On the waterfront
A haven for exiled leaders, spies and the glamorous celebrity set of the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s, the very pretty town on the outskirts of Lisbon, still retains a lot of its former glory and attracts plenty of chic visitors.
Flanked by the smart Cascais marina to the south, and the imposing Tamariz castle to the north of the strip, the area is a veritable treasure trove of tiny coves and smart promenade cafes.
While you may not immediately rub shoulders with Hollywood hotshots, the extremely well-tended facilities and beachfront walks are evidence of the pride which the wealthy inhabitants of this popular Lisbon suburb hold in their coastal abode.
This is no Benidorm or Playa del Ingles, it’s a much more sophisticated venue: an accolade reflected by the prices being charged in the chic seafront restaurants, where a starter will set you back €6-10 at least, and mains can range from €14 to €22, but take a small detour back into the town centre and you can cut your dining budget by about a third.
With a thriving local fishing industry, expect to find a wide variety of examples of their catches — from calamari to cod, salmon to prawns and everything in between. The local architecture ranges from Roman villas to elaborate castles borrowed from the styles of their counterparts in the cities of Morocco and Tunisia.
With its turquoise waters, delightful walks and long tradition as a tourist location, Estoril has a good variety of accommodation — from smart seaview apartments, to mid-range hotels, and its iconic five-star Palacio Estoril hotel.
The Palacio is nicely nestled behind the town park and close to the famed Estoril Casino, and many of the rooms have stunning views of the sea, while some lower rooms have poolside views. The Palacio epitomises the old-world glamour of Estoril — you cannot but be impressed by the gallery of photographs on the corridor to the restaurant, with the royalty of Europe snapped on their various visits to the hotel, earning the nickname, ‘Royalty Riviera’.
Princess Grace and her husband Prince Rainier are pictured on their 1967 visit to the Palacio, and the hotel makes much use of its setting in the James Bond movie starring George Lazenby — On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Fans of the hotel also include past visitors like Diana Ross, Joan Baez and Roy Disney.
Today the hotel is also a popular spot with golfers, as the Estoril golf course is just 1km away and transfers can be organised by the wonderfully friendly staff.
The post-golf options can include cocktails by the pool or a visit to the recently-rejuvenated Banyan Tree spa, which is housed in a separate building, with indoor access from the hotel. It offers a dynamic thermal pool, a juice bar with outdoor terrace, steam room, sauna, a hall of showers, state-of-the-art treatment rooms and relaxation area.
Our hotel room combined old-world comfort, like plush carpets and brocade quilts and cushions, with modern facilities like a slimline TV, power shower and wi-fi, giving the best of both eras. The helpful reception manager was at pains to apologise for not having a room on a higher floor for us, to avail of the view, but we loved our first floor poolside perch, and ease of access to the hotel’s restaurant and bars one floor below.
The ground floor Four Seasons restaurant is befitting its five-star status, and the staff treated us like honeymooners, or love-struck teens, stopping for chats, helpful comments on our choices and revealing a magnificent attention to detail which I was happy to note was afforded to all other diners too, without being in any way invasive.
Our meal, including steak and fish main courses, two desserts, one wine and two coffees, came to about €80, which we both felt was good value for the quality and ambience of the venue.
But a fine selection of nearby restaurants, which we sampled over the following nights, provided us with equally high standards of food, at slightly cheaper rates. But then, it was hard to emulate the sense of sophistication and occasion which the Palacio affords its guests and the feeling that you are dining in hallowed halls, on chairs which royals and Hollywood legends may have also graced.
After dinner, join the other tourists and locals in a stroll along the seafront to the marina at Cascais, watch the sun go down on a perfect horizon and admire the lithe young Portuguese boys playing soccer on the beaches at dusk. During our visit, the promenade was home to a kooky exhibition of sculptures symbolising everything from the destruction of the environment, to the power of our seas. We marvelled at how engaged the Portuguese were with local art, prodding and probing the exhibits, and taking time to read the information plaques on each one.
The many small coves nestled along the rugged but well-organised coastline mean that every day can bring a new vista, and a new dining experience. Its decades-old reputation as an elegant destination is evident by subtle touches like refresher showers every few metres, soft drinks and ice-cream stalls around every corner, and even an outdoor gym staggered along the promenade between Estoril and its busier neighbour Cascais.
Estoril has a confidence and, at times even an arrogance, that its newer cousins further down the coast can only dream of.
It’s a confidence borne out of knowing that its spectacular natural scenery, excellent location on the edge of a major European city, and rich heritage, mean that it does not need to beg for attention. It cooly demands it.
* Siobhan Cronin travelled to the Lisbon coast courtesy of Sunway Holidays and stayed in the five-star Palacio Estoril Hotel.
Sunway operates a weekly flight from Cork and Dublin to Lisbon and has a special offer of seven nights in the five-star Palacio Estoril Hotel on a B&B basis, including flights, transfers, free baggage allowance, resort representative service and all taxes, from €849 per person. Valid for travel from July 6 to August 25, 2012. Lisbon flights from Cork run weekly on Fridays from June 15 until September 7.
The region has no shortage of day-trip options but a must-see is the World Heritage Site of Sintra, north of Cascais. The 8th and 9th century buildings and castles include the Sintra National Palace and the Pena National Palace. There are several tours available of the area, and more details can be obtained from the tourist office near the Estoril Casino. This Casino is said to have been the inspiration for Ian Fleming’s Bond novel Casino Royale, given its reputation as a meeting point for WWII spies.
The Four Seasons at the Palacio welcomes non-residents, with a separate street-side entrance, and it’s worth the visit alone to browse the impressive ‘royal celebrity’ picture gallery on the corridor leading back to the lobby. The food is pretty good, too, and the service makes the experience feel like a real treat. You won’t eat here every night, but you won’t be disappointed the nights you do.
The seafront restaurants mainly cater for fish-eaters, but at a fraction of the price of hotels, though still pricier than the eateries off the town’s main streets.
If you’re in shopping mode, then your best bet is to hop on the suburban rail link back to Lisbon. In under a half hour from Tamariz beach, and for just a few euro return, you can be browsing the high street stores of the Portuguese capital. The rail station is right beside the beach, accessed from the underpass, with the regular train times on display on the platform.
Estoril is not a high-octane holiday, even though it was the home of the Formula 1 Portuguese Grand Prix from 1984 to 1996 — the track remains open today. But you are more likely to find romantic couples walking arm-in-arm along the seafront, than frantic mothers-of-four chasing toddlers with buckets and spades. Having said that, the town has made a huge effort to cater for all age groups, and it has worked. The tourist office staff are rather laid back and not hugely talkative, but never mind, you can pick up several leaflets in English detailing all the sports, leisure and cultural activities on offer throughout the summer.
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