Estoril Coast
A wide range of wonderful experiences awaits the visitor to the Estoril Coast. Furthermore, Lisbon is only about half an hour away by car or train. One of the oldest and most fascinating capital cities in Europe, it has everything a city can provide: a unique atmosphere, good shopping, entertainment of all types and a wealth of cultural activities.
If you drive out west of Lisbon, you will notice a mountain rising up majestically, casting a shadow of romantic mystery over the town of Sintra, nestling in the foothills to the north of it.
Sintras rich cultural heritage includes the Moorish Castle, Pena National Palace, the Sintra National Palace, and many other buildings of historical interest which, together with the mountains and the Sintra–Cascais Natural Park, are classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
North of Sintra lies an unspoilt area of traditional farms and villages. As expected in rural Portugal, the cooking is delicious, with a range of local specialities including the famous Negrais suckling pig.
The town of Mafra lies at the northern edge of the region. The huge walls of the vast 17th century National Palace and Convent of Mafra seem to rise up out of nowhere. An enormous church with famous bells and an exquisite library are among its many attractions. The grounds, formerly the royal hunting grounds, are now a wildlife reserve where deer graze in freedom. Visitors can learn about the ancient art of falconry, and participate in orienteering and other adventure sports.
Nowhere else in the world can such dramatic changes of scenery and such contrasting atmospheres be experienced in as small an area as the Estoril Coast. The region offers a concentration of different experiences all within a half hours drive. Apart from an enormous range of sights attractive to any visitor, a number of more specialised interests can also be pursued.
With the obvious exception of winter sports, the Estoril Coast has an ideal natural environment and perfect weather for engaging in any sport imaginable all year round.
Options range from the so-called extreme sports such as parachuting, paragliding, rock climbing and mountain cycling to more traditional sports such as horse riding, tennis and golf.
The whole coast has excellent facilities for water sports including surfing, windsurfing, bodyboard, kitesurf, water skiing and all types of sailing. The Cascais Marina is the main facility for sailors and there are many other sailing clubs in the area.
Fishing – The varied coastline has stretches of beach, rocks and high cliffs with spectacular views. There are hundreds of places to fish from, the water is unpolluted and there is a rich variety of fish and shellfish.
Sailing – Cascais Marina and the Cascais Sailing Club, which has a sailing school open at weekends, are major centres for competitive and recreational sailing.
Windsurfing - On the south and east coasts, the winds are excellent for windsurfing, particularly at Guincho, where World Championship heats are held on a regular basis.
Surfing - On both the south and east coasts, the waves are excellent for surfing, particularly at Guincho, Praia Grande and Ribeira dIlhas (north of Ericeira) where World Championship heats are held regularly.
Bodyboard – The beaches at Praia Grande, Guincho and Carcavelos have big waves and are perfect for a variety of watersports including bodyboard. These beaches host a range of international competitions, as does Ribeira dIlhas beach in Ericeira.
Funboard - On both the south and east coasts, the winds are excellent for funboard, particularly at Guincho, where World Championship heats are often held.
Swimming - Apart from the superb swimming pools at some of the best hotels, there are good public swimming pools, some of which are indoors and open all year round. The Estoril and Cascais seawater swimming pools are also well worth a visit.
Diving - There are facilities for scuba diving and snorkelling. The natural conditions, equipment and instructors are all excellent.
Water Skiing – The calmer waters of Cascais bay are ideal for waterskiing. Watersports centres include the Cascais Sailing Club (Clube Naval de Cascais).
Canoeing and kayaking - Throughout the region there are excellent natural conditions for a wide range of adventure sports. There are clubs and companies specialising in canoeing and kayaking.
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