History
Cascais was a small fishing port throughout early history as it lies protected from nature’s elements at the mouth of the Rio Tejo.
It was occupied by the Spanish under the Duke of Alba in 1579. In 1807, the French invaders commanded by General Junot using the Palбcio da Citadela as a suitable headquarters for his army.
During the first part of the 19th Century the port trade declined bringing poverty to the town. When in 1870 the King, Luнs I, chose to convert the 17th Century building of the Citadela into his summer residence it soon became a very fashionable area. Aristocratic palaces and mansions followed.
In 1926 the railway line from Lisbon to Cascais was the first to be electrified in Portugal and this also had a positive economic effect. During the 2nd World War several Kings and Heads of countries sought refuge in Cascais and nearby Estoril.
With these people came other aristocrats, politicians, actors and writers - so many that the population increased by 20,000 people between 1939 to 1946.
Names of important exiles such as Duke of Windsor, King Umberto of Italy, Princess Joana of Italy, King Carol II of Romania, Prince Juan of Spain, Count Henri of France, part of the Hapsburg family, Regent Horthy of Hungary, can all be associated with the history of both this town and that of neighbouring Estoril.
Description
Today it is the centre for the Lisbon working international community and the "younger set" who enjoy the diverse and sophisticated nightlife.
Just outside the town is the famous Boca do Inferno in which the sea on rougher days hammers into the rock and creates a booming noise and a spectacular spray.
Today, Cascais now boasts a smart new Marina with lovely boats adding a further attraction to the town.
Nearby Locations
Within easy reach of Cascais is the famous beach at Guincho with its high waves that attract windsurfers from all around the world as having some of the best rollers in Europe.
The next town to the east of Cascais is the resort town of Estoril with its popular Casino. To the north and within easy reach is the romantic and fascinating town of Sintra made initially made to foreigners by Lord Byron.
In:
http://portugal-info.net/lisboncoast/cascais.htm 
