Overview
North of the River Tagus is the Costa do Estoril, also referred to
as the Lisbon Coast, which begins 15 kilometres west of Lisbon at
Carcavelos and stretches as far as the well known Guincho beach near
Cascais, a favourite haunt of surfers due to its Atlantic swell.
With
its Mediterranean microclimate, the Estoril Coast enjoys mild winters
and ideal summer temperatures. Some of the best beaches lie between
Estoril and Cascais, famed for their calm waters and fine sand, making
them an ideal venue for families, plus they offer modern facilities
including changing rooms, beach tents, shades, restaurants and bars.
The beaches have a different character with something to appeal to all
tastes. For example, Carcavelos boasts a wide, long beach very popular
with surfers and Parede is small with a high iodine content in the
water, of great therapeutic value for those with bone disorders (two of
Europe’s best orthopaedic hospitals are located here).
Cascais
has been famous throughout Portuguese history as a haunt of kings,
including many in exile and its appeal is a mix of cosmopolitan and
traditional, with, inevitably in this area, great beaches, fabulous
scenery and historical places of interest, including the 16th Century
Fort of Cascais, or Citadel, which was one of a line of fortresses
along the Tagus estuary designed to protect Lisbon from invaders.
Estoril
is home to the largest casino in Europe, plus Portugal’s biggest craft
fair, which is held behind the casino in July and August, offering a
range of products made of wool, linen, wicker, plus ceramics and tiles.
The fair is very popular with visitors who come to buy and watch the
folk dancing and enjoy a range of traditional Portuguese cuisine.
This
area offers so much for investors as it is one of the regions of
Portugal opening up to those who want something different to the
Algarve and is rapidly gaining popularity with foreign buyers, quick to
see its potential for their portfolio. The appeal is very easy to
understand as it is regarded by the Portuguese as their ‘Riviera’, due
in part to its proximity to the elegant city of Lisbon, which adds an
air of sophistication to the mix, plus an immense cultural heritage,
fantastic scenery, a wealth of interesting places to visit, including
seven golf courses and fabulous cuisine. This is a good time to buy in
the area as the budget will stretch a bit further than the Algarve but
as with any up and coming location, that situation won’t last forever.
