Your property in Cascais
Divine mansion estates with panoramic sea views and spacious, modern villas set in idyllic natural parks are among the high-end property in Cascais.
The area also offers more modest pied-à-terre properties for those considering a second home, with beautifully refurbished apartments in condominium developments.
Inside Cascais
The captivating, elegant and laid-back town west of Lisbon has an amazing history, portrayed perfectly in its breathtaking properties previously frequented by Portuguese nobility.
The former fishing town now has a vibrant café culture, with a pedestrianised old town complete with upmarket boutiques and superb restaurants, while its port, promenade and beaches, such as Praia de Carcavelos, attract a well-heeled crowd in the summer.
Cascais has attractive museums and galleries too, but just outside the town, vast expanses of nature are there to explore, such as the Sintra-Cascais natural park, while Praia do Guincho is a surfing haven and the area boasts some of Portugal’s finest golf courses.
Landscape
The flat town of Cascais is easy to traverse on foot, whether it’s wondering along its promenade to Estoril or exploring the winding streets in its pedestrianised old town.
The coastline to the south-west of Cascais, near Quinta da Marinha, is rugged, with cliffs at Boca do Inferno and mostly rocky outcrops rather than beaches until Arriba on the western coast, which has several beaches nearby.
The Sintra-Cascais natural park, to the north of Cascais, features mountains, cliffs and lush countryside full of rare flowers and animals.
Education
Cascais has several international schools making it perfect for families considering relocating to the area.
Among the options are the International Preparatory School, which has a recently updated campus, the International Christian School of Cascais, and St George’s School, a Cambridge International School.
For further education, Lisbon’s Catholic University of Portugal, Nova University of Lisbon and the University of Lisbon are nearest to Cascais and are among the highest ranked in Portugal.
Activities and Entertainment
The coastline is a major part of life in Cascais, making it the perfect place to relax on the beach and dip into the Atlantic, or for those looking for a more active pursuit, sail, surf or paddleboard.
The town boasts exceptional historical architecture, with the Palácio da Cidadela, commissioned as a summer palace in 1870 by King Dom Luis I and which remains the official residence of visiting heads of state, and the Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães, set in an early 19th Century mansion that boasts turrets and an enviable location in the Parque Marechal Carmona.
Beyond the town, the exceptional wild coastline, at places such as Cabo da Rocha, the most westerly point of mainland Europe, offer jaw-dropping scenery while the Sintra-Cascais natural park offers exceptional hiking and cycling. Plus, the area is renowned for its fantastic golf courses, including the 27-hole Penha Longa Resort.
Art and Culture
The lively cultural scene in Cascais is brought to life in eye-catching museums such as Casa das Histórias Paula Rego and the Lighthouse Museum of Santa Marta, as well as a host of private art galleries.
The town’s revamped Mercado da Vila is frequented by locals who not only shop for the outstanding produce on offer but relax at one of the bars, restaurants or takeaway stalls that surround it.
Entertaining events are held throughout the year, with the Festival de Estrobil Lisboa bringing classical and jazz concerts to the town, while the 10-day Festas Do Mar, which celebrates the town’s maritime past, includes concerts, parades and fireworks.
Food and Drink
The star of the Cascais food scene is undeniably its seafood, with the lively fish market readily supplying tiger prawns, lobsters, clams, red mullet, and more to the town’s excellent bars and restaurants, including the dramatic Mar do Inferno and creative Cantinho do Avillez.
The town excels in its sweet treats, with pastéis de nata custard tarts, a Berlin ball cream (a doughnut-shaped pastry filled with golden crème pâtissière), caramelised almond tart or outstanding ice cream from Santini, a family-run business since 1949.
Cascais is surrounded by the Lisboa wine region, which produces high tannin reds such as Alenquer, bight-bodied whites including Bucelas and rare Colares, made with Malvasia Fina grapes grown on the region’s beach cliffs.
Accessibility
Cascais is only a little over half an hour from Lisbon’s Portela Airport, making it easily accessible.
Trains also run between Cascais and Lisbon regularly, while the area’s excellent road network makes it convenient to drive between the two locations.
For those travelling by boat, Cascais Marina has 650 moorings.