Estoril

From golf to pasta, brunch to nail polish, furniture to sushi, discover what you really can't miss in Estoril.

Strategically located on the so-called ‘Cascais Line’, Estoril has imposing Victorian buildings, leafy promenades, beautiful beaches, an ‘inland lifestyle’ and less than 30,000 inhabitants.

Despite its tiny size, Estoril has five beaches: Tamariz, São Pedro do Estoril, Azarujinha, Praia das Moitas and Poças.

Estoril beach is one of the most famous beaches on the Cascais coastline and is located in the most popular part of Estoril. Next to the Avenida Marginal and the railway station, it is very busy, which often makes it difficult to find a place to lay down your towel. Right next door is the ocean pool, built in 1953. The enchanting ocean pool invites you to take a (very cool!) dip.

The location is strategic: just over 20 kilometres from the centre of Lisbon, next to Cascais and easily accessible by car or train.

The train is right on your doorstep - just one station along the seafront between Estoril and Cascais: Monte Estoril.

Here is the only Banyan Tree spa in Portugal, voted the third best in Europe in this year's Condé Nast Traveler magazine ranking, with treatments based on ancient techniques.

It's also home to one of Europe's most famous casinos, and Portugal's most famous casino - even if you're not a gambling fan, Casino Estoril is home to a variety of concerts and shows, as well as one of Portugal's best Chinese restaurants, Estoril Mandarin.

Visit the set of F007 - On Her Majesty's Secret Service, the sixth film in the James Bond saga, which was predominantly filmed in Portugal by Peter R. Hunt in 1968. A BBC documentary, for example, even argues that he may have been born in Estoril. The cast lived at the Hotel Palácio Estoril throughout 1968, and the hotel became a unique setting for the film.

For lovers of shopping and decorating, we recommend a curious paradise curated by Gracinha Viterbo. Part of the space's charm lies in the number of small rooms. As you walk through them, you realise that they form a kind of wonderland, where you can find anything and everything, but always pieces that you can't find around the corner. Furniture, cushions, lamps, paintings, rugs - everything has colour. In the middle of this Cabinet of Curiosities, there's also fashion and flowers, in a puzzle that fits together perfectly.

For the sweet tooth, here are our suggestions, such as the Gleba Bakery, which sells 26 types of slow-fermented and natural bread, made with cereals bought from small farmers. They're all good, but the most popular are the Alentejo wheat bread, the barbela wheat bread and the corn bread. There are also panettoni - the classic and the monthly special - and broas castelares, for those who can't do without a sweet treat. As well as bread, you can also buy the brand's flours, milled daily in stone mills, granolas and its dried fruit creams (pistachio, hazelnut, hazelnut and cocoa, and coconut and almonds). Pastelaria Garrett's sweets have also been a hit for almost 100 years. Scones, parras, jesuits, muffins, palmiers, pratas, pastéis de nata (custard tarts), croissants and puff pastries with dulce de leche (egg custard) that are called what they are - marvellous. We could go on all day listing the specialities of this house founded in 1934, but the best thing is to stop by and dive into this sweet sea of sugar.

To savour Portuguese cuisine, we recommend the Jackpot restaurant, which is a classic among Estorilenses. Jackpot has a terrace for hot days and is located opposite the Casino. The speciality here is seafood, but there is a wide variety of meat dishes, such as Jackpot-style steaks or chateaubriand for two, to accompany a good spareribs and freshly fried potatoes. To top it all off, there are traditional desserts, from rice pudding to chocolate mousse. The best bit? The kitchen only closes at 00.00, for late dinners after a few bets at the Estoril Casino.

Although Portugal has been voted the fourth best gastronomy in the world, according to the vote on the international website TasteAtlas, we also recommend trying the Lamassa restaurant: What's so special about it? an Italian restaurant in Estoril like the Italian restaurants that only exist in films

The menu is simple but effective. On the short list, tagliatelle carbonara or bolognese, paccheri alla genovese, and salmon, spinach and ricotta or cod ravioli. And, to round off the meal, the unmissable tiramisu and lime and basil pannacotta.

For those who prefer nightlife, the Tamariz Summer Club, open during the summer months, is a three-in-one: restaurant, lounge and nightclub. At the bar you'll find classic and signature cocktails and cool drinks to keep your feet in the sand. In the restaurant, from which you can enjoy a superb view of the beach (with the added bonus of not being in the middle of the hustle and bustle), there is sushi and other Japanese delicacies, such as gyosas and sashimi, as well as fresh seafood, bowls and pizzas. The nightclub, which night owls look forward to all year round, has not yet announced its return for 2024.

FIARTIL IS the space that hosts the Estoril Craft Fair every summer, but also hosts many other events throughout the year, including the popular Stylista markets or the more recent but lively Bossa Market, as well as Chefs on Fire.