Lisbon Coast

 About the Lisbon Coast

 The Lisbon Coast is often referred to as the “Portuguese Riviera” – and includes some of the chicest seaside resorts in Portugal.  This is a cosmopolitan area with a long tradition of warm hospitality.  Since the 1920s, it has been a favoured haunt of Europe’s aristocracy and royal families (many of the exiled or deposed have made this their home) – and in the 21st century, it is now a hot spot for major international personalities from the world of fashion, sport and entertainment.

 This region has a unique atmosphere – removed from the bustle of the city but with easy access to all the culture that Lisbon offers.  With a good road network, most venues on the Estoril Coast are within half-an-hour’s drive from Lisbon and its international airport.  Setúbal, which is this region’s most southerly town, is about 50 minutes.  The railway system is excellent– Portuguese trains are generally very modern and clean and invariably run exactly on time - so you can leave your car and hop on a train to get into the city.

 Many people regard the climate in the Costa de Lisboa as perfect – it is never too hot or too cold; and the sea breezes ensure that is it never too humid – allowing the enjoyment of sports and other outdoor activities throughout the year.

 In typical Portuguese style, this region is diverse.  Here you will find:

• Long flat sandy beaches or wilder beaches with craggy rocks, caves and pirate coves;
• Lighthouses, cliff top fortresses, and windmills;
• Forests and dramatic mountains - the Serra Sintra lie to the north and west, and the Serra da Arrábida is situated to the south;
• Gentle hillsides, green valleys and farmland;
• Sophisticated towns with avenues of palm trees;
• Traditional fishing harbours;
• Castles, Palaces and Mansions;
• Pre-historic sites and medieval ruins;
• Museums, monuments and one of the largest sacred buildings in the world at Mafra;
• Vineyards and Wine cellars;
• The Estoril race track (a Mecca for motorcycle and car-racing enthusiasts)  

 Even though Lisbon is on the doorstep, this region has its own cultural traditions which include Music and Dance Festivals; equine displays at the Queluz Advanced Riding School; as well as the traditional Portuguese annual town Festas. 

 For the sporty, this region offers:

• An excellent choice of Golf courses
• Swimming:
• Surfing and Windsurfing;
• Water skiing;
• Fishing;
• Sailing;
• Tennis clubs;
• Horse Riding;
• And many sports complexes

 Alternatively if you are looking for the thrill of something a bit more extreme, the Costa de Lisboa offers:

• Parachuting;
• Para-gliding;
• Rock climbing;
• Mountain biking;
• Flying;
• Speed boating

 And for children, this region offers schools in:

• Surfing
• Yachting
• Horse Riding
• Tennis

 Alternatively, if you want to shop, lunch and shop, and then shop some more – this region is an absolute must for you.

 And there is no shortage of Nightlife which includes:

• The Casinos in Estoril and Parque das Nações;
• And numerous:
  
  • Restaurants
  • Bistros
    
  • Bars
  • Nightclubs
  • Theatres
  • Casas de Fado 
    

Towns and Villages on the Lisbon Coast 

 ALMOÇAGEME

 A pretty, small market town with a bandstand in the market square. Approximately 5 minutes drive from Colares and easy access to Sintra.  Beaches are within 5 minutes’ drive.

 Facilities include:

• Various small shops including Grocery shop and Greengrocers
• Bank
• Sports Club
• Cafés
• Vet
• Bus Service
• Dentist
• Restaurants
• Garage

 Approximate Driving Time from Portuguese Airports:

• Lisbon – 40 minutes
• Faro – 3 hours
• Porto – 3 hours 25 minutes

 AZENHAS DO MAR

 A small seaside town with a sandy beach set in a cove.  The town rises up into the hills beyond. Praia das Maçãs is just a few minutes drive and offers more extensive facilities.

 Facilities include:

• Restaurants
• Bars 
• Cafés

 Approximate Driving Time from Portuguese Airports:

• Lisbon – 45 minutes
• Faro – 3 hours
• Porto – 3 hours 30 minutes

 CASCAIS

 Cascais is a seaside resort town on the coast to the west of Lisbon. This large fishing village has become one of the principal tourist destinations in Portugal. It was an advanced protection post for the city of Lisbon due to its location at the mouth of the Tagus river, and an important port. In the 19th century, Cascais became one of the popular destinations for the rich and famous. The aristocracy of the time found it a very pleasant place to visit.

Only a few miles from the capital, Cascais today is an international business centre by day and offers some diverse and sophisticated nightlife. With the addition of a new Marina, Cascais is now an even more attractive and highly desirable destination.

 Facilities include:

• Restaurants
• Bars
• Cafés
• Banks
• Hotels
• Post Office
• Hospital
• Shops
• Designer Shopping Malls
• Supermarkets
• Hypermarket
• Marina
• Railway Station

 Approximate Driving Time from Portuguese Airports:

• Lisbon – 30 minutes
• Faro – 2 hours 50 minutes
• Porto – 3 hours 20 minutes

 COLARES

 A small market town, set on the River Colares, situated between Sintra and the coast (beaches approximately 10 minutes drive). 

 Facilities include:

• Bus Service
• Petrol Stations
• Garage
• Pharmacy
• Health Centre
• Supermarket with delivery service
• Post Office
• Banks
• Cafés
• Restaurants (a couple have outside terraces on the riverside)
• Railway Station
• Selection of Shops

 Approximate Driving Time from Portuguese Airports:

• Lisbon – 40 minutes
• Faro – 3 hours
• Porto – 3 hours 30 minutes

 ERICEIRA

 Ericeira is famous for its beautiful beaches that sit below high cliffs, which give the town wonderful view of the Atlantic.  Formerly a fishing village, it is now a vibrant seaside resort situated 50 kms (31 miles) northeast of Lisbon. 

 Facilities include:

• More than 50 restaurants and seafood restaurants ("marisqueiras") offer a great variety of dishes
• A large variety of bars and nightclubs
• Good range of shops
• Small Supermarket
• Banks
• Post Office
• Markets – particularly on July, 25th  when the "Santiago" or "Dos Alhos" Market takes place

 Sports facilities include:

• Surfing is the dominant sport
• Body-boarding
• Skim-boarding
• Windsurfing
• Fishing
• Diving
• Sailing
• Jet-skiing
• Water-skiing
• Beach-volleyball
• There is a municipal gym
• The Santa Marta park offers even more sporting facilities
• Mountain biking
• Horse riding
• Hiking

 Approximate Driving Time from Portuguese Airports:

• Lisbon – 35 minutes
• Faro – 3 hours
• Porto – 3 hours 5 minutes

 ESTORIL

 Once a small Spa conveniently positioned between Lisbon and Cascais, Estoril became a prime location for European royal exiles forced to leave their own countries.

Estoril is made up of four regions - Monte Estoril, São João do Estoril, São Pedro do Estoril and Santo António do Estoril - and is now at the centre of the “Portuguese Riviera” with its Casino and spacious gardens, golf course, large luxury hotels and impressive private homes.

A motorway link makes it easy to access the Capital. 

There are a number of small beaches below the cliffs on this stretch of coast.

 Facilities include:

• Restaurants
• Bars
• Cafés
• Banks
• Shops
• Hotels
• Clubs
• Casino
• Motor racing circuit
• Estoril Handicrafts Fair - held in July and August

 Approximate Driving Time from Portuguese Airports:

• Lisbon – 25 minutes
• Faro – 2 hours 45 minutes
• Porto – 3 hours 15 minutes

 FONTANELAS

 Set approximately 2 kms inland, this village is just a short drive from the beaches on the West Coast and the resorts of Azanhas do Mar, Praia das Maçãs and Praia Grande.

 Facilities include:

• Restaurants
• Bars
• Bus Service
• Pharmacy
• Cafés
• Small Supermarket
• Garage

 Approximate Driving Time from Portuguese Airports:

• Lisbon – 45 minutes
• Faro – 3 hours 10 minutes
• Porto – 3 hours 30 minutes

 JANAS

 Set approximately 3 kms inland from the coast, this village has good access to the sandy beaches on the west coast and is approximately 6kms from Colares and just a little further from Sintra.

 Facilities include:

• Cafés
• Restaurants
• Selection of small shops
• School
• Garage
• Football Pitch

Approximate Driving Time from Portuguese Airports:

• Lisbon – 40 minutes
• Faro – 3 hours 5 minutes
• Porto – 3 hours 30 minutes

 LISBON

 Lisbon is a thriving city with a rich cultural life.  

Its long history of contact with other cultures gave it the reputation of being one of the world’s great capitals with a truly eclectic range of architectural styles. 

This city is full of contrasts: there are old-fashioned shops and chic boutiques; traditional Fado houses and African nightclubs; and traditional Portuguese restaurants and Brazilian restaurants serving fusion food.

  Recent economic investment has seen urban renewal and Lisbon gradually returning to its former glory to underline its reputation as an open, tolerant and welcoming place.

 This compact city is easy to explore and it’s relatively small population makes it a pleasure to wander around.   Culturally, there are events throughout the year:

• Festivals including:
  • Film
  • Music
  • Theatres
  • Festas dos Santos Populares - Lisbon's biggest street party lasting most of June
• Museums
• Galleries
• Theatre
• Opera
• Music Concerts including:
  • Classical
  • Fado
  • Rock
  • Roots
  • Jazz
  • Folk
• Nightlife including Clubs and Bars

 For children, there are:

• Museums
• Theatres
• Zoos
• Parks
• Open-top bus tours
• Parque das Nações (Shopping, Leisure and Theme Park)

 Approximate Driving Times to Portuguese Airports:

• Lisbon - 15 minutes
• Faro - 2 hours 30 minutes
• Porto - 3 hours 10 minutes

 MAFRA

 This historic town is dominated by the Palace-Convent that was built in the 18th century.  This building is the largest Portuguese religious monument.  It consists of lavish royal apartments as well as 330 cells for its monks, a magnificent library (which houses a collection of about 36,000 books), carillon, basilica and museums.

 Facilities include:

• Restaurants
• Cafés
• Bars
• Shops
• Hypermarket
• Banks
• Post Office
• Bus Service
• Schools

 Approximate Driving Time from Portuguese Airports:

• Lisbon - 30 minutes
• Faro - 2 hours 50 minutes
• Porto - 3 hours

 PRAIA DAS MAÇÃS

 This coastal resort has a long, sandy beach set in a cove. 

It is just a few minutes from Praia Grande and adjoins Azenhas do Mar.  Sintra and Colares are also within easy access.

Facilities include:

• Restaurants
• Cafés
• Bars
• Pharmacy
• Bank
• Bus Services - one to Cascais and one to Sintra
• Sandy Beach
• Children’s Playground
• Selection of Shops
• Fresh-water Swimming Pool with water slides
• Tennis Courts

 Approximate Driving Time from Portuguese Airports:

• Lisbon – 45 minutes
• Faro – 3 hours
• Porto – 3 hours 30 minutes

 PRAIA GRANDE

 A small seaside resort with a large, sandy beach, situated about 15 minutes’ drive from Colares and 5 minutes from Almoçageme.

 Facilities include:

• Hotel
• Restaurants
• Bars/Cafés
• Surf Shop
• Sandy Beach

 Approximate Driving Time from Portuguese Airports:

• Lisbon – 45 minutes
• Faro – 3 hours
• Porto – 3 hours 30 minutes

 SINTRA

 Declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site the original Sintra is not a large place to visit. It is essentially made up of three distinct and separate villages:  Estefânia, São Pedro and Sintra-Vila; and winds around a series of green and wooded ravines.

The town is dominated by the two conical chimneys of the Palácio Nacional da Vila that was the a summer home of the royal family since the 15th Century. Overlooking the village are the ruined ramparts of the Castelo dos Mouros, a fort dating from the 8th Century. There are several churches in the town and arguably the most interesting is the 12th Century Igreja de Santa Maria which was rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake.   The town has lovely parks and botanical gardens and tours of Sintra's main sites can be seen from horse-drawn carriages. 

Known for it's "Fairytale" buildings, some places well-worth seeing include the Moorish Castle, the Monastery of Capuchos, Monserrate Palace, National Palace, Pena Palace, Quinta da Regaleira and Seteais Palace.

 Facilities include:

• Restaurants
• Bars
• Good selection of shops
• Supermarket
• Museums
• Churches
• Hospital
• Railway (train service to Lisbon)
• Bus services - including services to the Coast
• Nearby Golf courses

 Approximate Driving Time from Portuguese Airports:

• Lisbon – 30 minutes
• Faro – 2 hours 55 minutes
• Porto – 3 hours 15 minutes

 ULGUEIRA 

 A small village in an elevated location with views to the sea. Set to the west of Sintra and Colares.  Beaches are within a 5 minute drive.

 Facilities include:

• Café/Bar
• Restaurant
• School
• Bus Service

 Approximate Driving Time from Portuguese Airports:

• Lisbon – 35 minutes
• Faro – 2 hours 55 minutes
• Porto – 3 hours 25 minutes

 Golf on the Lisbon Coast

LISBON SPORTS CLUB 

 LISBON SPORTS CLUB

The club is situated at Belas, north-west of Lisbon and north-east of Cascais.  This is a typical mountain course with diverse planting which compliments the rugged terrain and the stream which runs through many of the fairways and meanders through the narrow valleys.

The main characteristic of this course is that no two holes are the same - which means that players are required to concentrate and ensure that their strategy is well-defined.  It is reputed that this course "teaches you how to play" because it demands variation and precision of shots to reach the greens.

 BELAS CLUBE DE CAMPO

BELAS CLUBE DE CAMPO

Situated between Belas and Vale de Lobo, close to the course at Lisbon Sports Club, it is within the district of Sintra and about 20 minutes drive from both  the centre of Lisbon and Cascais/Estoril.

Set in 1,150 acres the natural landscaping of this area has been preserved.  There is a good variety of holes which makes the course a pleasure to play whatever your handicap.  Demanding both skill and tactical play it is acknowledged have one of the best layouts in Portugal.

 OITAVOS GOLF

OITAVOS GOLF

Located at Quinta da Marinha just to the west of Cascais, every hole at Oitavos Golf has distant views of the Atlantic Ocean.

  The aim of the owners is to create one of the finest golf experiences in Europe.  Located in Quinta da Marinha the holes are designed in a continuous loop - with nine holes in and nine holes out - similar to Scottish links courses.

 PENHA LONGA ATLÂNTICO

PENHA LONGA ATLÂNTICO

Considered to be one of the best resorts in Europe, Penha Longa is a spectacular hide-away nestled within the mystic valleys of the Sintra mountains.  Set in an elegant environment, it is a course full of challenges. 

This course has been ranked within the best 30 courses in Europe and was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.  Each of the holes is uniquely different from the other with plenty of challenges along the way to keep the adrenaline pumping! 

 QUINTA DA MARINHA

 QUINTA DA MARINHA

Located in one of the most beautiful regions of the Portuguese coast-line.

Designed by Robert Trent Jones, this is a unique course of international quality which has been used for numerous tournaments.

The greens are highly technical and demand accurate putting from players.

 GOLF DO ESTORIL

 GOLF DO ESTORIL

This is one of Portugal's oldest and most symbolic courses which hosts many prestigious events.

Players here can enjoy a round of golf in beautiful surroundings.

This course was designed by Mackenzie Ross.

Tthe course is surrounded by mimosas, pine and eucalyptus trees. 

There is an additional 9-hole course which is suitable for less-experienced players to develop their skills.

 QUINTA DA BELOURA 

Situated between Sintra and Estoril, this golf course is backdropped by the foothills of the Sintra Mountains. 

Designed by the American Rocky Roquemore, this is a course designed to stretch the players imagination and ability - it provides a challenge to golfers of all levels. 

The course is complimented by excellent practise facilities, qualified teachers .... and an excellent Clubhouse!

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