Lisbon – a walk by the sea from Estoril to Cascais

Cascais and Estoril are two neighbouring towns on the Portuguese Riviera, the affluent coastal region to the west of Lisbon.

In late September 2022 I walked the promenade between the two towns, taking in the beautiful architecture and sea views. I arrived by taxi (30€ from north Lisbon) and began at the Casino Estoril (Europe’s largest and the inspiration for Ian Fleming’s first James Bond novel, Casino Royale) and the Hotel Palácio (where scenes of the Bond movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service were shot), but you could also take the train and get off at Sao Joao do Estoril station and walk along the seafront. My endpoint was lunch at Mar do Inferno, an excellent seafood restaurant (see previous post). All these places are on my map.

If you’re on a PC, please click on the gallery to get the best view of the photos.

Cascais became a seaside resort in the 1870s when King Luís I of Portugal made the former fishing village the royal family’s summer residence, thereby attracting the Portuguese nobility who built their stunning mansions along the shoreline. Estoril has become known for its luxury restaurants, hotels, and entertainment and is currently one of the most expensive places to live in the entire country. Next time my plan is to spend a few days on the sands here although my taxi driver said he preferred the more downmarket beach at Carcavelos.