We stayed in such a breathtaking rental apartment when we were in Cascais, Portugal that I have to share to with you. Here’s a peek at our apartment in Cascais, Portugal…
The apartment is located in a beautiful historic building within walking distance to restaurants, shops, and attractions. It is beachfront and it has the most ridiculous views!
Let me show you around the house. First of all…
Two years ago we had our last family vacation before the pandemic had us shelter in our homes. It was the most amazing trip to Portugal. We began our trip in one of my favorite towns…Cascais. Cascais, Portugal, is a pristine beach town located 30 minutes from Lisbon. The town’s main focus is…of course…its beaches. If you follow the crowd, most likely they will be headed towards the water. The locals are pleasant and want to share their town with you, so take some time to people watch, eat some local fish, and enjoy this stunning coastal town. So now…onto my favorite things to do in Cascais, Portugal.
A beautiful 20-minute walk from the center of town are the cliffs of Boca do Inferno (Mouth of Hell).  Stare in awe at the aggressive beauty of the ocean against these cliffs. On calmer days you will see men fishing from the rocks. It is fun to see them professionally avoiding the huge waves.  There is a visitor’s platform and they say the best time to visit is at sunset. I think it would be amazing to watch it when the ocean is rough. There are a few café’s there, and it’s a great place to get a gelato.
We continue to believe that in the future the borders will be open, airplanes will cross oceans, people will fill restaurants, and we will all get out our passports.
As for now, take a peek at these pictures to inspire your next big adventure!
We stayed in such a beautiful rental apartment when we were in Cascais, Portugal that I have to share to with you. Here’s a peek at it…
The nearest airport to Cascais is Lisbon (LIS) Airport which is about 20 miles away.
(You can take a cab right from the airport.)
CLICK HERE TO FIND AN AMAZING FLIGHT
The apartment is located in a beautiful historic building within walking distance to restaurants, shops, and attractions. It is beachfront and it has the most ridiculous views!
Let me show you around the house. First of all…
The apartment has a huge terrace with plenty of spots to relax,
Photo credit: Airbnb
And dine.
Photo credit: Airbnb
It was the perfect place to have my morning coffee,
And it was especially beautiful in the evening.
Photo credit: Airbnb
The living room has a sea view
Photo credit: Airbnb
and plenty of room for lounging around.
Photo credit: Airbnb
And a dining room
Photo credit: Airbnb
The master bedroom has a sea view, as well as access to the terrace.
Photo credit: Airbnb
There are 3 other bedrooms, and two of them have a loft with double beds and a single bed underneath. My girls loved these rooms because they slept upstairs
 and used the bottom bed to hang out on.
The kitchen was fully-equipped
and there were three bathrooms with showers.
We had such a lovely stay and our host, Maria, was welcoming and answered all of our questions promptly. It was the perfect place to stay in Cascais!
There are so many amazing restaurants within walking distance that use local ingredients. I always choose restaurants that serve traditional food and I like to find places locals eat.
 Here are 4 of my favorite spots:
Sintra Full Day Small-Group Tour: Let the Fairy Tale Begin
Sea Kayaking in Cascais Bay, Lisbon – Private Group
Cascais Romantic Private 2h Cruise with sparkling wine
Fishing ticket in Cascais Coast
Sintra and Cascais From Lisbon 7 Hour Electric Bike Tour
Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at NO cost to you. Thank you for your support!Â
Cascais, Portugal, is a pristine beach town located 30 minutes from Lisbon. The town’s main focus is…of course…its beaches. If you follow the crowd, most likely they will be headed towards the water. The locals are pleasant and want to share their town with you, so take some time to people watch, eat some local fish, and enjoy this stunning coastal town.
The nearest airport to Cascais is Lisbon (LIS) Airport which is about 20 miles away.
(You can take a cab right from the airport.)
CLICK HERE TO FIND AN AMAZING FLIGHT
A beautiful 20-minute walk from the town are the cliffs of Boca do Inferno (Mouth of Hell).  Stare in awe at the aggressive beauty of the ocean against these cliffs. On calmer days you will see men fishing from the rocks. It is fun to see them avoiding the huge waves with stealth.  There is a visitor’s platform and they say the best time to visit is at sunset. I think it would be amazing to visit when the ocean is rough. There are a few café’s there, and it’s a great place to get a gelato.
(Very fitting…the name means Beach of the Queen) As you sit back on this beach you are surrounded by high stone cliffs on 3 sides, and you will feel transported into another time period. This is one of the smaller beaches in Cascais but it is quaint, safe, and great for families since kids will love climbing on the rocks.  There is a beach bar, which is perfect for an afternoon beer (for the grownups) or Sumol (a pineapple/orange soda for the kids). Above the beach are several small cafes that serve everything from pastries and expresso in the morning to fish dishes starting at lunch.
One of my favorite things to do in Cascais is just wandering around and experiencing the culture. Take your time and sit in a café in late afternoon or stroll through the cobblestone streets and do a little shopping. The historic architecture of the town is amazing to look at. Kids will enjoy searching for the many murals around town. Try watching a sunset on a beach one evening.
 I never felt unsafe walking around town, even at night.
This charming park is a great place to go when you need some relief from the summer heat. There is a nice playground and it was neat seeing my girls playing with local children even though they don’t speak a word of Portuguese. There are cafes and ice cream shops and it is the perfect place for a picnic. My girls loved that there were peacocks, ducks, hens, and roosters roaming the park. You can hear the call of the peacocks throughout your walk. The park is well-maintained and there are plenty of clean restrooms. It is free to get in!
Open: April 1- October 31, daily. 8:30 am -8:00 pm
November 1- March 31, daily 8:30 am- 6:00 pm
This beautiful museum is located at the edge of the Parque Marechal Carmona, which is a 10-minute walk from the center of town. It is a small, but lovely, museum that only takes about an hour to visit,  yet should not be missed. The gorgeous rooms are filled with historic furniture, Portuguese tiles, and enough swords and muskets to entertain your little ones. It is located on the water so there are amazing views from the rooms.
Open: From Tuesday-Sunday from 10:00-1:00 and again from 2:00-5:00
Cost: Adults cost 3 €, Children under the age of 11 and seniors are free!
Plan to visit this museum while visiting the park or before a trip to the beach.Â
Every Wednesday and Saturday the town holds a market. As you walk around, you’ll hear locals haggling to get the best prices and the freshest food. The market sells everything you could imagine including cheese, bread, pastries, fish, fruit, vegetables, meat, and flowers. My favorite area were the fish stalls. There were local fish I’d never seen and I wanted to bring most of them home to grill up. It is a neat experience for kids to see the people producing the items and how proud they are of what they are selling.
Walking along the waterfront towards Estoril is a beautiful way to spend a few hours. The fresh sea air is so refreshing and the waves will often crash up onto the pathway. Many people jog and bike along this path and you’ll see many people walking their dogs. Throughout the way you’ll pass several seaside café’s and restaurants. If you walk there around lunch time, it’s the perfect place to have petiscos (small traditional plates you share) and a pitcher of sangria!
This beautiful beach is the perfect location because it is right in front of a ton of restaurants and stores. There is a volleyball net set up that’s very popular. In the morning and evenings, you’ll see people throwing a ball to their dogs, doing yoga, and having picnics.Â
There are endless options to satisfy your sweet tooth! One traditional pastry from Cascais are Areias, a small, dry, sweet cookie. If you’re looking for something cold, they sell delicious gelato on almost every street! I like to try flavors that we don’t have in the US.Â
There are so many amazing restaurants that use local ingredients. I always choose restaurants that serve traditional food and I like to find places locals eat.
 Here are 4 of my favorite spots:
Sintra Full Day Small-Group Tour: Let the Fairy Tale Begin
Sea Kayaking in Cascais Bay, Lisbon – Private Group
Cascais Romantic Private 2h Cruise with sparkling wine
Fishing ticket in Cascais Coast
Sintra and Cascais From Lisbon 7 Hour Electric Bike Tour
Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at NO cost to you. Thank you for your support!Â
Who doesn’t like to save money when possible? Traveling can be expensive, but with a bit of strategizing you can bring down the cost. Try these 15 tips on your next vacation and your wallet will thank you.
Today is my 20th wedding anniversary! What? That can’t be right…we must have been babies when we got married. It’s been amazing sharing these 20 years with my best friend and I can’t think of anyone better to grow old with. Throughout the years he’s given me the most unforgettable gifts of travel and we’ve created so many memories as a family. Here’s a peek at some of our travel memories throughout the last 2 decades!!
After a few long, whiny, nights full of crying and fussing…and that was me, not the kids…we started renting condos for vacations. Think a rental might be a good option for your family? Here are 10 reasons for a rental:
I don’t know about you, but the most important factor of our accommodations is my family has their own space to spread out. When we are in cramped areas we slowly turn into cornered animals that can turn on each other in a split second. It turns into a National Geographic documentary with my daughters stalking each other like prey. OK, OK…that may be pushing it…but it sure is nice to have some room. A house rental gives everyone their privacy and allows us all to choose our own schedule. My husband is a night owl so it’s great for when he wants to go in the living room to watch some TV after the kids go to bed, or allows my daughters to sleep in if I get up early.
The start of a new year is always a good time for reflection and I can’t help looking back at the amazing memories we’ve made together as a family throughout the years. I get lots of emails asking for recommendations of where people should vacation, so I thought since it’s 2020 I would share my top 20 places I’ve traveled to. I’ve also included some of the things we did while we were there. I’ve LOVED all these places (they’re in no particular order) and they would all make perfect destinations for family travel. For a full itinerary, take a peek at ITINERARIES in my main menu.
 Wishing you a year of happiness, health, and adventure!
Walked under a waterfall, rode Icelandic horses, hiked into the mountains to find a hidden hot spring, stood on top of icebergs, took a boat to see puffin, did the Golden Circle, went swimming in the Blue Lagoon.
Kissed the Blarney Stone, flew hawks in the woods of a castle, saw the Cliffs of Moher, Rock of Cashel, Jerpoint Abbey, Kilkenny Castle, explored Malahide, went to a medieval banquet in a castle, drank Guinness in Dublin.
Saw the best sunset of our lives, went swimming in the hot springs, Red Rock Beach, Kamari Beach, swam in Amoudi Bay, snorkeled off of White Beach, explored the gorgeous maze of streets.
Feel like getting away but don’t want the hassle of planning it? Let me help. Here are some itineraries for you so all you have to do is have fun. Keep checking back since more itineraries are constantly being added!
PS…All itineraries can be modified to who is traveling with you. (Family trips, couple’s getaways, solo travel, girls’ getaways, etc.)
Enjoy and SAFE TRAVELS!Â
A fabulous week in St. Martin/St. Maarten
A week itinerary in stunning Grand CaymanÂ
A 4-night Girls’ Trip to BermudaÂ
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An Adventurous Week in Iceland Â
An Unforgettable Week in Santorini, GreeceÂ
5 Fun Days in London, England Â
An Amazing Week Traveling Around IrelandÂ
A Romantic Weekend in Barcelona, Spain Â
Top 10 Things to do in Cascais, Portugal
A Perfect Family Vacation Week in Sarasota, FloridaÂ
Spend a Fabulous Day in Kennebunkport, Maine
Day 1 & Day 2 of an Art Lovers Weekend in Rockland, Maine
A Romantic Weekend in Napa, California
Theater Day in Boston with Teens
A “Not Scary” Weekend in Salem, MA
CLICK HERE TO FIND AN AMAZING FLIGHT
