Located west of Lisbon, Cascais was once a fishing village and since the 19th century has attracted visitors in search of the sea and sun. Cascais is now a cosmopolitan community with outdoor cafes and restaurants, shops and beaches along its sheltered bay. For visitors who want to travel independently to Cascais, the town can be reached by car or by train. In addition to beaches, it is home to the seaside fort Cidadela de Cascais, and Parque do Marechal Carmona, a scenic spot for picnics with a small zoo and cafe.

Visiting by Car

Travel Cascais by car to visit the surrounding areas.
Sights near Cascais include Guincho within the Sintra-Cascais natural park, a popular beach for surfing and windsurfing. To the north of Cascais is the Boca do Inferno, an inlet on the Atlantic coast with steep rocks and caves with scenic views of untamed ocean. East of Cascais is the neighboring beach town of Estoril.

Rent a car.
Lisbon is home to several major international car rental agencies, including Avis (avis.com.pt), Budget (budgetportugal.com), Hertz (hertz.pt), National (nationalcar.com), Europcar (europcar.com), Sixt (pt.sixt.com), and others.

Drive west from Lisbon on the Auto-Estrada da Costa do Estoril.
Cascais is located approximately 20 miles west of Lisbon and can be reached by traveling on the Costa do Estroril highway, which is also known as route A5, and route IC15.

Take Exit 1 toward Cascais/Amoreira from the Auto-Estrada da Costa do Estoril. From the highway, travel south along route N9 and follow signs to the center of the town.

Explore Cascais and neighboring attractions.
Much of the city center can be explored by foot and nearby sights are within a short drive away. You can explore beaches and one of the largest casinos in Europe (casino-estoril.pt) in Estoril, which is approximately two miles east of Cascais. You can also drive along the coast through the Sintra-Cascais natural park to Guincho, approximately a 15-minute drive from Cascais.

Visiting by Train

Travel to Cais do Sodre train station. The rail station is located near Lisbon's waterfront and is the main station for westbound services to Estoril and Cascais.

Purchase a ticket to Cascais.
Tickets can be bought from vending machines or the ticket office at the station. You can also purchase your ticket in advance from the Comboios de Portugal website (cp.pt).

Travel by train to Cascais.
Trains depart for Cascais approximately every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 20 minutes on weekends. The travel time to Cascais train station in the city center is approximately 40 minutes.

Explore Cascais.
Many of the sights in the city center can be explored by foot. Attractions include the Palacio de Conde de Castro Guimaraes, which features rare books and art exhibits, and the fishing-themed Museu do Mar museum. Other places of interest include the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Assuncao, Neolithic caves in the city center at the Gruta do Poco Velho, the town's marina, and beaches that surround the bay

Tips:
Remember to keep your train ticket since they will be checked on board.

Cais do Sodre train station can be reached by Lisbon's Metro by traveling to the Cais do Sodre subway station.