Just twenty minutes from Lisbon and you arrive at charming Cascais, a coastal town that has captured the hearts of European royalty and those looking for an escape from the capital. Could it capture your heart too? We’ve put together some reasons you might love owning a home there.
Santa Marta lighthouse & museum, Cascais, Lisbon, Portugal.
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A royal reputation…
Cascais has been a chilled out, sun-kissed getaway for Lisbon residents. The relationship between the two is a little bit like London and Brighton – though you may be pleased to learn that Cascais has sandy, rather than pebble beaches.
Cascais’ history as a holiday hotspot dates back to the 1870s. King Luís I of Portugal liked to decompress there. You can see and visit his summer residence, the Citadel of Cascais. His son, King D. Carlos went on to found Portugal’s first marine biology lab there. It continued to be a royal retreat, with King Juan Carlos I of Spain and King Edward III of the United Kingdom having stayed there.
=…And a literary inspiration
It is not just those that with blue blood that have been drawn to Cascais. During the Second World War, the Casino at the Estoril Palácio Hotel became a focal point for spies to gather. It is the inspiration for a “Casino Royale” in James Bond. It is still a luxurious location with golf, a wellness centre and restaurants.
Enjoy the sun rays
Cascais enjoys hot, dry summers with an average daily maximum of 27°C and eleven hours of sunshine day. Spring and winter are pleasant. Winter days can be sunny but wet too, with an average daily maximum of 14 degrees.
Practical tips on the holiday home buying process in Portugal…
Bathe like a queen
To the beach!
One of the biggest pulls of Cascais is its beautiful, Blue Flag beaches. The central beach, Praia da Conceição, is right by the train station. It is overlooked by the grand five-star Albatroz Hotel, which sits up on a cliff. Praia da Duquesa is also close to the centre.
You can enjoy a beach fit for a queen, Praia de Rainha, which was named after Queen Amelia in the 1880s.
Tee-rific golf courses
While the Algarve is renowned for its golf courses, Cascais has parr-fect options too, such as the Quinta da Marinha and Golf Estoril.
A cool culinary scene
If you’re a foodie, Cascais is bound to charm you. But it’s also great for sipping cocktails in a rooftop bar, licking ice cream on a sandy beach, and, of course, tucking into delicious fresh seafood. For those with a taste for the finer things, Cascais has forty-four restaurants featured in the Michelin Guide.
Zip to and from Lisbon
A great benefit of a home in Cascais is that its super well-connected to Lisbon. Drive and you can be there in just twenty minutes. Alternatively, hop on the train, for twice the journey length, but at just €3.
Plus, Lisbon International Airport is just twenty-five minutes away in by car. This is the best-connected airport in Portugal, with frequent, low-cost flights and the broadest range of destinations.
The beautiful city of Sintra is just a twenty-minute drive away too.
A more affordable, smaller community than Lisbon
Cascais has great potential as somewhere to commute to Lisbon from. According to numbeo, the cost of living in Cascais is 3.8% lower than in Lisbon (without rent, rent is pricier in Cascais). Not only is life more budget-friendly, but out of peak season, you might prefer the comparative chill of the place.
Hear from those that have already made the move on how to save money abroad.
What home can you buy in Cascais?
Cascais Historic Centre, Guincho, Quinta da Marinha, and Bairro do Rosario are all popular spots for overseas buyers looking for a home.
With its royal reputation, property in Cascais requires a healthy budget. You can find a one-to-two bedroom for upwards of €200,000. For a family home with four bedrooms, you’d need around €600,000. Property prices are less expensive than Lisbon.
Cascais has a less varied property market than the Algarve. The Algarve has luxury and affordable locations.
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