There is nothing I like to do more than sitting around, staring at a body of water, reading something girlie, and eating the beach equivalent of street food.
It was just natural then, that after dedicating 3 days to exploring Lisbon, I would need to find a way to make this happen. After asking around at the hostel, I decided to venture out and find Praia de Rainha, Beach of the Queen, right in the heart of Cascais (pronounced cash-caysh).
View of Cascais
Cascais, about 30 kms away from downtown Lisbon, has an old-town feel, and is probably the easiest beach to get to from Lisbon. Just hop on the train at Cais de Sodre Train and Metro Station, and enjoy a scenic, coastal ride that will drop you off 10 minutes from the beach. Perfect!
Note: if you want to make two beach stops that day, you can also hop off the train at Estoril, one or two stops before Cascais on the Cais de Sodre line. The ride is about 45 minutes minutes to Cascais, and costs 2 euros and 30 cents.
Cascais is popular with the locals, and is known the be packed on the weekend. On a Monday, however, it had a good crowd, but nothing that would deprive me of my personal space. The 10 euros paid for a beach chair proved good value: the Atlantic was FREEZING, and I spent the entire day reading aloud from “He’s Just Not That Into You” under the large yellow umbrella instead. The weather was perfect: 26 degrees, hot and sunny, without a cloud in the sky.
Praia de Rainha – Beach of the Queen
Between the pier and the beach, you pass through a great old town lined with bars, cafes and restaurants. Although very touristy, everything looked amazing, and I had secret plans of a giant feast after my beach day. Around 3pm however, I was starving, and succumbed to good old fast food giant McDonalds to tie me over. Withhold your judgments please: there is NOTHING more satisfying that sitting crossed legged on a beach chair, crouched over a brown paper bag, stuffing a bacon cheeseburger in your face, dressed in a bikini and large floppy beach hat. Let me tell you what!
After a few more lazy hours under a slowly setting sun, it was finally time for the feast I had fantasized about earlier. After looking at a dozen almost identical menus, I finally decided on a menu that had a nice patio, and oysters at 1 euro 50 a piece. Cascais totally delivered! Oysters, Portuguese grilled chicken, soft cheese, olives, wine, grilled veggies, and a large bowl of fresh cherries for dessert. How could I ever leave this place?
Touristy Old Town Cascais has great architecture and is lined with awesome bars, cafes and restos
But it was time to leave, and I had to drag myself back to the station, a shadow image of the Beach Queen I had resembled earlier in the day. Sand in my curling hair, floppy hat crumbled in my bag, a beach sarong wrapped over my shoulders, and the round mound of a too-full belly showing through my tank top was what everyone else saw as I sat on the train; a woman reading a sad book for single women.
Again, withhold your judgements please!
Ten years ago I set a goal to visit 30 countries by my 30th birthday. With no plan or country list to fulfill this goal, I decided to let life take me where it wished.
“See Simi Travel Blog | Adventures of a travel snob“, is just that. The account of an ex-20-something year old exploring the world, usually solo, and on a very limited budget.
Every other week I try to tell you a story about the friends, food, fun and fails I’ve had along the way.
