December, 2016
This little coastal town was next up on our visit in Portugal. After spending 3.5 days in Lisbon we packed up our carry-ons and headed to the train station to depart for Cascais. It is approximately a 40-minute train ride, so you are easily there by early afternoon, just in time for check in! We decided to stay in a hotel for this leg of the trip, and chose the VillaCascais Guesthouse. It is ideally located to the train station (approximately a 5-minute walk) in the centre of this little sea side village. It’s a small luxury guesthouse with 11 rooms offering elegant accommodation with vintage décor. We had the Deluxe sea side room in Royal Blue tones with views of the Bay of Cascais. A buffet breakfast was included on the outdoor patio overlooking the water which offered everything you needed from fresh fruit, juices, coffee, meats, eggs, breads and home-made pastries. You would be surprised with how much outdoor dining you can do even though it was late December.
Once we settled in, we decided it was time to explore the old town. From small cobbled-stone streets to uniquely tiled streets lined with white-washed buildings with pastel hues, you won’t need an excuse to get lost here. Commonly compared to The French Riviera, there is no shortage of beaches and I can only imagine what it is like during the summer months. I personally liked the relaxed vibe, throwing out our original plans and just exploring on foot taking in the old fishing village charm.
While it was still early we stumbled across The Tasting Room – a Wine and Tapas restaurant. We were not quite ready for dinner, but wanted something to tie us over. As the name suggests you can explore a taste of wines with Mediterranean cuisine. We each opted for a flight of wine, which offered generous pours and some tapas to share. The owner was knowledgeable and since it wasn’t too busy, guided us through the history of our wine flight selection. We absolutely loved the experience and it reminded me a bit of home with our own Tasting Room in London, Ontario Canada.
We continued exploring the old town, walked along the beaches and then took in a marvelous sunset. Simply breath-taking. Since seafood is a pretty big deal in this coastal town, you will want to indulge in the local specialties of sea bass, octopus, and cod paired with traditional Portuguese bread and wine. All restaurants here offer the sea-to-table vibe and we recommend O Pescador. This unique place is located between the sea and fish market and serves fresh seafood with an exceptional wine cellar. After this experience, you will wonder why Portuguese cuisine isn’t more sought after than its Mediterranean neighbours. This place will not disappoint, with fish and seafood so fresh it will jump straight from the sea to your table.
We had originally planned to head to Sintra early the next day, but we were enjoying this sleepy little village and decided to stay the majority of the next day here instead. First, we decided to head to the bus station to secure our bus tickets for later that evening to Sintra. On our way back we came across a bike rental outdoor stand; Bicas Bikes Rental. Having no real plans, we decided to rent bicycles for the day (6€/day) and cycle to Praia do Guincho. Leaving our luggage with the hotel, we ventured over to A Bijou de Cascais to pick up some snacks for the ride knowing that at some point we might stop for a picnic along the way. By the way, this bakery, hands down, had the best Natas on this trip! We had heard the beaches became more dramatic the further out of town you explored and we longed to see those cliffs. This is a 10km ride following rugged cliff coastlines and was the perfect half day activity. Praia do Guincho sits at the limits of Serra da Sintra National Park and is popular for suffers and boarders in the summer. Overall the route is fairly flat, but it can be windy, increasing the resistance, but the views and sights along the way are worth it. Make sure to keep an eye out for the Boca do Inferno, which is a sea-arch and cliff formation, worth stopping for. During winter storms water from the Atlantic waves are said to crash this arch exploding upwards like an erupting volcano. On our way back we stopped at Monte Mar to enjoy a cocktail with the most breathtaking view. We sat outside, sipping our cocktails as the sun danced on the water with the waves crashing the coastline at our feet. We honestly could have stayed all afternoon. If you have extra time, unlike us, I would recommend eating here! It’s on my list for dinner the next time!
