Cascais
Go BackSeaside • Elegant • Relaxed
Cascais is a stylish coastal town just 30 minutes from Lisbon, known for its golden beaches, marina, and cosmopolitan charm. Once a royal summer retreat, it has evolved into a refined destination for leisure, culture, and international gatherings. With its combination of seaside beauty, elegant venues, and easy access from the capital, Cascais is a natural choice for weddings, incentives, and corporate retreats.
The town’s waterfront is its greatest asset. Cascais Marina, one of the largest in Portugal, provides a vibrant setting for events, from regatta-themed incentives to waterfront receptions. The surrounding beaches, including Guincho with its dramatic Atlantic waves, create a relaxed yet striking backdrop for outdoor events, wellness retreats, or private celebrations. The promenade linking Cascais to neighbouring Estoril adds further opportunities for coastal gatherings, with luxury hotels and restaurants overlooking the sea.
Cascais offers a strong portfolio of venues with historic and cultural depth. The Cidadela Palace of Cascais, once a royal residence, now serves as a cultural centre and boutique hotel with event spaces that blend heritage and modernity. The Casa das Histórias Paula Rego, a contemporary museum dedicated to the Portuguese artist, provides a creative and unique venue for cultural programmes, exhibitions, or private functions. For weddings and elegant celebrations, mansions and seaside villas, such as Casa de Santa Maria, offer intimate settings with ocean views.
The town also provides excellent facilities for business events. Hotels like the Hotel Cascais Miragem and The Oitavos combine conference spaces with luxury accommodation, spa facilities, and golf courses, making them ideal for corporate meetings, executive retreats, or incentive programmes. Organisers can easily design itineraries that combine productive sessions with leisure activities, such as golf, sailing, or surfing lessons on nearby beaches.
Incentive and leisure options abound. Groups can explore the scenic Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, with its cliffs, trails, and forests, offering opportunities for hiking, cycling, and outdoor team-building activities. Cascais also has a reputation for gastronomy, with a thriving seafood scene centred around the local market and waterfront restaurants. Culinary workshops and wine tastings can add depth to incentive programmes, while sailing excursions or sunset cruises provide memorable group experiences.
Accessibility is one of Cascais’s strengths. Its proximity to Lisbon means that international delegates can arrive at Lisbon Airport and reach the coast within 45 minutes. Once there, Cascais maintains a relaxed, small-town feel while offering infrastructure on par with larger destinations. Accommodation ranges from boutique guesthouses to luxury five-star resorts, ensuring flexibility for different group sizes and budgets.
Event types that flourish in Cascais include destination weddings (with villas, palaces, and oceanfront chapels providing stunning settings), corporate incentives (featuring golf, sailing, and wellness retreats), business conferences and retreats (supported by luxury hotels and modern facilities), and cultural gatherings (using museums, palaces, and seaside venues). The mix of elegance, relaxation, and seaside atmosphere ensures a distinctive tone for any event.
What sets Cascais apart is its fusion of seaside elegance and cultural sophistication. It is a place where royal heritage meets a relaxed coastal lifestyle, where international events can be hosted against the backdrop of the Atlantic, and where every gathering feels effortlessly stylish. For organisers, Cascais delivers a unique balance of accessibility, refinement, and natural beauty that makes it one of Portugal’s most appealing event destinations.