Day Trip from Lisbon to Cascais: A Complete Guide

If you are looking to get away from the city when visiting Lisbon, consider taking a day trip to nearby Cascais. Cascais sits on the Portuguese Riviera, at the confluence of the Tagus River and the Atlantic Ocean.  

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History of Cascais

Cascais has been a popular seaside resort destination since the 1870’s, when King Luis I of Portugal began visiting Cascais. The Portuguese royal family began spending every September in Cascais, attracting other nobles to visit and creating a summer community. Cascais hosted numerous royals from the across Europe, including UK, Italy and Spain. 

During World War II, Cascais and its close neighbor Estoril developed into a center for espionage. The Estoril Casino was at the center of the espionage activity. Ian Flemming later drew inspiration from the Estoril Casino to write his book Casino Royal. James Bond fans may enjoy a visit to the Spy Bar (Bar Estoril) in Palácio Estoril or a stop at the now modernized Estoril Casino. The James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was filmed in and around Cascais. 

Today, Cascais is a traditional fishing village that offers visitors a wonderful blend of history, cultural activities, great restaurants, beaches, and active adventures. Here’s how you can spend an ideal day in Cascais during your day trip from Lisbon. 

Getting to Cascais 

The easiest way to get to Cascais is to catch a train from Lisbon’s Cais do Sodré station. The air-conditioned train ride to Cascais station is on a quick, scenic route that gets you to Cascais in about 40 minutes.

You’ll have views of the water and the towns along the Portuguese Riviera for almost the entire ride. If you’d like the best views and pictures, sit on the south side of the train (the river side). 

Day Trip from Lisbon to Cascais

1. Morning- Arrival

After arriving at the train station in Cascais, start your day by exploring the historic center of the town. Wander down to the water and up through the cobblestone streets. Enjoy the traditional Portuguese houses, shops, and restaurants. Stop by Bijou de Cascais, a traditional pastry store, to try their Areias or Nozes. Areias (or “sands”) are sandy looking shortbread cookies. Nozes (or “walnuts”), originating from the Nossa Senhora da Piedade Convent, are moist cakes with a walnut on top. Enjoy one or both paired with a Portuguese coffee. 

After your coffee break, explore some of Cascais’ shops, such as our favorite, Cais 16. Cais 16 caters to both tourists and locals, carrying local crafts, such as porcelain and wicker baskets.   

Be sure to also visit the Mercado da Vila. This traditional market offers a wide variety of fresh and local fruits and vegetables, as well as meats, seafood, cheese, and pastries. Keep in mind that the market is closed on Mondays. 

2. Late Morning- Visiting Cascais’ Museums 

After browsing the shops and markets, explore some of the must-see sites in Cascais. 

The Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães is a great place to visit to see a collection of art, Indo-Portuguese furniture, historical artifacts, and a library in a grand Cascais palace built in 1897.  

After visiting the Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães, check out the Casa das Histórias Paula Rego. This museum is dedicated to the Portuguese artist Paula Rego, known for her distinct, storytelling style. In addition to enjoying Rego’s work, take time to appreciate the architecture of the museum itself as well as the temporary exhibits of contemporary art. Both museums are included on the Cascais museum pass. 

Another interesting option is to explore the Citadel, a fortress containing both a palace and a fort. The fortress was built over the 15^th-17^th centuries to defend the Tagus River and Lisbon. The palace hosted the royal family during their regular September stays in Cascais. Admission to the fort is free, while entry to the palace is 4 Euros per person. 

3. Afternoon- Bike to Guincho Beach 

Guincho Beach sits on the Atlantic coast of Cascais and backs to the Sintra foothills. It is known for all kinds of surfing (surfing, windsurfing, kite surfing). Guincho Beach is wonderful for walks on the beach and relaxing though it is not ideal for swimming due to the rough waves and currents. Consider visiting the in-town beaches such as Praia da Duquesa or Praia da Rainha if you’d like to swim. You can also walk north of the beach on trails that extend to a fort and further into the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park.

This afternoon you’ll rent a bike and follow the 8 km (almost 5 mile) multi-use path to Guincho Beach. You can rent bikes or e-bikes from one of the four MobiCascais stations around town. Traditional bikes are free for up to 30 minutes, with a maximum cost of 6 Euros for a full day. Be sure to get a bike lock, so that you can park your bikes and explore along your ride. If you prefer renting a bike with gears, Tomorrow’s Adventures rents bikes directly in the train station.  

Once you are set up with your bike, head out of town and enjoy the spectacular views on the bike path, which takes you through some of Cascais’ most picturesque landscapes. Here are some recommended stops on the way to or from Guincho. 

• Boca do Inferno is a cliff formation on the sea and a great spot for photos, especially on a windy day when the waves are crashing. There is a gelato stand just outside of the entrance to Boca do Inferno, making this a nice spot for a break from biking. 
• Casa da Guia is an old manor house on the coast, now converted to house many restaurants and shops. Some of the restaurants offer shady patios for lunch or dinner. This is a popular thing to do on weekends, so reservations are recommended. 
• Farol da Guia is a working lighthouse just outside of Cascais and a great photo stop. 
• Forte de São Jorge de Oitavos was one of a series of forts built to defend the Tagus Estuary and is now a museum. This is included in the museum pass. 
• Duna da Cresmina is an interpretive center with a café and walking trails around the sand dunes. As you are nearing Guincho, you’ll see a sign for the Duna da Cresmina on your right. Park and lock your bikes here and walk the winding wooden walkway through the sand dunes up to the interpretive center and café. 

Park your bike at the end of the multi-use path (just past the wooden walkway at the traffic light). If the path takes a sharp right turn up the hill past the Duna da Cresmina center, you have gone too far. It is easiest to walk your bike across the street and lock it on the beach side. From here, walk across the dunes to the beach. Relax and enjoy the views or walk to the end of the beach and stop for lunch at Bar do Guincho. It’s a great place for a drink, or seafood, salads, and sandwiches and offers a laid-back atmosphere with fantastic sea views.  

If you prefer not to bike, you have other options for exploring the coast.  

• Walk along the multi-purpose path from the center of Cascais to Boca do Inferno, Casa da Guia, and Farol da Guia (or beyond if you prefer); or 
• Take bus numbers 405 or 415 to Guincho, leaving from the Cascais bus terminal, which is below the Cascais Villa shopping mall, across from the train station; or 
• Take a walk along the promenade connecting Estoril and Cascais, Paredão de Cascais. You can then visit the in-town beaches Praia da Duquesa or Praia da Rainha.  

4. Evening- Sunset on the Coast 

The stretch of coastline between Boca do Inferno and Casa da Guia is a great place to watch the sunset. Find a place to sit on one of the many rocks or benches on the coast to enjoy the sunset view. Use caution if you decide to watch from the cliffs beyond the fence.  

There is a MobiCascais station just south of Casa da Guia if you’d like to return your bikes before watching the sunset. If you rented your bikes from Tomorrow’s Adventures, you will need to return the bikes at the train station, and you can walk back to the coast for sunset.  

After sunset, enjoy Cascais’ excellent food scene for dinner. If you’d like a great seafood dinner with spectacular views, try Furnas do Guincho (just north of Casa da Guia). Though the restaurant doesn’t open until 7:30 pm, you can enjoy a drink and watch the sunset from here before enjoying your dinner. For a more casual experience and a more authentic Cascais vibe, head back into the historic center after sunset to Taberna Clandestina. They serve everything from tapas to pasta, seafood to focaccia’s.  

5. Last Memories in Cascais 

After dinner, spend some time exploring the historic old town. Cascais has a busy schedule of musical and other cultural events, especially during the summer season. Check the schedule before your day trip to see if you can add this to your evening in Cascais. 

Stop in at Santini’s to try the best gelato in Cascais. It is just down the street from the train station, making this an easy stop before you catch your train back to Lisbon. The last train of the day runs at 1:30 am. After that, you’ll need to find a taxi or Uber back into the city. 

Wrap Up

A day trip to Cascais is a great way to experience a different side of Portugal, combining culture, nature, and relaxation in this beautiful seaside village. There is so much to do in Cascais that you may want to spend a few days or even a week in Cascais.