Outside Lisbon

The north and south coasts of the city are a great place to explore within a single day. There is much to see, from famous world class golf courses, to a World Heritage site, to some of the most pristine beaches anywhere in Europe. So if you have some time to spare, hire a car and set off for the weekend.

South of the City

Costa Da Caparica

This is a popular holiday resort a mere thirty minute drive from the city centre. With miles and miles of clean, sandy beaches, a train runs along the coast for visitors to choose their ideal beach spot. The beaches nearest the town are generally popular with families, while the further south along the coast you go, the more isolated it becomes. This is where to head for solitude in the sunshine. The town itself has a good selection of bars and seafood restaurants. On the cliff above the beach, stands an old Capuchin Monastery dating from the 16th century. There is a popular market from Tuesdays to Sundays where fresh fish is bought to take back to the city’s restaurants.

Cabo Espichel

Huge cliffs tower above the sea at this windswept promontory. This is a dangerous sea area to navigate, but for the walker and tourist, the cape has an undeniable spirit. Here it is easy to appreciate the daring of the Portugal’s maritime explorers. There are some breathtaking cliff walks, but these are steep and are not recommended for kids. The Santuario de Nossa do Cabo stand at this isolated spot, a revered church visited by pilgrims as a result of the vision of the Madonna rising from the sea that was had by a local fisherman in the 13th century.   Today the Santuario is a retreat and can be visited.

Palmela

Inland from the windswept coast, Palmela is an ancient hilltown dominated by an impressive Moorish castle.   Today, after a turbulent history, the castle is a pousada – a government chain run by Enatur. Pousada’s are either country inns, or are located in ancient and important buildings and the Catselo do Palmela Pousada is one of the most impressive in the region.

The Arrabida National Park

This park is only thirty minutes south of the city and covers the small range of limestone mountains which stretch from east to west along the coast between the towns of Sesimbra and Setubal. There is range of excellent hillside and coastal walks in some of the most unspoilt countryside in the region.

North of the City

Sintra

You cannot come to Lisbon without visiting Sintra. It is as simple as that. A world heritage site since 1995, the ancient town and palace draws visitors throughout the year. The Palacio Nacional de Sintra, at the heart of the old part of town, is dominated by a pair of white conical chimneys, an indication of the scale of the catering that was undertaken in the palace kitchens. The palace was the summer retreat of the Portuguese royal family and the entire court would move here from Lisbon during the hot summer months until well into the late 19th century. The palace houses some remarkable rooms and examples of fine Portuguese ceramic art can be seen everywhere. Sintra has not one palace, but two. The ornate and colourful Palacio de Pena is housed on one the towns highest peaks, affording some spectacular views of the area. The palace was built in the 19th century for the husband of Queen Maria II, Ferdinand Saxe Coburg Goethe. This is an eclectic palace and mirrors the decadence of this age for the great royal families of Europe.

Palacio de Quelux

This elaborate Rococo palace was built as the summer home of Pedro, youngest son of Joao V. Built in the French style so popular at the time and seen in Berlin’s Sans Souci and Paris’ outstanding Versailles, Quelux houses a stunning set of formal gardens, an ornate ballroom (Sala dos Embaixadores) and an impressive art collection. The Palacio is a twenty minute drive from the city.

Cascais

Cascais has been a vacation destination for well over a century and has a cosmopolitan feel about it, echoed in the fantastic villas which line its coast, summer homes of the wealthy Lisbon merchants who prospered in the early 20th century. Today Cascais is a fashionable place to live and with an easy train commute to the centre, makes it an expensive alternative to suburban living. Only 20 minutes by train from the central station, Cascais is a great place for a short visit, lunch and a walk along the beach.

Palacio de Mafra

An hour north of Lisbon brings you to the immense baroque Palacio de Mafra. Begun in the 18th century by Joao V, it was intended as a monastery, given to the church as a gesture of the solidarity of the royal family to the pope. However, it’s more likely to have been a guilt inspired plea for atonement by the young king, for his sexual excesses. As the country became wealthier thanks to the coffee income from the colonised Brazil, so the Palacio grew in both size and grandeur, until eventually it reached the size we see today. The palace houses one of Europe’s most extensive libraries and has a fascinating and troubled history.