During my stay in Lisbon, I went on a short day trip to Cascais (named after “cascal,” meaning small pebble), a seaside resort barely 30 km from the capital, located on a protected coastline within the Sintra-Cascais park. After my Food Tour in Lisbon and my short sightseeing tour of the city center, it was lovely to spend a day in the sun by the seaside, with the added bonus of discovering a truly beautiful address: the Farol Hotel.
To make the most of your visit to the coast, I recommend taking the train and getting off one station before Cascais, so you can enjoy a walk along the coastline and the beach from Estoril to Cascais (2 km). Simply get off at the Estoril train station and soak in the sea air and sunshine. Upon arriving in Cascais, don’t hesitate to wander through the town, which is absolutely charming and whose small, multicolored cobbled alleys make for great photos.
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Where to stay in Cascais? The Farol Hotel
Situated in the famous bay, the Farol Hotel is truly a heavenly place, nestled in an exceptional setting. It overlooks the coastline with a sublime view of the sea of the conquistadors. This former mansion, once belonging to the Count of Cabral, with architecture typical of the late 19th century, has been renovated and expanded to become a 33-room and suite hotel, 8 of which were designed by famous Portuguese fashion designers. One of the most spectacular, the glass room by Ana Salazar, offers an unobstructed view of the sea.
If you don’t have the budget to laze in the sun in this dream location, you can simply opt for a romantic dinner at one of the establishment’s 2 restaurants, The Mix and Sushi Design. We tested The Mix and its Mediterranean cuisine with traditional Portuguese flavors, and frankly, I still haven’t recovered from how delicious and refined everything was… The chef Hugo Silva obviously prioritizes fish, the products that made Cascais famous. But he also holds his own when it comes to desserts, proof of which is this lemon meringue pie with a caipirinha sorbet.
The hot tip: The “Love at First Sight” offer at the Farol Hotel, in a double room with champagne and flowers upon arrival, a duo massage in the room, and a romantic meal for two on the “desk on the rocks,” with the Atlantic Ocean as the only witness, from €195/person in September 2015, and from €160/person from October to December 2015 (offer valid for a stay of at least 2 nights, subject to availability).
The icing on the cake, for a stay of 4 nights minimum, a free limousine transfer from Lisbon airport to the hotel is offered upon arrival between October 1st and December 30th, 2015.
Farol Hotel Avenue Rei Humberto II de Italia, n°7 / 2750-800 Cascais 5 minutes' walk from Cascais city center Restaurant price: lunch menu at €28 with starter, main course, dessert + a glass of wine + coffee
My little piece of advice: if you are spending a few days in Lisbon during the warmer months, don’t hesitate to take a short day trip to Cascais to soak up the sun and sea air!
Find below all my articles on my 2015 trip to Lisbon, Portugal:
⇒ All my articles about Lisbon
MY ARTICLES ABOUT LISBON
⇒ My tips for discovering Lisbon
⇒ My guide to trendy Lisbon
⇒ My Food Tour in Lisbon and discovery of Portuguese gastronomy
⇒ My getaway to Cascais, a seaside resort near Lisbon
⇒ The Belém district in Lisbon
Photo credits: Mademoiselle Bon Plan Photos are not royalty-free, photographer authorization is required before any use
