"Only there for the VTmeet........." a Cascais Travel Page by leics

Would I have ever visited Cascais if it were not the base for the 2009 European VTmeet?

Most probably not.

I'm not a beach-holiday/resort type of person at the best of times. Cascais is both of those things, but I'd have wanted to explore the history (and not just that of the 18th and 19th centuries). So if I'd first visited Portugal for any other reason I'd probably have based myself in Lisbon.

But Cascais is really a very tolerable seaside resort. It likes to present itself as a 'fishing village'.....but it is most certainly o longer a village, imo. there are restauarants, hotels, shops and bars galore....as well as plenty of upmarket (and other) shops, and a rather swish shopping centre.

There are tiny inklings of its past still visible....but only tiny inklings. Cascais was 'the' place for the Portuguse beach holidays of the wealthy and well-to-do (and some of the European aristocracy too) so there are plenty of mansions dotted around and some rather lovely Art Nouveau twiddles around the main harbour area. But such people do not want to see the workers at work, and all that may have once existed of the the small 'fishing village' seems to be long gone.

I did enjoy wandering around Cascais ........possibly because the weather was superb. There are lots of narrow streets to explore (some pedestrianised, but the traffic was pretty reasonable anyway), lots of lovely flowers, lots of interesting buildings-with-tiles........

Some nice green parks too, at the 'top' of the town. With swans, and ducks,and even terrapins.......

And some 'local' restaurants tucked away at the top of what came to be kown as 'Police Street', simply because it housed the police station and was always full of parked police cars. Nothing fancy at all, but there were ordinary folk eating, prices were lower (by around 20%) and the food was fine ........although I was too exhausted to really appreciate it on my first night, having slept only 2 hours the night before because of a ridiculously early flight).

What surprised me?

The size of the place really.and its very obvious poularity with Lisbon-dwellers. Lovely weather whilst we were there, so they poured off the trains from about 4pm every evening, just to enjoy the sea and sand...

Being approached almost immediately on arrival by people begging. Expected it in Lisbon, didn't expect it in a seaside village. Though, from a beggars point of view, somweher which attracts people with money is a worthwhile venue........

Same goes for the several 'homeless' people who seemed to permanent fixtures, all young. Sad. Even sadder was seeing a ?Portuguese? mother showing a photo of her late-teen ?son? to railway cafe staff etc.....she had obviously lost him, and I really felt for her.

So, there's a downside to Cascais....... there's a downside to everywhere. of course.

But it felt like a safe place to walk around, as a single female, has some busy and buzzy restaurants/bars/cafes/pubs and some really lovely views.

So, if you are into beach resort holidays, I think Cascais would fit the bill very nicely indeed.