City Guide

Cascais — Lisbon's Sailing Gateway

Cascais sits at the mouth of the Tagus estuary, where the Atlantic meets the approaches to Lisbon. For centuries it was a fishing village; today it’s one of the best-equipped marina stops on the entire Portuguese coast.

The Marina

Cascais Marina is consistently rated among Europe’s top facilities:

  • Capacity: 650 berths, including catamaran-width berths
  • Max LOA: 36 metres
  • Services: Fuel, water, electricity (16A/32A), WiFi, pump-out
  • Facilities: Showers, laundry, chandlery, restaurants
  • VHF: Channel 9

Important for catamarans: Call ahead to confirm a wide berth. Standard berths are often too narrow for a beam of 7+ metres.

Getting to Lisbon

The Cascais–Lisbon train line runs every 20 minutes and takes about 33 minutes to Cais do Sodré station in central Lisbon. Cost: approximately €2.30 each way. From Cais do Sodré, it’s an easy walk to the Alfama, Baixa, and the waterfront.

Provisioning

  • Supermarket: Pingo Doce, 10 minutes walk
  • Market: Mercado da Vila, Wednesdays and Saturdays
  • Chandlery: Cascais Marine, in the marina complex

What to See

  • Boca do Inferno — dramatic cliff formation, 20-minute walk west
  • Cidadela de Cascais — 16th-century fortress, now a luxury hotel with public areas
  • Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães — small palace museum overlooking the bay
  • Guincho Beach — world-class surfing, 15 minutes by bus

Weather Notes

The Nortada (Portuguese Trades) blows strongest between Cascais and Cabo da Roca — 15 to 25 knots most summer afternoons. Plan arrivals for the morning when conditions are typically calmer.

Costs (2026)

ItemPrice
Berth (14m cat, July–Sept)~€65/night
Fuel (diesel)~€1.45/L
Laundry load~€8
Train to Lisbon€2.30 one-way