We factored in a whole week for Lisbon, as we figured that would give us the opportunity for a couple of trips out of town. Trouble is, which to choose? This is a very helpful little compilation, we found.

Sintra, one of the most popular day trips from Lisbon, was easy to discount. Really you need more than one day to do it justice, and it's a major tourist magnet. So we decided it was best to wait for a return visit (fingers crossed), and plan to spend a couple of nights there.

Instead, we opted to go to Cascais.

This place had already seen a bit of action -- invasions, earthquake... -- but its fortunes changed dramatically in 1870, when King Luis I decided that it would be a great place for a summer residence. Royals don't travel alone, so along came the court too, resulting in the building of palaces and mansions. And such places develop a cachet, which brought in the holiday-makers.

Neighbouring Estoril also got in on the act, and became a popular resort -- to the extent that in 1930, the famous Sud Express railway line had Paris at one end and Estoril at the other.

Nowadays, it's really easy to get to Cascais on a suburban seaside train (it takes about 40 minutes, and costs EUR 4.50 return), and it is a very photogenic little town.

If you have a larger budget than ours, there are a number of museums/galleries that look interesting. But just walking is really nice too. (OK, it would have been even nicer if the weather hadn't constantly dithered between wet and dry, warm and cold. But hey... Weather forecasts for this part of the world are less than reliable, we find.)











Along the coast you find the Boca do Inferno (mouth of hell), where rollers collide dramatically with a rocky opening.



Back in town you can pick up some lunch (note that everything is a little more expensive here...)


After which, it's an easy stroll along the prom to Estoril, where you can pick up the train back to Lisbon.





All in all, an excellent breath of fresh air.