Cascais and the surrounding area has been inhabited for a long time – Paleolithic remains have been found and, closer to our times, the Romans and the Moors were in the area. The town developed as a busy fishing port in the Middle Ages, serving both Sintra and Lisbon. Today the town is a popular and busy holiday destination.
We drove through the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park to Cabo da Roca. This is the most westerly point of Portugal and it was dangerously windy on the day we visited!
From there we took back roads to Ericeira, another popular tourist spot which is famous as the point from which the Royal Family escaped into exile during the Revolution of 1910. Originally only a fishing village, Ericeira is now a surfing mecca in Portugal. Again we should have lingered longer.
We stopped briefly to remind ourselves of the vast size of The Convent and Palace in Mafra, built in the 17C by King João with the wealth gained from Portugal’s explorations in South America and the East Indies.
And so back to Queluz.
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