Valentine's Day at the seaside

Taking a break from "city life" we decided to spend our Valentine's Day in Cascais. Along the coast and only 32 km from Lisbon it's easily reached along the train line. Traditionally a fishing village, it became important in the 14th century as a stopping off point for boats on their way to Lisbon. Only in the latter part of the 19th century did it begin to become the popular resort that exists today. When King Don Luís I decided to turn the Fortaleza da Cidadela into his summer home, the court followed and built their own palaces.
As the years passed others also followed, which became a lot easier when the railway was built. The first part of the line opened in 1889 and today this dedicated line carries not only visitors to Cascais, but a lot of people who live, work and commute to and from Lisbon. Other lesser known beach towns can be found along the way - the most well known being Estoril which is very close to Cascais and where the line ends.

A lively and friendly town Cascais has a lot to recommend it with high-end shops plus the ones with regular seaside offerings. Cafés and restaurants are plentiful - almost all with outdoor patios. The beaches are lovely - from the ones right in town to the smaller coves that stretch along the coast. Some beaches are close to parks and a little further out of town the cliffs get higher and more rugged. One inlet along this coast - Boca de Inferno (Jaws of Hell) is surrounded by caves and rocks where the ocean's mighty power can be observed. There's a walking path all along this way with some small cafés boasting great views! At Boca de Inferno there's also a small outdoor market. The main town beaches are also attractive and popular - they're well serviced with numerous cafés and restaurants along the ocean side. It's possible to walk towards Lisbon, passing Estoril and beyond....although not all the way to Lisbon! We walked that part of the promenade many times on our previous visit to Cascais, 8 years ago.
After a late breakfast we strolled through town where the squares are numerous and paved with the traditional "wavy" black and white tiles. Often surrounded by lovely buildings and always with outdoor cafés this town still has an air of something a little special about it…..in fact it's one of the most expensive place in Portual to live. I had fond memories of the daily market in town and it didn't disappoint. The outside vendors have the usual fare of cheap clothing etc, but the indoor one is a vey good example of what real fruits and vegetables look like - with fresh and seasonal ones in abundance. Cheeses and cured meats are also well represented - as are olives, nuts, various sauces and some gorgeous flowers. The market also has its own smattering of cafés.

Our seaside stroll took us out of town passing the marina and the Citadel where there's some interesting historical information provided throughout the old ruins. The Citadel overlooks a large and well serviced marina and some high-end shops and cafés which surround it. Many large boats and yachts are moored there. Beyond is the gorgeous Marechal Carmona Park, one of the most extensive and beautiful gardens in Cascais. With large trees, spacious lawns & lots of lovely flower beds, it's literally "around the corner" from the ocean! Connected to the park on the ocean side is a dry & rocky cove with a small beach whose size changes along with the tide. A small café perched on the rocks above is a handy place to grab a bite to eat.
After admiring the views at Boca de Inferno we took a quick peek at the local market and then stopped at a café close by for a drink and to admire the gorgeous ocean views. We walked the same promenade back to town but on reaching the Citadel we entered the town through a different square which is the town's small art district. A peaceful place with traditional black and white tiles on the floor, it's surrounded on all 4 sides with attractive buildings. One side has the 5-star Pousada Cascais hotel where a quiet efficiency of guests arriving and departing can be seen - many in very nice cars - and on this day one couple in an old Morgan. Adjacent to the hotel in another lovely white building which is the former summer Palace of Portuguese royalty. It's still used by the President for meetings, especially with foreign dignitaries. Individual escorted tours are allowed when the Palace is unoccupied…we were lucky enough to enjoy one when last here. The other old buildings house small shops, art galleries and a café. A modern statue sits at the centre of this quiet plaza.

We ended our day with a walk along the wide beach front promenade where we saw evidence of a few waves spilling over onto the beach side of this path, but none along its outer edge, so we felt confident that we were ok. Unfortunately we were wrong! Taking us by surprise we discovered that the path was not quite wide enough to stop an exceptionally high-breaking wave from soaking us! Seeing the funny side of it we stopped at a café to remove and "wring out" our clothing. We sat and enjoyed the ocean view while letting our wet clothes dry out in the few patches of sunlight that from time to time peeked through the clouds.
As we toasted our Valentine's Day, we agreed it had been a good one. I think our server felt sorry for me as I made the toast with a very generous brandy he'd poured for me….it certainly helped to take my "chill" off!