How to plan a day trip to Cascais from Lisbon

Portugal is known for its extensive history, colourful buildings and beautiful beaches and those are all things you can find on a day trip to Cascais from Lisbon.

During my recent trip to Lisbon, I spent a day in Cascais exploring its beaches, coastline, and historic sites. I can see why it’s such a popular Lisbon day trip since it’s easy to get to and there are so many things to do in Cascais too!

Even the journey there was filled with beautiful scenery as I took the train for a Lisbon to Cascais day trip which takes less than 40 minutes.

Stepping out of the train station you’re almost directly in Cascais’ old town with its beautiful cobbled streets and colourful buildings. From here, you can head out to the beaches, or walk along the coastline to take in the lighthouses, beautiful buildings, museums and more.

If you’re planning a day trip to Cascais from Lisbon I highly recommend it.

Here are my top recommendations for what to do on a day trip to Cascais!

How to get to Cascais from Lisbon

Cascais is about a 40-minute train ride west of Lisbon in Portugal.

It’s super easy to get there with most travellers to Lisbon choosing to get there via train since it’s cheap, easy (and means you can have a few beers by the beach without needing to worry 😉 ).

On our recent day trip to Cascais, we took the train from Oeiras where we were staying which ony took about 20 minutes. It’s the same train line from Lisbon to Cascais.

Lisbon to Cascais train

The best way to get to Cascais from Lisbon is by train.

From Lisbon’s Cais do Sodre train station there are regular trains departing to Cascais where the train terminates.

The journey takes approximately 40 minutes, and trains run every 20 minutes during peak hours and every 30 minutes during off-peak hours. The cost of a one-way ticket is around €2.25.

Top tip: If you’re visiting Lisbon, get a VivaViagem travel card for €0.50 and top it up during your stay. These cards can be used on the buses, trams, trains and ferries around Lisbon including to Cascais and Sintra.

Bus from Lisbon to Cascais

Another option for getting to Cascais from Lisbon is by bus.

There are several bus companies that operate services between the two cities, including Rede Expressos, Scotturb, and Citi Express.

Buses depart from Lisbon’s Sete Rios Bus Station and take around 45 minutes to reach Cascais. The cost of a one-way ticket is approximately €4.

Driving Lisbon – Cascais

There are several routes you can take when driving from Cascais to Lisbon depending on your starting point in Lisbon.

The most direct route is via the A5 motorway, which takes around 30 minutes to reach Cascais.

However, be aware that parking in Cascais can be difficult, especially during peak tourist season, and there are often parking fees to pay.

If you need to rent a car, you can do so in Lisbon.

I use comparison sites like DiscoverCars and RentalCars to book my car rentals as it’s easy to check prices and compare the best deals!

Just remember that certain countries will need an international driver’s license in order to rent a car.

Cascais guided day trip

If you only have a few days in the Lisbon area and want to cram in as much as possible, this guided tour takes you to some of the most popular places to visit near Lisbon Portugal.

You’ll be picked up from Lisbon and head out on a day trip to Sintra’s Pena Palace, Cascais and Cabo da Roca (mainland Europe’s most westerly point), before being transported back to Cascais.

It’s a great way to see some of the best things to do in Sintra, Cascais and the national park area.

Book your Cascais, Sintra and Cabo da Roca guided day tour

What to do on a day trip to Cascais

Cascais day trip map

Click the map below to access my Lisbon and surrounding areas travel map. It includes all the places mentioned in my Lisbon travel guides as well as the list of what to do in Cascais and Sintra.

When it comes to what to do in Cascais in a day, you can tick off pretty much all of these as long as you plan a full day in Cascais, not a half day. The map should be useful when planning your Sintra Cascais day trip itinerary.

Casa de Santa Maria – Cascais viewpoint

As you walk from the train station along the waterfront and past a few of Cascais’ smaller beaches, you’ll eventually come out to a bridge with a beautiful view of Casa de Santa Maria, the lighthouse and the ocean.

The water here is a beautiful colour and it is usually full of people lounging on the rocks or swimming in the waters below.

Mirador Casa de Santa María is the main thing people want to tick off when they travel to Cascais and is at the top of many people’s lists of what to see in Cascais.

This viewpoint has impressive views of the ocean and Casa de Santa Maria, a historic villa that was built in the early 20th century.

The Mediterranean-style villa was built as a summer home for royalty and is next to a cute blue and white lighthouse, creating a super pretty view that’s best seen from the adjoining stone bridge.

This area is popular throughout the day for photo opportunities, but especially at sunset!

From the bridge, you’ll get a great view of the building and the ocean or you can walk down some stairs, or go into Parque Marechal Carmona to get to the beach area where you can swim in the sea below.

Santa Marta Lighthouse

For a look into the history of Cascais, visit the Santa Marta Lighthouse Museum and get up close to the historic Cascais lighthouse that has been guiding ships in and out of the Tagus Estuary since the 19th century.

When I visited Cascais, the lighthouse itself was undergoing repairs so you couldn’t climb to the top. However, there was a small museum with information about different types of lighthouses and the history of the area, that was free to enter.

In peak season there may be a fee for this but it’s usually only a couple of euros and it’s one of the top places when it comes to what to visit in Cascais.

• Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 10 am – 6 pm. Closed Mondays

Castro Guimarães Museum

The Castro Guimarães Museum in Cascais is a bit like a castle and dates back to the 1900s.

The building style is often referred to as “summer architecture” and you’ll find a Revivalist palace with Manueline-style mouldings and an imposing Gothic revival stone tower.

The estate was left to Cascais in the will of Manuel Inácio de Castro Guimarães and is now a museum with paintings, Indo-Portuguese furniture, jewellery and findings from nearby caves.

The library at the museum houses 25,000 books with some that date all the way back to the 1600s!

Around the building is Parque Marechal Carmona which is a great place to relax.

• Opening hours: Tuesday – Friday, 10 am – 6 pm, Saturday 10 am – 1 pm & 2 – 6 pm, Sunday, 10 am – 12:30 pm & 2 pm to 6 pm. Closed Mondays.

Parque Marechal Carmona

We spent a couple of hours chilling out under a tree in Parque Marechal Carmona. This beautiful park near the centre of Cascais has lots of grassy areas, a play area, a cool rocky hill fort thing you can climb up, a cafe and a few ponds full of turtles!

It’s perfect if you need somewhere to relax for a bit while exploring Cascais.

Cascais’ colourful downtown centre and Rua Amarelo

Walking through the Cascais old town is another top thing to do in Cascais.

The narrow streets are lined with colourful buildings with traditional Portuguese tiles, which makes it super pretty to walk through the town. There are plenty of shops selling local crafts and souvenirs, as well as traditional restaurants serving up delicious Portuguese cuisine.

Don’t forget to notice the pavements which are paved with calçada Portuguesa; mosaics in various patterns.

There’s also Rua Amarela which is a picturesque street in the centre of Cascais, Portugal, famous for its colourful buildings and good bars making it a worthwhile item on a list of things to see in Cascais.

The yellow street, much like Lisbon’s Pink Street, is not only pretty but has some of the best Cascais restaurants and places to eat in Cascais If you’re hungry, head here!

Walk or cycle to Boca do Inferno

When planning a day trip to Cascais, one thing you must do is walk or cycle along Avenida Rei Humberto II de Italia towards the beautiful Boca do Inferno.

There’s a dedicated cycle path stretching the entire route and along the way, you’ll come across several beautiful viewpoints.

You can use the Cascais bike-sharing scheme or try out electric scooters run by Bird when you visit Cascais. All you need is an app on your phone and then you pay by the minute.

As you cycle or walk from the Cascais old town to Boca do Inferno you’ll also pass several of the top attractions in Cascais, as mentioned in this list. So if you’ve arrived in Cascais a little later in the day, then this should e the top thing to do in Cascais on your list.

Boca do Inferno, is an incredible cliff formation and one of the top free things to do in Cascais.

The name literally translates to “Mouth of Hell,” coming from the resounding crash of the waves against the rugged rocks, a sound that echoes even from a distance. You can walk down from the clifftop and witness the power of the ocean from the viewpoints.

It’s best viewed during high tide so you can really see the waves crashing up against the rocks, but low tide (like when I went) is still pretty impressive.

Near Boca do Inferno, there are some restaurants and bars where you can get a drink or a snack before heading back. There’s also a marketplace with Portuguese souvenirs and postcards.

Check out Cidadela de Cascais

Another of the best things to do in Cascais is to visit the Cidadela de Cascais. This is a 15th century near the harbour in Cascais, it’s worthwhile allowing some time in your Cascais day trip to walk around this area as it takes you to a cool arts district full of colourful murals and sculptures.

It’s got some cool book shops and art galleries you can walk into too.

Grab ice cream

Before you get the train back to Lisbon, be sure to grab an ice cream in Cascais.

One of the most popular places to get ice cream is Gelados Santini, which often has long lines outside of its two locations. However, if you’re not up for waiting in line, there are other great options to choose from.

The one I ended up getting ice cream from was Gelateria Italiana Fabio Lupi which had some interesting flavours and was totally delicious!

Relax on one of the best beaches in Cascais

One thing you must do during your day trip to Cascais is visit the beaches! It’s not considered a beach town for nothing.

There are some beautiful Cascais beaches including Praia da Rainha and Praia da Ribeira de Cascais.

Praia da Rainha, or Queen’s Beach, is one of the most popular beaches in Cascais.

It’s a small, sheltered beach located in a cove near the centre of town. Named after Queen Amelia, who used to enjoy bathing there in the 19th century, the beach has calm waters, making it a great spot for swimming and sunbathing.

It’s also surrounded by restaurants and cafes, so you can enjoy a meal or a drink while taking in the beautiful scenery.

Praia da Ribeira de Cascais is a wide, sandy beach located just a short walk from the centre of Cascais. The beach is popular with families and is ideal for swimming, sunbathing, and playing beach games.

There’s also Praia da Duquesa which is near the cool open pool, Piscina Oceânica Alberto Romano and Praia da Rata towards Estoril.

So many choices for what to do in Cascais for a day if you like beaches!

Don’t forget, you can book your Sintra and Cascais in one day guided tour here

Final thoughts on the best Sintra day trip

Spending a day in Cascais is one of the best things to do if you have a few days in Lisbon and are looking to explore further than the city itself.

Easy to get to, with tonnes of fun things to do, Cascais is a great place to learn more about the local history or enjoy a glass of Vinho Verde with a view of the ocean.

When it comes to what to see in Cascais in one day, this blog post has hopefully given you plenty of ideas. If you’re looking for more things to do, check out this list of what to do in Cascais Portugal for your day trip from Lisbon to Cascais.

FAQs about planning a Sintra day trip

Have questions about how to spend one day in Cascais? You’ll find the answers to frequently asked questions here.