Cascais is a coastal resort town near Lisbon, it is filled with beautiful white houses, flower filled streets, and amazing beaches. It is Lisbon's residents weekend or holiday escape. Cascais is connected to both Lisbon and Sintra, so it is easy to go on a day trip from any of them.
6 Things To Do In 24 Hours In Cascais
1. Cabo Da Roca (Cape Roca)
Cabo da Roca forms the westernmost point of the Sintra Mountain range as well as Portugal and Europe. There is a lighthouse at this edge that watches over the cliffs and the rough ocean. Take a walk and be prepared for a panoramic view over the Atlantic ocean. Cabo da Roca is a great place to visit whether in Cascais or Sintra, you can reach Cabo da Roca by taking bus line 403. This should take you between 15 and 30 minutes.
2. Boca Do Inferno (Hell’s Mouth)
Boca do Inferno or Hell's Mouth; is sensational location. There was a cave at that location before but it fell through which left behind a big hole in the cliffs. Because of that hole, the water nowadays hit under the arch and then explodes out of the hole, which is similar to a volcano and it's the reason it is called Hell's Mouth. It takes 20 minute to walk from the town centre to it, the best time to visit this spot is at sunset. This should take you between 15 and 30 minutes.
3. Farol Museu De Santa Marta (Lighthouse Museum Santa Marta)
The Santa Marta Lighthouse looks stunning as it is a white lighthouse decorated with blue strips, it was build on the grounds of an old fort which is now a small lighthouse museum. Opening hours varies, it is closed on Mondays, but then on the Weekend it is open from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 14:00 to 17:00, also it is open from Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 17:00. This should take you less than 30 minutes.
4. Enjoy The Freshly Caught Seafood
Portugal in general is known for its amazing seafood, Cascais was known for being a fishing town, but now it is mainly a vacation town but yet kept its fundamentals as being a fishing town. You can enjoy the restaurants there that offer Portugueses fish dishes such as bacalhau, octopus, seafood stews, and grilled fish.
5. Gelados Santini
This yummy ice cream shop is worth the visit, you will find some classic flavours as well as some unique ones to enjoy. You can find this shop in other places in Portugal as well and not only Portugal.
6. Cascais Beaches
Cascais is full of amazing beaches with great sands, but be aware that the water is always cold as Cascais sits at the mouth of river Tagus which is the opening of the Atlantic sea. So the beaches at Cascais are great for sunbathing and enjoying the beautiful weather during spring and summer. You can get into the water during this time but it will still be cold as mentioned, enjoy the water at Praia da Ribeira de Cascais, Praia da Rainha or Praia da Conceicao.
If you love surfing, then you can go to Sintra-Cascais Natural Park where you can find beaches for surfing, which is one of the most famous things to do in Cascais.
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How To Get To Cascais
Cascais can be reached easily from Lisbon, you can take the train from Lisbon which takes around 30 minutes. Train leaves every 10 minutes so make sure to book your ticket at the station and hop-on as there is no seat reservation. You can book your train through Omio, or you can do what I did which was to book a guided day tour to Sintra, and you can do so through GetYourGuide.
How To Move Around Cascais
Once you reach Cascais you can explore on foot, there is no need for transportation inside Cascais, but if you love cycling then you can explore Cascais cycling. If you are arriving in Cascais by car then you will easily find a lot of suitable parking spots and continue exploring on foot.
Best Time To Visit Cascais
Cascais is very busy during the summer times, which is why the best times to visit is during Spring specifically late spring, as well as early summer, before the holidays begin. During this time the weather will be warm and nice but the water will be cold all the time as Cascais sits at the mouth of river Tagus which is the opening of the Atlantic sea.
Accommodations In Cascais
As mentioned, it only takes 30 minutes to get from Lisbon to Cascais you can easily go on a day trip from Lisbon if you are there and then go back in the afternoon. If you want to spend more that a day in Cascais then choose a hotel that is on the coastline or an Airbnb.
You can book your accommodation through Booking.com, which is the one I use the most, or if you wan to stay in a hostel you can book through HostelWorld. You can also use Agoda, Trivago, or Vrbo to book your accommodations. I know most people have a favourite website or app to use, so just choose what you prefer best.
Best Cafes & Restaurants In Cascais
Roots Cafe (Gluten-free options, vegan friendly)
Bubbles & Bites (Gluten-free options, vegan friendly)
Cafe Galeria House of Wonders (Vegan friendly)
Tanah Vegan Fun Food (Vegan friendly)
If you wan to find more cafes & restaurants to try, then you can do so through TripAdvisor.