The history of the village of Cascais is linked to the history of Europe, many royal families and other Portuguese families.A really beautiful place for holidays. Cascais. Always linked to some of the great landmarks of the Portugal's history, thanks to the proximity of Lisbon and the strategic point it occupies on the map, to the West. From early on linked to the Portuguese Royal Family, especially when it was chosen as a summer resort in the 19th century, it has always been a village of great historical interest, fruit of the cultural heritage from those who lived here. As such, you have to turn some leisure days into cultural lessons about Cascais.
To understand what we are talking about, there is nothing better than to start a visit to the Bairro dos Museus (Museum District), a project created by the city hall and Fundação D. Luís, with a geographical perimeter encompassing most of the buildings, museums and palaces of the village. The Casa das Histórias Paula Rego, opened since 2009 in honor of one of the great names of Portuguese painting, makes a journey through 620 works of the artist, which are exposed in permanent and temporary exhibitions; the Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães, a beautiful house from the end of the 19th century, built in a cove of transparent waters, which was bequeathed with all its spoil to the village of Cascais by its last owner, Manuel Inácio de Castro Guimarães; and, two steps away from there, the Casa de Santa Maria, also built around the same time, but in the beginning of the 20th century, thanks to Jorge O'Neill, and was a private residence for decades, being now open to those who want to visit it.