Cascais
A prosperous and popular town on the Lisbon Coast
Bay of Cascais - José Manuel
Cascais was once a little fishing-village that has now become one of the wealthiest area's of Portugal and a tourists favourite. Cascais is protected from the strong winds of the Atlantic which can be felt further along the coast and fishing boats still line the fishermans beach for this reason.
King Luis I started the aristocratic trend for building palaces and mansions here when he made the Citadela his summer home in 1870. Fifty years later the creation of the first electrified rail line stretching from Lisbon to Cascais also brought increasing wealth to the town. The greatest economic boost to the region came with the outbreak of world war II, during which Cascais became the home of dozens of royal exiles and their entourages.
The bars alongside the beaches are very busy throughout most evenings but the town center is suprisingly quiet after midnight, as most revellers head to Lisbon for their all night partying. The British visitor will find a large number of English and Irish themed pubs for those who cannot bear to miss Premiership football or rugby games. For those less concerned with finding "a home away from home" Cascais has a wide range of quality restaurants and bars where English is spoken.
Boca do Inferno - The Mouth of Hell
The road leading out of Cascais towards Guincho passes the Boca do Inferno (The Mouth of Hell), a jagged cavity in the rocks that meet the Atlantic. The sea comes flowing through the natural arch creating a whirlpool within the enclave. It was here that the self-styled magi and "Great Beast of the Apocalypse" Aleister Crowley faked his suicide in the hope of shaking off his pursueing creditors. The Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa assisted him in this endevour, and it may well have been due to Pessoa's poetic imagination that the "Great Beast" decided to attempt his sham suicide at the "Mouth of Hell".
Hotels in towns and cities close to Cascais
View of Lisbon - José Manuel
Hotels in Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city of Portugal, with many fascinating places to visit, from the castle of St. George, to the magnificent aqaurium at the Park of the Nations. Lisbon also contains a huge range of restaurants, various musuems and parks and a friendly nightlife. Lisbon is 30 km from Cascais.....(More)
Hotels in Sintra
Sintra is one of Portugal´s most beautiful regions, long admired for its almost tropical abundance of luxuriant flora and rich vegetation. The poet Byron referred to it as a "glorious Eden". Sintra is home to an outrageously opulent palace and a beautiful Moorish castle that offers sweeping views of the surrounding countryside. Sintra is 12 km from Cascais.....(More)
Hotels in Queluz
Queluz is about 15 km north-west of Lisbon and is famed for its 18th century palace with beautiful gardens. Queluz is 16 km from Cascais.....(More)