Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Colares Velho
( 219 292 727; Largo da Igreja, Colares; mains €15-20; lunch & dinner Tue-Sat, lunch Sun)
Clued-up
foodies make sure there's rarely an empty table at this restaurant and tearoom, set in a
converted grocery store and tavern. The country-style dining room, bedecked with
200-year-old pinewood dressers, is an elegant setting for flavours such as Roquefort steak
and seafood
cataplana,
accompanied by full-bodied wines. Alternatively, sip Earl Grey
and nibble on divine pastries in the tearoom.
CONTEMPORARY
€€
Azenhas do Mar
( 219 280 739;
www.azenhasdomar.com
;
Azenhas do Mar; mains €18; noon-10pm)
Perched above the
saltwater pool in Azenhas do Mar, you'll find delicious seafood dishes and grilled fish.
The sea views are stunning, especially from the deck. A taxi from Sintra costs about €15.
SEAFOOD
€€€
Getting There & Away
Bus 441 from Sintra's Portela Interface runs frequently via Colares to Praia das Maçãs
(€3.25, 25 minutes) and on to Azenhas do Mar (€3.25, 30 minutes), stopping at Praia
Grande (€3, 25 minutes) three times daily (more in summer). Bus 440 also runs from Sin-
tra to Azenhas do Mar (€3.25, 35 minutes). On weekends, the Elétrico de Sintra (€2) goes
from Sintra to Praia das Maçãs via Colares.
Bus 403 to Cascais runs regularly via Cabo da Roca (45 minutes) from Sintra station.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Cascais
POP 35,000
Cascais (kush-
kaish
) has rocketed from sleepy fishing village to much-loved summer-
time playground of wave-frolicking
lisboêtas
ever since King Luís I went for a dip in
1870. Its trio of golden bays attracts sun-worshipping holidaymakers, who come to splash
in the ice-cold Atlantic. Don't expect to get much sand to yourself at the weekend, though.
There's plenty of post-beach life, with winding lanes leading to small museums, cool
gardens, a shiny marina and a pedestrianised old town dotted with designer boutiques and
alfresco fish restaurants. After dark, lively bars fuel the party. There's also great surfing at
Praia do Guincho, 9km northwest, and running or cycling along the shoreline path.
