torsdag 7 maj 2015

Cascais (Lisbon, Portugal) 2015 - Scores 86/100

Well this is one of the best beach communities I've ever been to!
It scores full points in many categories.  The boardwalk, the beaches and the architecture around is amazing. Portuguese people are really nice. Hearty as the Spanish but also very modest. The nature is so lush and you can walk for hours in the myriad of cobbled streets. The food is cheap and if you use TripAdvisor or any other guide, you can find really nice restaurants. When it rains you catch the train in to Lisbon and there you have a wide range of things to do. We had 10 fantastic days here staying in a central apartment with AirBnB.


Beautiful views for the Cascais runners.



Only 40 min by train you have Lisbon and it's magic scenery.



View from one of the few roof-top bars in Cascais, Cafe Galleria House of Wonders. Really nice, with a surf/vegetarian/alternative kind of feel. Ranks number 4 on TripAdvisor. 



One of the best day trips from Cascais is to go Sintra and check out all the nice castles. They are my kind of castles, looks just like something from a Walt Disney movie. When we visited Sintra it was rainy so no really nice pictures from there.


Take the no 28 tram up the Lisbon hills. It feels like you are in a South European movie (or a Woody Allen feel-good version).



Moules and Gin is a cool restaurant. Nice moules and frites. They also have a few other things on the menu that are good.






The best seafood experience I had since Byron Bay in Australia in 2000 (another great beach community) was here;



Ask them to do a mixed seafood grill, you will like it!
Marisco is located in the market area in downtown Cascais. Top of the line food in a modest setting.



How do you find a good restaurant for lunch? Often a few 100m more walk can give you real value. Crepes Da Vila is really nice place. Awesome crepes, both salty and sweet.



Dom Diniz


Dom Diniz is typical trendy bistro, deli kind of restaurant. Great tapas and ceviche.






The score! (This is the evaluation. The scoring system has 10 categories with 1-10 in grades, maximum score is 100)

1. The beach
Clean, water quality, nice sand, facilities etc.
Score: 8 (cold water, otherwise perfect)

2. The boardwalk and local environment
Good for running and walking. Nice viewpoints. Vibrating life with people and activities.
Score: 10 (Everything is perfect)

3. Rainy day activities
Is it close to a big city or is there a lot to do rainy days in the area (museums, parks, sights and events)?
Score: 9 (Lisbon is 40 min away with so much to explore)

4. Sunny day activities
Outdoor activities like kayaking, surfing and more.
Score: 9 (Surfing, windsurfing, SUP, you can do it all) 

5. Restaurants and cafes
Are there many restaurants and cafes? Is the food nice? Is it expensive or cheap? Service and variety.
Score: 9 (Cheap and high quality food is combination we like)

6. Parks, forests and mountains
Can you find parks, forests, and mountains so you can go for hikes and do (mountain) biking?
Score: 8 (Yes, Cascais is also close to parks and mountains)

7. Shopping and street life
What about the quantity and quality of shopping? Is it nice to stroll the streets at night?
Score: 8 (Lisbon has great shopping if you do your research. Cascais also has some nice stores, fun events and nice ambiance during evenings)

8. Weather
In this guide we favour summer temperatures with sunny days.
Score: 7 (Due to it´s position on the Atlantic coast It´s colder here than in Malaga for example)

9. Transport
Is it easy to fly to this place? How long and expensive is the trip including transfer from the airport.
Score: 7 (Taxi from the airport is quite cheap and takes only 30 min but a limited variety of companies fly to Lisbon)

10. Housing and hotels
Is there a wide range of nice hotels, apartments (on AirBnb etc.) and houses?
Score: 10 (Super nice hotels and villas all along the coast. They are also relatively cheap to rent)

Total score: 86/100 points







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