Portugal: Cascais

Cascais is absolutely gorgeous — the coastline is truly breathtaking. The overall vibe is calm and relaxed, with a slightly older feel, like the kind of place you could happily retire and settle into. It’s a small town, and you won’t find too many young people around, but that’s part of its charm. Simply wandering through the narrow streets and quiet neighborhoods instantly puts you at ease. Unlike some other towns in Portugal, Cascais doesn’t have much of a digital nomad scene. Also, keep in mind that it has its own microclimate — the weather can change quite quickly and unpredictably.

There’s a short 3-mile hike from Ursa Beach, Cabo da Roca, you can find it on AllTrails. I biked from the main town to here, but it is quite of a ride and alot of it is uphill. The actual hike felt like a breeze compared to the bike ride to here. There are alot of nice little restaurants in small villages along the way.

Things to Do:

• Bike along the coast

  • Bike north up the coast to Praia do Guincho. It can be a little wildy since this area has a micro climate, but the water is stunning and the beach is big with soft sand.

  • You can also go down south, the beaches here are smaller and some are better for surfing.

• Chill out at the beaches near town

  • Praia de Santa Marta: Near the main town and is small and the water is bluer in color.

  • Praia da Ribeira de Cascais: Near the main town, bigger, but a little touristy.

• Eat and walk around

  • Walk around Rua Amarela and there are tons of restaurants. Souldough Pizza was good with a beautiful interior that incorporates and indoor/outdoor feel. It was inside the hotel I stayed at, Legasea Cascais, which had one dorm room.

  • The restaurants weren’t noteworthy but there are lots of them with news views of the ocean. Near Palaphita Cascais there's a trail with lots of shops and smaller stands.

• Visit Boca do Inferno

• Walk around Parque Marechal Carmona