Cascais is a coastal town 18 miles west of Lisbon, with about 35,000 residents. It is a cosmopolitan suburb of the Portuguese capital and one of the richest municipalities in Portugal. The former fishing village gained fame as a resort for Portugal's royal family in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It is located in the Estoril Coast (named after Estoril, a civil parish), in the Greater Lisbon subregion.
Due to Portugal's neutrality in World War II and the town's elegance and royal past, Cascais became home to many of the exiled royal families of Europe, including those of Spain, Italy, and Bulgaria.
Nowadays, Cascais and its surroundings are a famous vacation spot for the Portuguese and foreigners, aiming at both the "jet-set" and normal tourism, who seek to enjoy its beaches.
Cascais is easily reached from Lisbon by car, (A5 Lisboa-Cascais highway, in 20 minutes), or by frequent inexpensive commuter trains (a 25 minutes ride).
It has the ruins of a castle, an art and sea museum, as well as parks and the charming cobbled streets of the historic centre. The town has many good restaurants of varying cost. It is a fine base to use for those visiting Lisbon and its environs who prefer to stay outside of the city yet in an equally urban and sophisticated environment.
And also very beautifull wild beaches. There are also great pools by the beach. And really lots of cultural activities such as Sintra (world heritage village with plenty of museums, parks, palaces to visit). Cascais is surrounded by popular beaches, such as Guincho Beach to the west, and the lush Sintra mountains to the north. Some of its shoreline is cliff-y, attracting tourists for its seascapes and other natural sights such as the Boca do Inferno. It is also becoming a popular golf destination, with over 10 golf courses nearby. Surfing, sailing, windsurfing, and kitesurfing are also popular in the region around Cascais due to favourable weather, wind, and sea conditions. In 2007, Cascais was the official host of the ISAF World Championship in sailing for dinghies and racing yachts.
There's lots of street action, lots of markets, small shops, pubs, etc..
The municipality also hosts international tennis and motorcycling events and hosted for many years the FIA F1 Portugal Grand Prix. The famous Estoril Casino is one of the largest in Europe. Near the casino is the "Hotel Palácio" (Palace Hotel), a 5-star hotel where scenes of the James Bond movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" were shot.