Coastal day trip near Lisbon, from Guincho to Azenhas do Mar

Ter | 29.08.23

Coastal day trip near Lisbon, from Guincho to Azenhas do Mar

The Lisbon countryside (also known as the “saloia” region) is a more or less grey area with undefined boundaries that extends outside the old walls of Lisbon and includes several municipalities. For centuries, it was the region which essentially supplied the Portuguese capital with agricultural products and it had its own culture, still very distinctive in the 20^th century – as shown, for example, in the famous film Aldeia da Roupa Branca directed by Chianca de Garcia. Heavily pressured by construction and now occupied with large dormitory towns, it has nevertheless been able to keep some protected areas, in addition to others where urban massification has been controlled, in a struggle that seems destined to fail. This group of “resistant” areas includes the coastline, where we can enjoy fresh air, beautiful strolls (although usually windy) and unforgettable sunsets.

When travelling from Lisbon, the weather often changes as soon as we turn Cape Raso – sometimes for the better, sometimes not. But sunny or not and windy or not, Guincho beach is always an attractive spot, even if only for a walk or a drink, watching the sea and the surfers’ moves. The beach is long and partially protected by dunes. To the north, Cape Roca the lush green beauty of the Sintra Mountains form the backdrop. In high summer season, between a couple of dips in the cold sea water, it’s part of the tradition to eat a “bola de Berlim”, its slightly salty dough contrasting with the sprinkled sugar layer that covers it.

In addition to the beach, where there’s always room for a towel (although sometimes there's nowhere to park your car...), it’s worth visiting the Cresmina Dune Interpretation Centre. On this dune ridge, with an area of 66 hectares and very unique characteristics, an exhibition/information centre and a wooden walkway have been created. The purpose of these facilities is to help understand and encourage the preservation of an area which has a delicate ecological balance and is very important in protecting against the damaging effects of the sea.

Heading north, always close to the waterline, sheltered between rocky cliffs, we find Abano beach. Windy and with a strong swell, it’s a favourite among kitesurfers. On sunnier, quieter days, it’s a good alternative to the neighbouring beaches, as it’s less accessible: the road is a dirt track and then you have to go down a staircase to the beach.

On top of the southern cliff stands the Guincho Fortress, also known as Velas Fortress. It was built in 1642, after the restoration of Portugal’s independence, as part of the old defence line of the Tagus Estuary. From its dominant position we have an exceptional view over the sea and the neighbouring beaches. The fact that it was in visual communication with other nearby fortresses was also important, in particular the São Brás de Sanxete Fortress, located at Cape Raso, to the south, and the Roca Fortress to the north, standing on the cape with the same name. Like other small fortresses from the same period, it was built with stones of various sizes, bound together with mortar, and has a rectangular shape. Damaged by the 1755 earthquake, it was reinforced with a stone wall when it was rebuilt at the end of the 18^th century. Decommissioned in 1832 when the Miguelist army left the Lisbon region, it was never occupied again for military purposes. In the 20^th century, it was used as a shelter for campers for a few decades, until it was classified as a building of public interest in 1977. It is currently under the responsibility of the Cascais Council and licensing projects have previously been planned, but it remains abandoned. Its seawall is a favourite spot for anglers.

We return to the main road, the N247, and head towards Cape Roca. Just outside the village of Azóia, it’s worth taking a short detour to Moinho Dom Quixote, a restaurant and bar with a terrace and an incredible view over the coast. The windmill is there – not in the shape of the windmills of La Mancha, against which the visionary character in Cervantes’ story fought, but rather with the appearance of the traditional windmills of the Lisbon region. It was in ruins but was restored in the 1980s and is surrounded by a leafy garden full of rustic nooks. The house where the restaurant is located stands right next to the windmill, also decorated in its own particular style and full of exotic details. This is the ideal place to relax and have a meal or simply enjoy a drink.

As has been exhaustively advertised, Cape Roca is the westernmost point of continental Europe and its fame attracts many thousands of visitors every year. However, be prepared for the wind, which is often extremely strong at this place wide-open to the elements of nature. At 140 metres high, the site is marked with a cross, where a headstone displays the coordinates of its location and the famous phrase that the poet Camões wrote about this cape in his work Os Lusíadas. The view, needless to say, is breathtaking, with the ocean stretching out in front of us to infinity. There is a short path along the cliff, protected by a wooden handrail, and those who are fearless and agile can make their way down the cliffs to Louriçal beach, a stony corner surrounded by rocks that the wind and water have whimsically shaped.

Above the viewpoint, the red and white lighthouse stands out. Built in the second half of the 18^th century by order of the Marquis of Pombal, it is currently the second oldest lighthouse on the Portuguese coast. In the beginning, it operated with lamps fuelled by olive oil and was only electrified in 1897, when it was also equipped with a steam siren. The optical system still in use today dates from 1947, with some occasional updating, and the Roca Lighthouse remains one of the most important landmarks on the Portuguese and European coastline.

Returning along the Cape Roca road, we come across a sign for Ursa beach. It is another mandatory detour, this one on foot. We walk a few hundred metres over open ground until we see the pyramidal rock that is the symbol of the beach and the delight of photographers and Instagrammers. Once there, we have two options: either we content ourselves with merely seeing the beach and the landscape from above (which is highly appealing...), or we can descend one of the steep paths that lead down to the beach. It’s not an easy task for everyone and you will need adequate trainers to avoid any accidents. The reward is a wild beach, often deserted, and a close-up view of the large rocks that give the beach its name.

Back on the N247, we proceed to Almoçageme. It’s a typical village of the “saloia” region, with low houses painted white, decorated with the traditional yellow or blue stripe, now mingled with others of more recent design – and it’s also the gateway to one of my favourite beaches, unanimously considered to be one of the most beautiful in our country: Adraga beach. Because of both its beauty and the fact that it has a good access road, a car park and a restaurant next to the entrance, it is one of the most popular beaches in the Sintra region. The stretch of sand is wide, even at high tide, and an abrupt cliff rises behind it. On the south side, the cliffs that protect it remind us of Latin sails, emerging one behind the other, and at low tide there is a passage to the small cove of Cavalo beach. On the north side, it is semi-enclosed by small rocks, through which we reach two other sand and stone beaches, tiny and only visible at low tide.

This is also an excellent area for hiking along the cliffs. There is a dirt track that climbs up to the viewpoint of Caneiro beach, with superb views over the cliffs scattered all the way to Cape Roca, and from there several trails run along the cliff. One of them leads to Fojo da Adraga, also known as Fojo dos Morcegos, a huge sea cave opened in the cliff and invaded by the waves.

Another place on the coast that is popular at any time of year is Praia Grande (“Big Beach”). Its size lives up to its name, and it’s lined along its entire length by a promenade with bars and restaurants. At the northern end, next to the Hotel Arribas, there is a saltwater swimming pool (one of the largest in Europe) open to the public between April/May and October and very popular in high season. In addition to the main pool, which is 100 metres long and has a slightly curved shape – like the deck of a boat – there is a smaller pool for children.

To the north of the pool there is another beach, Rodízio, and further along the path bordered by a rail made of logs we arrive at the archaeological site of Alto da Vigia. Although today only a few stones can be seen and the site seems to be of little interest, the archaeological excavations that have been carried out made it possible to identify the oldest remains found there as probably belonging to a Roman temple dedicated to the sun, the moon and the ocean. Later, in the Islamic period, this place was a ribat (a building which housed a community of Sufis), and later on a watchtower – certainly due to its privileged location, with great visibility over the sea and at the same time over the Colares stream, the waters of which were once much more abundant and navigable.

And on the subject of the Colares stream, we head for the place where it ends: Praia das Maçãs (“Apple Beach”). This is another of the region’s iconic villages and the most accessible beach for Sintra residents – the tram that connects it to Sintra for part of the year (usually from April to the end of October) is famous, an 11 km route that takes 45 minutes and is both convenient and touristy, descending in twists and turns through the hills and then crossing the villages of Galamares and Colares, the line ending in the centre of Praia das Maçãs. Popular among surfers, bathers and fish and seafood lovers, the village is essentially geared towards tourism, with several hotels and some famous restaurants, where finding a table for lunch on weekends without booking in advance is never easily accomplished. It has been growing and frequented for sea bathing since the 19^th century, and a few old houses still survive in the village, some of them with a plain appearance, others resembling palaces.

As the afternoon comes to an end, it’s time to head to the village of Azenhas do Mar, one of Portugal’s most popular picture postcards – and even more charming when seen in person than in photos. Perched on an almost vertical cliff, which seems to have been hewn with an axe, a few little whitewashed houses remain from the time when it was a fishing village, wall-to-wall with holiday homes from the last century, also white, all of them so uniform nowadays that it’s difficult to distinguish one from the others. Down at the bottom, the beach is small and somewhat stony, not very inviting, but the rustic pool stolen from the sea attracts attentions and also bathers when the weather is good. If the sea is rough, it disappears under the waves that rise up to the seawall.

The village stretches southwards along the road that comes from Praia das Maçãs, which is an exceptional viewpoint in itself. Among the countless spots to watch the sunset on our coast, this is one of the best, the orange sky reflected in the water, gilding the atmosphere and the houses that look out across the beach. Is there a better way to end the day?