Cascais

When Lisbon gets hot, Lisbon goes to Cascais. The town sits at the western end of the coast where the Tagus meets the Atlantic, and it is one of the easiest and most rewarding day trips from the city: the train from Cais do Sodré runs along the shore, past Belém and Estoril, and drops you a few steps from the beach. Cascais began as a fishing village, and fishermen still land their catch here, but in the late nineteenth century the royal family began spending summers in the citadel, the aristocracy followed with villas and mansions, and the town became the fashionable heart of what is often called the Portuguese Riviera. During the Second World War it was home to exiled royals from across Europe. Today it mixes those layers easily. The old centre is a tangle of pedestrian lanes with wavy black-and-white pavements, seafood restaurants and ice-cream shops; the small town beaches, sheltered and sandy, fill with families in summer; and the marina and the restored citadel, now home to an art district, lie just beyond. Culture is surprisingly strong for a resort. The Casa das Histórias Paula Rego, a museum dedicated to the great Portuguese-British painter in a building of red pyramid towers by Eduardo Souto de Moura, is reason enough to come, and the Museum Quarter around it includes historic houses and the Santa Marta lighthouse museum. West of the town, a seafront road and cycle path lead to Boca do Inferno, a dramatic sea arch and chasm where the Atlantic surges in, and on to the long, wind-blown beach of Guincho, beloved of surfers and kitesurfers.

Why go: Cascais gives you a beach day, a pretty town and a coastal walk in one easy trip, and it shows a different Portugal from the hills of Lisbon: relaxed, prosperous and oriented to the sea. It is also a natural partner for Cabo da Roca and Sintra, which can be linked with Cascais by road to make a full loop of the region.

Working the visit: take the train from Cais do Sodré; trains are frequent and the journey takes under an hour, with the best sea views on the left-hand side heading out. Start with a wander through the old centre and the fishermen's beach, then walk or cycle the seafront to Boca do Inferno, about twenty minutes on foot. The town has a public bike scheme and a cycle path continues to Guincho, but the ride is long and often windy. Visit the Paula Rego museum in the heat of the day; check opening days before you go. Finish with grilled fish or a seafood lunch in the old town, and an ice cream on the promenade. You can also stop in Estoril on the way back for the gardens and the long beach walk that links the two towns.

Practical notes: Cascais is busy on summer weekends, when locals head for the beaches too, so a weekday is calmer. The town beaches are small and fill quickly; Guincho is wild and beautiful but has strong currents, so swim only where it is safe and watch the flags. Out of season Cascais is quieter and still lovely for a walk and a long lunch by the sea.