Estoril / Cascais / Sintra Hotels

Sharing a park with the casino is the luxuriously grandiose Hotel Palácio, abounding with elegant villas, sprawling gardens, nose jobs and collagen. More organic is Tamariz Beach and the various stretches of sand surrounding it, where you can stroll down to the Baroque Santo António church. One thing the fashionable do better than plastic surgery and cocktails is a leisurely round of golf at Penha Longa in Sintra – a romantic town that is also alluring to honeymooners not so eager to be seen…

Estoril, Cascais & Sintra’s Top 10

Estoril, Cascais & Sintra History

• Quinta da Regaleira – Located at the centre of old town Sintra, this palace dates back to 1697.
• Pena Park – This Sintra park is home to Pena Palace (Palácio da Pena), a stunning example of Moorish architecture.
• Moorish Castle –The ruins of this 9th century castle are a Sintra highlight.
• Monserrate Palace – An exotic palatial villa.
• Seteais Palace – A neoclassical palace home to a luxury hotel, restaurant and tourist attraction.

Estoril, Cascais & Sintra Art & Culture

• Toy Museum – A marvellous museum featuring more than 20,000 exhibits.
• Palácio de Conde de Castro Guimarães, Sintra – A grand collection of more than 25,000 books can be found here.
• Estoril Casino – A popular venue for those with money to gamble.
• Museu do Mar – This museum depicts the history of Cascais.
• Semanas de Música do Estoril (Estoril Music Festival) – Held in July and August, this acclaimed music festival attracts famous symphony orchestras and leading choirs from across the globe.

Estoril, Cascais & Sintra Shopping

• A Esquina – This Sintra shop features hand-painted ceramics.
• Almorábida – Located in front of Sintra Palace, this shop sells Arraiolos carpets, lace and copperware.
• Henrique Teixeira – A Sintra antiques shop close to the town centre.
• Shopping Cascais – A large Cascais shopping centre featuring 100 boutique stores.
• Tear Linhos – A Cascais emporium for hand-embroidered goods. This shop is the ideal place to make purchases for friends and relatives back home.

Gay & Lesbian Estoril, Cascais & Sintra

• Lisbon & Portugal Gay Pride – This annual festival is held in late June.
• Hotel da Vila – A modern, gay-friendly hotel in Cascais.
• Baluarte Bar – A spacious Cascais bar popular with the locals finishing work for the day. The venue is a trendy, youth-oriented place open daily from 4 pm to 4 am.
• O’Neill’s Irish Pub – Located within a few steps of Cascais' town hall, this Irish pub is where live Irish music can be heard.
• Adega das Caves – Situated in the centre of Sintra, here tourists can mix with other tourists. The bar specializes in serving up beer and Portuguese wine.

Estoril, Cascais & Sintra Events

The Sintra Festival is a series of summer events taking place in a range of locations.

The Estoril International Craft Fair (June to August) is the oldest in Portugal, showcasing the creations of over 300 artists and many equally talented chefs.

July brings the Cascais Cool Jazz Fest. You may forget the names of the acts, but you won’t forget the open-air experience.

July’s Estoril Music Festival has broadened its horizons in recent years to include orchestral and choral concerts plus workshops for those who don’t simply want to watch.

Cascais’ Festival of the Sea in August features marine-themed processions and ends with a bang when the fireworks come out.

When To Go

The Costa de Estoril’s ruggedly romantic landscape also comes with cold weather and lots of rain.

Even at the height of summer temperatures seldom exceed 27°C (81°F) and are cooled by sea breezes.

May to September sees the best of the weather, but correspondingly more people.

Getting Around

Car rental companies abound around Estoril, and renting a vehicle is the best way to see the scenic Cascais coast.

Walking is ideal within the small town, although the hills present more of a challenge.

In the town, anyone unfamiliar with European driving (and parking) may struggle when it comes to driving, but buses are cheap and reliable.

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