Estoril belongs to the municipality of Cascais and lies on the coast west of Lisbon, at the mouth of the Tagus. It began as a fishing village and spa, and in the early twentieth century became one of Europe's most elegant seaside resorts, known as the Portuguese Riviera. It was famous above all for hosting diplomats, spies and exiled royal families during and after the Second World War: among others, Juan de Borbón, father of King Juan Carlos of Spain, and King Carol II of Romania lived here, while the last king of Italy, Umberto II, lived in neighbouring Cascais.
Old-world elegance
Estoril still has a cosmopolitan charm reminiscent of the Côte d'Azur. Period villas, gardens, luxury hotels and boutiques face the sea, and the seafront promenade, the Paredão, links Estoril with Cascais in a walk of about three kilometres past beaches and rocks, perfect at sunset.
The town's symbol is the Casino Estoril, opened in 1931 opposite gardens sloping down to the sea: it is one of the largest casinos in Europe and also hosts shows, concerts and exhibitions. It is said that Ian Fleming, visiting during the war, found here the inspiration for Casino Royale, the first James Bond novel. Next door, the historic Hotel Palácio, dating from 1930, welcomed many of the exiled royals.
What to see
Sights include the Church of Santo António do Estoril, with its Baroque facade and azulejos, the residential district of Monte Estoril, with its early twentieth-century villas, and the Casa Verdades de Faria, a romantic-style villa housing the Museum of Portuguese Music. In the old post office building on Avenida Marginal, the Memória dos Exílios space recalls the thousands of refugees who passed through here during the war while waiting to sail for the Americas. The remains of a Roman villa at Freiria point to a settlement some two thousand years old.
The best-known beach is Tamariz, below the casino, with a natural ocean pool; a little further along are Praia da Poça and São Pedro do Estoril, the latter popular with surfers.
Sport and events
Estoril has a long sporting tradition. The Autódromo do Estoril hosted the Formula 1 Portuguese Grand Prix from 1984 to 1996 and later the motorcycle world championship; today it hosts car and motorcycle races, driving courses and other events. Every spring the Estoril Open, an ATP tennis tournament, is played here, and the area has some of the country's finest golf courses. Throughout the year there are music festivals, regattas and, in summer, the traditional crafts fair near the casino; on New Year's Eve fireworks over the bay draw thousands of people.
Getting there
Estoril is a stop on the Cascais railway line from Cais do Sodré in Lisbon: the journey takes just over half an hour along the coast. By car, take the A5 motorway or the coastal Marginal road. Local buses link Estoril with Cascais, Sintra and Guincho beach.