Cascais Day Trip from Lisbon: Beaches, Boca do Inferno and Guincho

Cascais is Lisbon’s seaside escape: a former fishing village turned elegant resort, with sandy beaches, a pretty old town and dramatic coastline, just 40 minutes away by train. It’s one of the easiest and most relaxing day trips from Lisbon.

Quick answer: take the train from Cais do Sodré to Cascais (about 40 minutes, with sea views). Spend the day on the beach and in the old town, walk or cycle to Boca do Inferno, and if you have time or a car, carry on to wild Guincho beach and Cabo da Roca.

Getting there

• Train: from Cais do Sodré station along the coast, about 40 minutes, every 20 minutes or so. Pay with your navegante card (zapping) or a 24-hour pass that includes CP trains. See our Lisbon transport guide. Sit on the left for sea views.
• Car: about 30–40 minutes via the coastal road (the Marginal) or the A5. Parking in summer can be tricky.
• Tour: combine Cascais with Sintra and Cabo da Roca in one day on a Pena, Cabo da Roca and Cascais tour, or use the Sintra and Cascais hop-on hop-off bus.

Things to do in Cascais

• Beaches: right in town are Praia da Rainha (tiny and pretty), Conceição and Duquesa. They’re calm and great for families.
• The old town: cobbled lanes, ice cream shops and seafood restaurants around the bay.
• Boca do Inferno: a dramatic sea arch and cliffs a 20-minute walk west of town, at its best when the waves are big.
• Casa das Histórias Paula Rego: a striking museum of the Portuguese artist’s work, in distinctive red pyramid-shaped buildings.
• The seafront promenade to Estoril: a flat, easy walk of about 3km along the sea, lined with cafés.
• Cycle the coast: a cycle path runs along the shore towards Guincho. Bikes are easy to hire.

Beyond Cascais

• Guincho beach: a huge, windswept Atlantic beach backed by dunes and the Sintra hills, famous for surfing and kitesurfing. Great for a walk and seafood lunch, but take care swimming, as the water is rough.
• Cabo da Roca: the westernmost point of mainland Europe, with a lighthouse on wild cliffs. Easiest by car or tour.
• Sintra: on the other side of the hills. You can combine Sintra and Cascais by bus or tour. See our Sintra tips.

Sample day

• Morning: train from Lisbon, coffee in the old town, then a stroll to Boca do Inferno.
• Lunch: grilled fish by the bay.
• Afternoon: beach time, or cycle towards Guincho.
• Evening: walk the promenade to Estoril and catch the train back from there.

Staying in Cascais

Lots of families base themselves in Cascais and take the train into Lisbon: you get beaches, a relaxed pace and easy trips to Sintra. See places to stay in Cascais, or compare with our Lisbon neighbourhoods.

More ideas: the best day trips from Lisbon.

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