If you have time, there are a number of day trips worth pursuing.The coastal road linking Lisbon and Cascais, 20 miles west, is dotted with resorts. Before the First World War, smart Lisboeteas went to Estoril, as the neo-Baroque luxury hotels along the front bear witness. Estoril’s glory has somewhat faded, but it has a pleasant climate, sandy beaches, a casino and a long-established golf course. Just further to the west is the fishing village of Cascais. It was here, at the end of the 19th century, that the royal court used to decamp for the summer. Set in a lovely bay, it too has now been somewhat overtaken by tourism, though there are still fishing boats drawn up on the beach and some of its charm remains. Sintra is a city located just about 30-40 minutes away from Lisbon. It’s surrounded by mountains and beaches and with a lot of forest. It’s an old Moorish city and there’s a lot to see. For details of train journeys to any of these day trips, go to the Portuguese Railways web-site, www.cp.pt
