Travels in the 2nd half

  If you are visiting Lisbon, and you have a day with beautiful beach weather, I recommend getting our of the city and visiting the town of Cascais . Cascais has a long history as a seaside fishing town. It has been providing seafood to Sintra and Lisbon since the 12th century. In 1870 King Luis I made the decision to summer at the sea shore, and Cascais quickly became “the destination” for Lisbon’s elite. Today, tourists and the Portuguese alike flock to the town, which sits west of the mouth of the Tagus River. The easiest way to get to Cascais is by train from the Cais do Sodré station in Lisbon. The trip takes you along the banks of the Tagus, with beautiful views along the way. The Cascais station is a short walk from the three beaches in town.  From the station you can take a walk through the historic center of Cascais. Here you will find stores and restaurants that cater to both day-trippers and longer-term visitors. I stopped at Sacolinha , a wonderful cafe and pastry ...

  Lisbon is the capital of Portugal, and has been for hundreds of yers. But even its royalty needed somewhere to escape to during its hot summers. That place was the mountain town of Sintra. Sintra City Hall The town of Sintra has been tied to Lisbon since Roman times, but it was the Moors, in the 8th century CE, who first built a castle to protect their claim to the land. After the Moors were expelled from Portugal in the 12th century, the area’s fertile ground drew many of Lisbon’s Catholic brotherhoods to open monasteries around Sintra to help grow food for their city brethren. While the rich and royal of Lisbon maintained castles and mansions, it was after the earthquake of 1755 that Sintra really began to grow, as they looked for safer places to live. Catching the train at Rossi Terminal The easiest way to visit Sintra from Lisbon is to take a train from either the Rossio or Oriente terminals. Both trains are local, making many stops, and used by people getting to work or scho...