(Re)visited Cascais today.
Back in 2017, a trip to Cascais was the last thing we did - we had a Sunday available to us, and it was the easiest out-of-town trip to make. We discovered the historic fort and spent quite some time exploring it before heading to Boca do Inferno, and then returning back for a meal, before heading home.
This time we mostly retraced our steps, but with two major differences. First, the fort was no longer accessible - it was closed, and it does not seem like one can visit it anymore. Which is a a bummer - that fort is the coolest thing about Cascais. Second, Boca do Infreno - the rocky beach just up the street from the fort, with a natural arch and a lagoon where huge waves hit - is only accessible from an overlook. In 2017, we walked the rocks around it, now - there is a lookout point and that's it.
We got out of the house around 8:30, went to Intendente Metro station, took the train to Cais do Sodre, and got into the 9:00 train just in time. Had to stand for the first 15 minutes of the trip or so, but a few stations past Belem enough people left that there were seats for all of us. We got to Cascais just before 10am - apparently too early, as all businesses were just opening their doors. Did a sneak peak of the Praia da Raihna - which is right off the train station, but is kind of secluded (in that it cannot be seen from the marina area of Cascais). After that went down the commercial street (with most stores closed), and after a bit of back and forth, found an open pasteleria where had coffee.
Following that, we went towards the fort, discovered it closed, spent some time on top, in the "arts district" (only one store was open), after which went towards Boca do Inferno. On our way their, did our tourism, and toured (3 euro apiece) Casa de Santa Maria - a private home built at the end of the 19th century overlooking the ocean (now filled by the Cascais Marina, but originally - just the ocean), and located near Cascais's first lighthouse, Farol da Stanta Maria.
Olga, Tanya and I spent some time exploring the Casa da Santa Maria. The house is empty, so all that is exhibited are the rooms. However, most of the rooms have either tiles or some sorts of frescos on the walls and the ceiling, so there is something to look at. Pretty rich house for the era, interestingly planned and executed.
After Casa do Santa Maria, we stopped at the lighthouse. We could access a small exhibition of the various light implements used over time in the lighthouse, watched a movie about Portuguese lighthouses, and accessed the small landing on which the lighthouse is situated. Unfortunately, the lighthouse itself is open only one hour a day during the weekends, and is closed on Saturdays, so we could not go up to the top (I start thinking that Portugal just does not want to open its lighthouses to tourists).
From there we walked to Boca do Inferno. At the site itself, there is a small souvenir market where Olga and Tanya spent some time, and a couple of cafes - one of which (finally) had the red sangria on tap. I got a glass first, then Olga, Tanya, and Yuri joined and we all had a drink. After a bit of relaxation, we went to the Boca do Inferno outlook, took some pictures, and went back into town.
One the way to the historic center of Cascais, we detoured around the Cascais Marina - which is a bunch of restaurants and posh shops. The restaurants were a bit overpriced for our taste, so we went back to the historic part of town, where we found the same restaurant-filled square we dined at in 2017. On that square we chose as different restaurant called Flamingo. There, we got some appetizers and an octopus salad, which Flamingo makes with green and red peppers (almost like octopus pico de gallo, really good and fresh), and some seafood. Olga had a monkfish kebob. I found a fish on the menu I've not seen before - espada, or scabbard fish. Ordered it. It was good. The fish itself indeed is pretty straight, looks like a scabbard. I got two pieces, which together look like they form the entirety of the edible part of the fish (sans the tail and the head). Not too boney - only the spine and the bones around the edge. Chased it all with two liters of white sangria - fizzy, with mint, refreshing.
After that, walked back to the train station, took the train to Cais do Sodre, went into the Metro, got to Intendente, walked to Lidl, bought some food, returned home.
At that point I crashed for the day. Olga and Tatiana went out for a walk and some shopping, came back around 9pm.
Steps: phone says 16,236 steps, watch concurs with about 15,900.
Alcohol: got to taste the red sangria on tap (Limao?) for the first time this year. It's a bit sweet but really nice. The white sangria at Flamingo was also really refreshing (mint, lemon, strawberry, fizzy).
U-Pick. Casa de Santa Maria had some grapes hanging on the balconies, but they are in horrible shape and did not taste good.
Next. LX Factory.
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