# Cascais and Estoril Cascais bay, the promenade to Estoril, Boca do Inferno and Guincho beach, 40 minutes by train from Lisbon. A day, or two with surfing. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/cascais · Revisado: 2026-11-12 Cascais is the fishing village that the Portuguese court turned into a summer resort at the end of the 19th century, and today it is the easiest escape to the sea from Lisbon: the train leaves from the centre, runs beside the Tagus and then the ocean, and drops you five minutes from the bay. In a day you see the Cidadela and the marina, stroll to Estoril, walk to Boca do Inferno and, if you have time left, carry on to Guincho, a wild beach with the Sintra mountains behind. ## How do you get there from Lisbon? By train. The Cascais line leaves from Cais do Sodré, in central Lisbon, and reaches Cascais in about 40 minutes, with stops at Belém, Oeiras, Carcavelos and Estoril. Sit on the left on the way out: you see the river and then the sea. CP sells a 24- or 72-hour ticket valid on the Cascais, Sintra and Sado lines, and another that combines the train with several Cascais museums. By car it is about 30 km on the A5, which has tolls, or on the Marginal, the coast road, slower and prettier. In central Cascais parking is expensive and in summer almost impossible: if you go by car, think about leaving it in a car park at the entrance and continuing on foot. The car makes sense for continuing along the N247 to Guincho and Cabo da Roca, or going up to Sintra through the mountains. If you come from Spain by air, you land in Lisbon: metro to Cais do Sodré, with one change, and then the train. From the airport, by car, it is about 35 km. ## What to see in a day? Start at the bay, with the boats on Ribeira beach, and climb up to the Cidadela, the fortress that defended the entrance to the Tagus: its courtyards are open and there are artists' workshops. Continue through the park to the Casa das Histórias Paula Rego, the painter's museum with two red towers, and the Santa Marta lighthouse. From there, another 15 minutes takes you to Boca do Inferno, a sunken cave where the sea breaks. After lunch, change direction: the seafront promenade runs from Cascais to Estoril in three flat kilometres beside the beaches. You return by train from Estoril or Monte Estoril. If you have another day, or set out early, take a bike and follow the coastal path to Guincho beach: 9 km with the ocean on one side. There are surf schools there with lessons from age 5. From Guincho, the road climbs to Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe, which you will find on the Sintra page. ## Where to eat and sleep? For fish with the sea in front of you, Mar do Inferno, at Boca do Inferno, or Furnas do Guincho, a seafood restaurant on the rocks on the way to the beach. For an ice cream, Santini, which opened in 1949 and still makes its sorbets with fresh fruit. To sleep, the Hotel Baía is on the bay and five minutes from the train; the Pestana Cidadela occupies part of the fortress, with a pool and spa, and admits small dogs; the Orbitur Guincho campsite is behind the dunes and open all year. ## When should you go? From April to October. In June and September the water in the bay is already warm enough to swim and there are fewer people than in August, when the train is full at weekends. Winter is mild and quiet, with a ground swell, which is when Boca do Inferno impresses. The north wind blows hard at Guincho almost every summer afternoon: it is good for kitesurfing and bad for your towel. ## Dónde está - Cerca: Sintra (a 11.7 km), Costa da Caparica (a 17.1 km), Lisbon (a 23.7 km), Ericeira and Mafra (a 29.6 km) ## Qué hacer - **The Cidadela, the marina and the centre of Cascais** (2 h · Everyone · Free): Start at the station and head down towards Ribeira beach, the one with the fishing boats, and the bay. The Cidadela, the fortress that defended the entrance to the Tagus, is now an open courtyard with galleries and artists' workshops; next to it is the marina. Behind it, the cobbled streets of the centre, with tiled houses and the church of the Assumption. Continue through Marechal Carmona park and the Casa das Histórias to the Santa Marta lighthouse, at the mouth of a small cove. From there, another 15 minutes takes you to the Boca do Inferno. - **Boca do Inferno** (30 min · 2 km · Everyone; better with a swell · Free): A limestone cave whose roof collapsed, leaving a hole open to the sea: in heavy swell, the water rushes in and rises in foam. It is about 2 km from the centre of Cascais along the coastal path, next to the Guincho road, and can be seen from railings at the cliff edge. Go with a swell or at sunset, and do not go past the railings: the edge crumbles. On foot from the Cidadela it is about 25 flat minutes, passing the Santa Marta lighthouse. - **Guincho beach** (3 h · Walking, surf and kite; for swimming, only in calm seas and with a green flag): A long stretch of sand, open to the north and west, with dunes and pine woods behind and the Sintra hills closing the horizon. It is windy almost all year: that is why it is a beach for surfing, windsurfing and kiting rather than for towels. There is a restaurant, a bar, toilets, showers and a surf shop at the access. You get there along the coast road (N247), 9 km from Cascais, or by bike along the lane that leaves from the Cidadela. The currents are strong: in summer swim only in the supervised area. - **Seafront promenade from Cascais to Estoril** (45 min · 3 km · Everyone, pushchairs too · Free): The promenade (paredão) follows the shore from Duquesa beach in Cascais to São João do Estoril, alongside the beaches of Conceição, Tamariz and Poça. It is flat and paved, with beach bars open almost all year. A good plan is to go one way and return by train: the Cascais line train stops at Estoril and Monte Estoril, a few steps from the promenade. From Tamariz beach you can see the Estoril Casino, at the top of its gardens. - **Casa das Histórias Paula Rego** (1 h 30 · Art; also a rainy-day plan · Desde 5 € per person): A museum dedicated to Paula Rego, the Portuguese painter who lived in London, with exhibitions of her work and that of other artists. The building, by Eduardo Souto de Moura, has two pyramidal towers of red concrete that can be seen from the park. It is at Avenida Papa Francisco, 300. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00 (last entry at 17:40); closed on 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May and 24, 25 and 31 December. General admission, €5; over-65s and students, €2.50; under-18s, free. - **Cycling from Cascais to Guincho along the coastal bike lane** (2 h · 18 km · Teenagers and adults; watch for the headwind on the way back): A bike lane separated from the road follows the coast from the Cidadela to Guincho beach, passing the Boca do Inferno, the Cabo Raso lighthouse and the Crismina rocks. It is about 9 km, almost flat, with the ocean always on your left. The north wind blows in your face on the way out almost every afternoon: set off early and come back with it behind you. The municipality has shared bikes (biCas) in the centre; there are also hire shops next to the station. - **Surf lesson at Guincho beach** (2 h · Beginners and families with children from age 5 · Desde 40 € per person): Guincho has waves almost all year and a wide stretch of sand where the schools teach in the foam. Moana Surf School has worked on the beach since 2003, in small groups and in six languages, Spanish included. The group lesson costs €40 with board and wetsuit; there are passes, private lessons and pick-up in Lisbon or Cascais on request. In strong wind or big seas, the school may move the lesson to Carcavelos, which is more sheltered. Ask when you book. ## Dónde comer - **Mar do Inferno** (Restaurant, Cascais, €€€). Qué pedir: the grilled fish of the day, which you choose from the display case, and some shellfish to start. - **Santini Cascais Baía** (Café, Cascais, €). Qué pedir: a seasonal fruit sorbet and the flavour of the month. - **Furnas do Guincho** (Restaurant, Cascais, €€€€). Qué pedir: some goose barnacles and a seafood rice for two (€82); if there are more of you, the cataplana caldeirada. ## Car-free: Cascais without a car, by train and bike Cascais is the end of a train line that leaves from central Lisbon, and everything worth seeing is on foot or by bike from the station. The car is only a hindrance in summer, when the car park by the bay fills up. Presupuesto orientativo: 80–160 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir without a car - **Hotel Baía** (Hotel): On the bay, with the train at hand The Hotel Baía is a family hotel with its feet on Ribeira beach, in the centre of Cascais. It has 113 rooms; the superior rooms and suites have a balcony with a view of the bay and those at the back look onto the Sintra hills. There is a pool with a bar, the Baía restaurant, serving Portuguese cooking, and the Blue Bar. Rooms and prices There are standard and superior doubles and twins, with sea or city views, junior suites, suites and a family room. Booking on their website includes free cancellation, a welcome drink and free parking, plus 10% off at the restaurant. Check-in is at 15:00 and check-out at 12:00. Pets are not accepted. Getting here without a car From Lisbon, the Cascais line train leaves from Cais do Sodré and ends five minutes' walk from the hotel. From the airport, take the metro to Cais do Sodré and the train. The Cidadela, the marina and the walk to Estoril are all on foot. - **Pestana Cidadela Cascais – Pousada & Art District** (Hotel): Sleeping inside a fortress The pousada occupies part of the Cidadela, the fortress that guarded Cascais bay, next to the marina. It is a five-star hotel of the Pestana group with about 133 rooms, 23 of them suites, with wooden floors and contemporary decor. In the fortress courtyards there are studios, galleries and artists' workshops that can be visited: they call it the Art District. What it has Outdoor pool and a heated indoor pool at 28 °C, spa, gym, two restaurants (Maris Stella and Taberna da Praça) and a bar. 24-hour reception, free wifi, electric car chargers and paid public parking for guests. Dogs or cats of up to 15 kg are accepted for a supplement, in some rooms. It has adapted rooms. Getting there From Cascais station it is a ten-minute walk along the bay. By car, enter from Avenida D. Carlos I. The Casa das Histórias Paula Rego and the Santa Marta lighthouse are five minutes' walk away. ### Servicios - **Cascais train station**: End of the CP Cascais line, with trains to Cais do Sodré (Lisbon) along the Tagus shore · Stops at Belém and Estoril ## By car: Cascais by car, with the Guincho coast and Cabo da Roca The car is useful for leaving Cascais along the coast road towards Guincho and Cabo da Roca, or climbing the hills to Sintra. In the centre, leave it parked and walk: the streets are narrow and in summer there is no room. Presupuesto orientativo: 80–170 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're driving - **Hotel Baía** (Hotel): On the bay, with the train at hand The Hotel Baía is a family hotel with its feet on Ribeira beach, in the centre of Cascais. It has 113 rooms; the superior rooms and suites have a balcony with a view of the bay and those at the back look onto the Sintra hills. There is a pool with a bar, the Baía restaurant, serving Portuguese cooking, and the Blue Bar. Rooms and prices There are standard and superior doubles and twins, with sea or city views, junior suites, suites and a family room. Booking on their website includes free cancellation, a welcome drink and free parking, plus 10% off at the restaurant. Check-in is at 15:00 and check-out at 12:00. Pets are not accepted. Getting here without a car From Lisbon, the Cascais line train leaves from Cais do Sodré and ends five minutes' walk from the hotel. From the airport, take the metro to Cais do Sodré and the train. The Cidadela, the marina and the walk to Estoril are all on foot. - **Pestana Cidadela Cascais – Pousada & Art District** (Hotel): Sleeping inside a fortress The pousada occupies part of the Cidadela, the fortress that guarded Cascais bay, next to the marina. It is a five-star hotel of the Pestana group with about 133 rooms, 23 of them suites, with wooden floors and contemporary decor. In the fortress courtyards there are studios, galleries and artists' workshops that can be visited: they call it the Art District. What it has Outdoor pool and a heated indoor pool at 28 °C, spa, gym, two restaurants (Maris Stella and Taberna da Praça) and a bar. 24-hour reception, free wifi, electric car chargers and paid public parking for guests. Dogs or cats of up to 15 kg are accepted for a supplement, in some rooms. It has adapted rooms. Getting there From Cascais station it is a ten-minute walk along the bay. By car, enter from Avenida D. Carlos I. The Casa das Histórias Paula Rego and the Santa Marta lighthouse are five minutes' walk away. - **Orbitur Guincho** (Campsite): A campsite behind the dunes Orbitur Guincho is in a low pine wood behind the dunes of Guincho beach, about 8 km from the centre of Cascais. It is open all year. It has pitches for tents, caravans and motorhomes, with an emptying station, and bungalows. Pets are accepted and there is an area for them. Services Restaurant, snack bar, supermarket, self-service laundry, wifi, a common room, a playground and a games field. The pool and the children's pool open in season. Services are open from 8:00 to 21:30, with variations depending on the day. Getting there By car, along the N247 from Cascais or by the A5 and Alcabideche. Without a car, take the train from Cais do Sodré to Cascais and the bus to Guincho; from the airport, the metro to Cais do Sodré and the train. The beach is a few minutes' walk between the dunes and the bike lane to Cascais passes close by. ## By plane: Flying to Lisbon and taking the train to Cascais Cascais has no commercial airport: you arrive by flying to Lisbon, with direct flights from almost every large city in Spain. From Humberto Delgado airport it is about 35 km along the A5; without a car, take the metro to Cais do Sodré and then the Cascais line train, which hugs the river and the sea for around 40 minutes. ### Dónde dormir if you're flying - **Hotel Baía** (Hotel): On the bay, with the train at hand The Hotel Baía is a family hotel with its feet on Ribeira beach, in the centre of Cascais. It has 113 rooms; the superior rooms and suites have a balcony with a view of the bay and those at the back look onto the Sintra hills. There is a pool with a bar, the Baía restaurant, serving Portuguese cooking, and the Blue Bar. Rooms and prices There are standard and superior doubles and twins, with sea or city views, junior suites, suites and a family room. Booking on their website includes free cancellation, a welcome drink and free parking, plus 10% off at the restaurant. Check-in is at 15:00 and check-out at 12:00. Pets are not accepted. Getting here without a car From Lisbon, the Cascais line train leaves from Cais do Sodré and ends five minutes' walk from the hotel. From the airport, take the metro to Cais do Sodré and the train. The Cidadela, the marina and the walk to Estoril are all on foot. - **Pestana Cidadela Cascais – Pousada & Art District** (Hotel): Sleeping inside a fortress The pousada occupies part of the Cidadela, the fortress that guarded Cascais bay, next to the marina. It is a five-star hotel of the Pestana group with about 133 rooms, 23 of them suites, with wooden floors and contemporary decor. In the fortress courtyards there are studios, galleries and artists' workshops that can be visited: they call it the Art District. What it has Outdoor pool and a heated indoor pool at 28 °C, spa, gym, two restaurants (Maris Stella and Taberna da Praça) and a bar. 24-hour reception, free wifi, electric car chargers and paid public parking for guests. Dogs or cats of up to 15 kg are accepted for a supplement, in some rooms. It has adapted rooms. Getting there From Cascais station it is a ten-minute walk along the bay. By car, enter from Avenida D. Carlos I. The Casa das Histórias Paula Rego and the Santa Marta lighthouse are five minutes' walk away. ### Servicios - **Cascais train station**: End of the CP Cascais line, with trains to Cais do Sodré (Lisbon) along the Tagus shore · Stops at Belém and Estoril ## As a family: Cascais with children, between the bay and the beach Cascais suits children because everything is close and flat by the sea: the bay has calm water, the promenade to Estoril works with a pushchair and the train is an attraction in itself. Guincho is for watching, running on the sand and, when they are a bit older, learning to surf. ### What works best The Boca do Inferno, with the sea entering the cave The seafront promenade to Estoril, flat and with beach bars A surf lesson at Guincho, from age 5 An ice cream at Santini facing the bay ### Where to stay Hotel Baía, with a family room and a pool Orbitur Guincho, with bungalows, a playground and a pool in summer ### Where to eat Santini for an afternoon snack Mar do Inferno, with simple grilled fish ### Bear in mind At Guincho there are currents and wind: swim only with a green flag and lifeguards At the Boca do Inferno do not go past the railings ### Qué hacer as a family - The Cidadela, the marina and the centre of Cascais - Boca do Inferno - Guincho beach - Seafront promenade from Cascais to Estoril - Surf lesson at Guincho beach ## With young children: Cascais with toddlers, on foot and with a pushchair With children up to six, stay on the bay: Ribeira and Conceição beaches have calmer water than Guincho, and the promenade to Estoril is flat and wide for a pushchair. ### What works best The seafront promenade to Estoril, with a stop on the sand The Cidadela and the marina, with open courtyards and boats The Boca do Inferno, holding hands and behind the railing ### Where to stay Hotel Baía, on the same bay ### Where to eat Santini, next to the station ### Bear in mind The centre is cobbled: bring a pushchair with big wheels At Guincho the wind and the swell are strong for little ones ### Qué hacer with young children - The Cidadela, the marina and the centre of Cascais - Boca do Inferno - Seafront promenade from Cascais to Estoril ## With teenagers: Cascais with teenagers: surf, bikes and a bit of art From age 12, Cascais offers an active day: a surf lesson at Guincho, a bike ride along the coast and a free afternoon around the centre, which is safe and easy to cover on foot. ### What works best Surf lesson at Guincho, in a group and with the board included Cycling to Guincho, 9 km on a separate lane The Casa das Histórias Paula Rego, free for under-18s The Boca do Inferno with a swell ### Where to stay Orbitur Guincho, right by the dunes Hotel Baía, in the centre, to explore the bay on their own ### Where to eat Santini after the surf ### Bear in mind The ride back usually has a headwind: set off early ### Qué hacer with teenagers - Boca do Inferno - Guincho beach - Casa das Histórias Paula Rego - Cycling from Cascais to Guincho along the coastal bike lane - Surf lesson at Guincho beach ## With a dog: Cascais with a dog, along the promenade and the coast Cascais is good for walking with a dog away from the beaches: the promenade to Estoril, the streets of the centre and the coast as far as the Boca do Inferno are public roads. The beaches are another matter: in the bathing season, keep the dog off the sand. ### Walks The seafront promenade to Estoril, on a lead The Cidadela and the centre, along the streets To the Boca do Inferno along the coast, 25 minutes ### Beaches and swimming In summer do not take them onto the sand of the supervised beaches; out of season, ask at the tourist office ### Where to stay Pestana Cidadela Cascais, dogs up to 15 kg for a supplement Orbitur Guincho, pets accepted ### Bear in mind They are not usually allowed into museums and restaurants with dining rooms: ask first The Hotel Baía does not accept pets ### Qué hacer with a dog - The Cidadela, the marina and the centre of Cascais - Boca do Inferno - Seafront promenade from Cascais to Estoril ### Dónde dormir with a dog - Pestana Cidadela Cascais – Pousada & Art District: Dogs of up to 15 kg, for a supplement and in some rooms - Orbitur Guincho: Pets accepted at the campsite ## Consejos ### Go by train and come back from Estoril You do the promenade in one direction only and don't repeat the route. ### Set out early if you cycle to Guincho The afternoon wind blows in your face on the way back. ### See Boca do Inferno in a ground swell On a day of big waves the water rises in foam above the arch. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### How long does it take from Lisbon to Cascais by train? Around 40 minutes from Cais do Sodré, with stops at Belém and Estoril. ### Is it worth going by car? Only if you are continuing to Guincho, Cabo da Roca or Sintra. In the centre parking is expensive and in summer almost impossible. ### Can you swim in Cascais? Yes, on the beaches of the bay and of the promenade to Estoril, which are calmer. At Guincho there are currents and lots of wind: swim only where there are lifeguards. ### Can you combine Cascais and Sintra in a day? Yes, by car through the mountains or via Cabo da Roca. Without a car it is more comfortable to give a day to each: both have direct trains from Lisbon. ### What is there to do in Cascais with children? The bay, the promenade to Estoril, Boca do Inferno, an ice cream at Santini and, from age 5, a surf lesson at Guincho.