Estoril, Portugal: Is It Worth Visiting?

Estoril is an upmarket resort town on the coast just west of Lisbon, part of the Cascais municipality and the stretch known as the Portuguese Riviera. It is worth a half-day for its casino, its calm Tamariz beach and a seafront walk to Cascais, but Cascais itself is the better base. The two sit one train stop apart, so the easy plan is to stay in Cascais and drop into Estoril on the way.

Estoril built its name in the 1920s and 1930s as a glamorous seaside resort modelled on the French Riviera, and later as a wartime refuge for exiled European royalty and the spies who watched them. Today it is quieter than its lively neighbour, but the casino, the gardens and the promenade still make a pleasant few hours. This guide answers the two questions people actually ask: is Estoril worth it, and should you choose Estoril or Cascais.

Estoril or Cascais: which should you visit?

Choose Cascais as your base and treat Estoril as the calmer neighbour you visit on the side. Cascais has the bigger old town, more beaches, more restaurants and the marina. Estoril is greener, more residential and more upmarket, arranged around its casino and central gardens. They are so close that you do not really have to pick, and our guide to things to do in Cascais covers the fuller town.

If you are weighing the whole coast against the palaces, our comparison of Sintra versus Cascais helps you plan the bigger day.

Is Estoril worth visiting? The honest verdict

Yes, for a half-day. Estoril suits travellers who want a calm beach, a flutter at the casino, a genteel garden stroll and a scenic coastal walk, all reached in well under an hour from Lisbon. It works well for families, for older visitors who want an easy pace, and for anyone splitting a day between the coast and Sintra.

It is less of a fit if you want a buzzing town with lots of bars, sights and dinner options. That is Cascais, a few minutes further along the line. Estoril is a place to relax rather than a place to fill a packed itinerary, and setting your expectations that way is the difference between a lovely afternoon and a flat one.

The best things to do in Estoril

Estoril’s sights cluster around the seafront and the central gardens, so you can see the lot on foot in an afternoon. Here are the ones worth your time.

Casino Estoril

Casino Estoril is the centrepiece of the town and one of the largest casinos in Europe. It opened in 1931 and anchors the gardens that run down to the sea. Entry is free and you do not have to gamble; there are restaurants, bars and regular shows alongside the gaming floors.

Praia do Tamariz and the seawater pool

Praia do Tamariz is Estoril’s main beach, a stretch of golden sand directly across from the casino gardens and the train station. The water is sheltered and calmer than the open Atlantic beaches, which makes it good for a swim. On the eastern side is the Piscina Oceanica do Tamariz, a saltwater ocean pool that stays warmer than the sea and is a favourite with families.

Walk the promenade to Cascais

The Passeio Maritimo, or paredao, is a flat seafront promenade that links Estoril to Cascais. It is about three kilometres, roughly a 30 to 40 minute walk, with the ocean on one side the whole way. It is the best free thing to do in Estoril and the nicest way to travel between the two towns.

Parque do Estoril

The Parque do Estoril, or Jardim do Estoril, is the landscaped garden that runs from the casino down toward the seafront. Palms, fountains and flowerbeds make it the green heart of the town, and it is a pleasant, shaded spot to sit between the beach and the casino.

Estoril’s James Bond and wartime spy history

Estoril has a genuine claim on James Bond. In May 1941 the British naval intelligence officer Ian Fleming checked into the Hotel Palacio in Estoril. Portugal was neutral, so the town filled with exiled royalty, refugees and intelligence agents from both sides, watching each other across the casino tables.

Exiled monarchs settled here too, among them Umberto II of Italy, which is part of why the town kept its grand, slightly formal air long after the war ended.

Sport: the Estoril Open and the old racing circuit

Estoril has two sporting claims. The Estoril Open is an ATP 250 clay-court tennis tournament, revived in 2015 and played each spring at the Clube de Tenis do Estoril. And the Autodromo do Estoril, the racing circuit just inland, hosted the Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix from 1984 to 1996. It no longer holds an F1 race, but it still runs motorcycle and touring-car events.

How to get to Estoril from Lisbon

Take the Cascais line train from Cais do Sodre station in central Lisbon. Estoril is about 30 to 40 minutes down the coast, with trains running roughly every 20 minutes and a single fare of a little over 2 euros. Get off at Estoril station, which sits directly across from Tamariz beach and the casino gardens; the stop before it, Monte Estoril, works too.

• From: Cais do Sodre station, central Lisbon
• Journey: about 30 to 40 minutes
• Frequency: roughly every 20 minutes
• Fare: a little over 2 euros each way, on a reloadable Navegante card

See Estoril the easy way, on a Sintra and Cascais day

Estoril sits right on the road between Lisbon, Sintra and Cascais, which makes it a natural stop on a coastal day trip. Our private Sintra and Cascais day pairs a guided morning at Pena Palace with an afternoon on the coast, so you can take in the Estoril seafront and Cascais without working out train times or connections. For the full coastal itinerary, see our guide to Sintra and Cascais in one day.

Frequently Asked Questions

A grand half-day on the Riviera

Estoril rewards a relaxed few hours: the casino and its history, a swim at Tamariz, and the promenade walk into Cascais for the evening. Base yourself in Cascais, come to Estoril for the calm and the past, and you get the best of both towns. To see the coast without the train timetables, join Francisco on our private Sintra and Cascais day and let the driving be handled.