Caiscais

When looking for the coastal town of Caiscais in Portugal look no further than 30km west of Lisbon. Not only is Caiscais one of the richest municipalities in the country, it’s been a resort destination for Portugal’s royal family since the 19th century. That sure is a long way from the 12th century fishing village it once was.

Many sun lovers come to Caiscais’s 15km of beaches and its mild climate. Folks also come for the surfing, sailing, kite surfing, and to see the annual Euro Championship of Windsurfing. And with average winter temperatures in the 60’s, you can pretty much enjoy the beaches all year round—but, summer is when the jet set crowd come to dock their yachts in Caiscais’ harbor.

As much as thousands of visitors flock to the pristine beaches of Caiscais, it’s also quite a historical city. You’ll find 19th century villas among Roman ruins, and old churches like the Chapel of Our Lady of Nazareth.

Museum goers will appreciate the Santa Marta Lighthouse Museum (romantic!) and the Palace of the Condes de Castro Guimarães.

When shopping’s your sport of choice, Caiscais has a twice weekly market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. You’ll find everything from the sweetest of fruits to the healthiest of veggies, as well as flowers and handicrafts.

Every summer Caiscais hosts a handicraft fair—perfect for buying souvenir gifts for all your loved ones back home. In early August there’s the Festival of the Sea. There might not be all kinds of shopping, but there’s certainly lots of revelry and great food.

As if all the shopping, swimming, and sightseeing isn’t enough, Caiscais has even more to do. It’s your choice if you want to party the night away at one of the town’s discos & bars, or to take quiet bicycle rides through the countryside.

Not that really matters how you see Portugal’s Caiscais—just as long as you do. All those royal folks can’t be wrong, can they?