Lisbon, Portugal, is probably the most beautiful capital city I’ve ever seen.
It’s visually stunning, quiet, and busy all at the same time. There’s plenty to see and do here, but if it’s a beautiful day and you want to venture out, like we did, there are a handful of beaches nearby that you should know about.
Cascais
By far, the most talked about beach near Lisbon, is Cascais. Which is kind of a pitty, seeing as its the most far away, set at the end of a long, beautiful coastline. And, the beach in the actual city of Cascais, isn’t really a beach, so much as a marina with a bit of sand. It’s not the kind of place I want to spend a day, so we left pretty quickly.
Upside: There are a ton of shops and things, if that’s what you’re into. It costs 4.20 Euros for a return ticket from Lisbon.
Downside: The beach kind of sucks. Unless you like swimming next to a bunch of boats.
Cascais. Meh.
Estoril
We came upon Estoril kind of on accident, after we left Cascais without so much as dipping a toe into the water. Estoril, just down the street, is a much nicer beach–and where we spent the rest of our day.
Upside: It’s a short 15 minute walk from Cascais, and it’s super pretty. It also has it’s own stop on the train line (“Estoril”).
Downside: The beach is surrounded by rocky areas, so it gets really crowded on the sand.
Estoril. So pretty!
Carcavelos
On the same train line as Cascais and Estoril, Carcavelos is one of the closest beaches to Lisbon and it’s also one of the most popular. If you’re pressed for time and just want to grab some sun before heading back into the city, this is the beach for you.
Upside: Super close to Lisbon. A train ride would likely cost about 3 Euros, round-trip.
Downside: It gets really busy here! But, there is a lot more sand to choose from, so you’ll be able to find a nice place to relax.
Costa do Caparica
Everyone talks about this being one of the most amazing beaches outside of Lisbon. The downside is, it takes a bit of effort getting there. You have to take the ferry from Cais do Sodre in Lisbon to Cacilhas, then take a bus from the bus depot to Costa do Caparica. All in all, it will take you about 30 minutes. Not bad, but when there are beaches just minutes away without crossing by ferry, it’s a tossup.
Upside: Amazing views and seclusion. You’ll see golden sand and pine trees, plus a great view of Lisbon.
Downside: This is a popular nudist beach… is that a downside?
And there you have it folks, the most awesome beaches near Lisbon. Have you ever visited Portugal?
