Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TOP OF CHAPTER
Estoril
POP 24,000
With its swish hotels, turreted villas and glitzy casino, Estoril (shtoe-
reel
) once fancied
itself as the Portuguese Riviera. The rich and famous came here to frolic in the sea, stroll
palm-fringed landscaped gardens and fritter away their fortunes. Though it still has a
whiff of faded aristocracy, those heady days of grandeur have passed. Today, there isn't
much to Estoril aside from its beach and casino, and overnight guests may end up wishing
they'd stayed in livelier Cascais.
Estoril was where Ian Fleming hit on the idea for
Casino Royale,
as he stalked
Yugoslav double agent Dusko Popov at its casino. During WWII, the town heaved with
exiles and spies (including Graham Greene, another British intelligence man and author).
The bus and train stations are a stone's throw from the beach on Avenida Marginal, op-
posite the shady Jardim do Estoril. The casino is at the north end of the park.
Sights & Activities
Estoril's sandy Praia de Tamariz tends to be quieter than the bays in Cascais, and has
showers, cafes, beachside bars and a free ocean swimming pool, east of the train station.
Estoril has a world-famous golf scene, including the nationally acclaimed
Golf do Estoril
.
Estoril Casino
( 214 667 700;
www.casino-estoril.pt
;
Praça José Teodoro dos Santos; gaming/slot machine rooms €4/free;
3pm-3am)
The temple-like casino has everything from roulette to poker, blackjack and the
ubiquitous slot machines. Its cavernous main restaurant,
Preto e Prata
( 214 684 521; show €21,
dinner €35-44)
, stages a sparkly floor show nightly, and there's a first-rate Chinese restaurant
on the ground floor.
CASINO
Sleeping & Eating
Hotel Smart
( 214 682 164;
www.hotel-smart.net
; Rua Maestro Laçerda 6; d from €65; )
The affable
Bandarra family runs this 26-room guesthouse with pride - think manicured lawns, a
GUESTHOUSE
€€
