Cascais is 30 km far from Lisbon, near Cabo da Roca, the Europe's most westerly point. The town forms part of the zone known as the Estoril Coast, of which the centre has for many years been considered to be Estoril, the ex libris of the entire stretch of coastline

This charming little town is linked to capital by a motorway and by an electric train which runs along the coast from the centre of Lisbon. Those travelling from Lisbon to Estoril will be delighted whit the views of the coastline. Further along the coastline are the beaches in a continuous line from the Tagus estuary

Owing to a Mediterranean type microclimate, the Estoril Coast has mild winters and an ideal summer temperature which never gets too hot.

It had inhabitants since the most remote antiquity, according to several archeological, remains which were found there. Proof of this are the artefacts which have been unearthed in the made-man caves at Alapraia near São João do Estoril.

Apart from the presence of paleolithical men and the Roman presence since the first century of our era, the area was successively inhabited by Visigodes and Arabic people.

In 1153 was conquered from Moorish by Dom Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal. At the time it was only a small agglomerated of irrelevant importance, mentioned in the chart of Sintra dated from 1159. Whit Dom Pedro I, it was separated from Sintra and in 1364 it has constitution as a Township. In 1370 it was a town-council. To D. Manuel's chart attributed in 1514, were conceded some privileges, more exactly the tributes intention which has increased its habitants inhabitants.

The name of Cascais comes from cascal whish means casques or smell pebbles.

In the middle-aged it was village of fish mongers.

Whit the evolution maritime commerce starting from the 14 century, has started to develop itself not only as a fishing harbour but also as a point of connection whit the Iberical Peninsula and Europe.

Cascais has always been the gateway to Lisbon - the place where the Venetian galleys, and all the other visiting vessels, prepared to pass the bar before anchoring in the quieter waters before the capital. It was here, too, that those ships of Prince Henry the Navigator - cast anchor, or passed by

But Cascais has always been also - apart from a fishing centre - a fortress defending Lisbon. The little town has seen many battles, has seen many hostile or friendly fleets entering the Tagus. After the Restoration of Portuguese independence from Spanish rule, in 1640, it has been built many fortresses along the coast. Today yet is a fishing harbour. The town was grow but stay link to the sea.

In 1870 after a decision of the Royal Family, the Court started to spend the Summer periods in Cascais, which was a motive for the village little by little has transformed itself in a Summer resort of Aristocracy and Citizenship. The monarchs such as D. Luis and D. Carlos loved spending the hot season there. At the turn of the century Cascais became a must and ever since a certain prestige clings to its name. Whit the advent of the Republic in 1910, Cascais continued to be favourite summer resort of the Lisbon upper class.

All the great names of European royalty sought refuge on Portugal's neutral soil during the Second World War.

From crowed heads of Europe chose Cascais as their residence in exile. These included the Count of Barcelona, the father of the king of Spain; King Umberto of Italy, King Carol or Romania and Admiral Horthy who for more than twenty years had been Regent of Hungary.

But they were not the only ones to chose Estoril - spies also made it their home. Lisbon was an obligatory stopover for whever travelled through a Europe in turnsoiland became a natural operations centre for the Nazis and for the Allies.

Cascais is actually a cosmopolitan village in the outskirts of Lisbon.

The earthquake of 1755, however, paralysed for a long time any urban development, and serious building did not begin until the end of the last century, when new villas began to spring up along the stretch of road leading from Guincho to Monte Estoril and São João do Estoril.

Real urban development only started during the second quarter of the present century.