincho Restaurant opened with the hotel in 1998. From the outset, guided by French chef Antoine Westermann, the aim was to create haute cuisine that quickly became a benchmark in Portugal. That’s also where Portuguese gastronomic star José Avillez initiated his career.
Current Portuguese chef Gil Fernandes, 33, learned to cook within the rhythm of the seasons, inspired by his grandparents who called their harvests nature's gifts. His grandmother was passionate about therapeutic herbs, his father dedicated his life to agriculture, and his mother to the art of baking. At 17, Gil was a student at the Estoril School of Hospitality and Tourism, venturing out for hours to prepare meals for weddings. Who wouldn’t trust such a hands-on pedigree?
"Guincho" means winch in Portuguese, which perfectly describes how the wind lifts humans upward with supernatural powers. Windsurfing is indeed a school of thought with a variety of courses at the Guincho Wind Factory.
And if you haven’t checked the wind speeds beforehand on a Wind app, you’d better fold in your selfie stick at the risk of breaking it. The wind direction is north on one of these last days of August, with speeds varying between 15.6 and 22.3 mph and gusts up to 37.9 mph.
What a perfect alibi for a seafood experience at the elegantly chilled Monte Mar Cascais and its excellent (pricey, of course) seafood offerings with one of the most caring customer experiences around. In guests’ own words: “The food is delicious and the waiter is very gentlemanly.” — Chen H., August 10. “Everything about this restaurant is perfect. The staff is second to none. Luis greets you and the rest of the team makes you feel at home. The food is always on point and there is no mistake in freshness.” — Ivan A., August 2, via The Fork.
Now sustained, you have several options to expand your journey.
By car, a road trip from Cabo da Roca to Ericeira is a must-do for more stunning oceanic wonders: Ursa Beach, Azenhas do Mar, and Magoito Beach, for a start. Travel writer Joana Taborda on Cityodes guides you.
Alternatively, you can head back to Lisbon and stop by Oeiras or Carcavelos on your way. Now check this out! Imagine being a 20-year-old student from landlocked, hibernal, and misty Germany, landing in the electric blue and pristine white NOVA SBE, NOVA School of Business & Economics | University NOVA of Lisbon.
It’s pretty much like boarding a spaceship surrounded by silver-dotted seas. Designed like a late-generation Asian airport with wide-open spaces, including tennis tables, cafés, and food options with an integrated Pingo Doce market, you will be stunned by the little tunnel right by the white monolith Jerónimo Martins Grand Auditorium, labeled Sagres Beach Way. Walk five minutes—less if you skateboard—and here you are, feet in the sand.
If you ever felt that business and economics studies could entitle a lifelong Premium Traveler of the World status, there’s no better place on Earth to assert such a belief than NOVA. In the capillary waves, the student of economics, Karl Marx, might lose his point as if an engulfed sandcastle. Although who knows? The acquisition of knowledge never predicts its outcomes.
The municipalities of Cascais (€4,176/m²), Lisbon (€4,086/m²), and Oeiras (€3,096/m²) unsurprisingly had the highest house prices in the country between the end of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024. Source.
Now name one other capital city that checks all these boxes:
— Its feet in a river merging into an ocean
— A coastal capital bathing in year-long sunshine and azure skies
— A 30 km-long stretch of beach on its South Bank
— A School of Business/Economics & Tech/Science studies with a surf path
— A city, 36 minutes away, that’s part of UNESCO’s Heritage List for its landmarks of European Romanticism
— And at 40 minutes by train, idling along the sea without drama or traffic jams, a Stylish Riviera…
Wonder why it’s called Grande Lisboa or Greater Lisbon?
Or why the property market is madness for some and dreamland for others?
Name anyone who wouldn’t sign up for this — 😊
The Urban ReLeaf project has been launched in Cascais in Spring 2024 “to co-create citizen-powered data ecosystems to support climate change adaptation, green infrastructure and urban design planning.” The project co-funded by @HorizonEU @UKRI @innovateuk, aims to involve 1,500 citizens until its completion in October 2025.
When the most European of all American writers moved to Big Sur along the Pacific Palisades in 1963, he wrote this line that sounds like a pioneering vision of what Cascais, Sintra, Costa da Caparica, and Lisbon at large are sheltering:
“The ideal community, in a sense, would be the loose, fluid aggregation of individuals who elected to be alone and detached in order to be at one with themselves and all that lives and breathes.” — Henry Miller, American writer.
Visit Cascais's newly labelled Museum Quarter and other landmarks:
Museu do Mar (Museum of the Sea)
Farol | Museu de Santa Marta (Museum + lighthouse)
Our latest properties for sale in Oeira, Ericeira, and Lisbon | Estrela: Oeira: Independent House with Swimming Pool €2,200,000 Ericeira: 3 Bedroom House in Ericeira €325,000
Lisbon Estrela: Fully Furnished T1 Apartment €200,000
Lisbon Estrela: T1 Apartment in Historical Lisbon €260,000 Lisbon Estrela: Fully Furnished & Renovated Apartment €290,000
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Read all our blogs. Original content by dandyvagabonds.com
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