Day trip from Lisbon: Cascais

What’s up everyone?
I’m looking out the window how snow keeps silently covering the streets of my hometown while isolating myself in the warm inside of my home. It feels like just yesterday we were surfing the waves in sunny Costa de Caparica and binge eating pastel de nata in colorful Lisbon!
While staying in Lisbon at Surf Office, one day we decided on a whim to jump on a train to Cascais, where we arrived just in time to pick the last free bikes available (Yes! Take note: there are free bikes for rent on a first come, first served basis; you can find them outside the train station, at a 1-minute walk. Arrive there early to make sure you have what to pick from. Also have your ID with you!). They’re city bikes, not really the best choice for an off-road experience, but they served our purpose perfectly: biking all the way to Guincho Beach. If you want something more professional or special for off-road, there are various bike rental shops in Cascais.
There’s a bike lane going right by the steep rocky seaside (or should I call it, oceanside?), stunning views stretching on your left, while the wind is blowing strong and the sun is scorching. No, literally, I got so burnt that even after another 3 weeks of sun bathing I still had that day’s marks on my skin. So yes, time for you to take another note to avoid making the same stupid mistakes as I did: always use sun screen in sunny situations!
It was a fun, relaxing, pretty easy ride – took as about an hour more or less -, and when we finally arrived there we got to spend some time watching tiny little children surfing the waves like absolute pros and kitesurfers flying their kites far in the distance. *jealous*
It’s very easy to travel between Lisbon and Cascais because there are trains running every other 30 mins more or less (of course we watched one leaving right in front of us and had to wait for the next one because our heads are always more in the clouds than in their normal place). The train also stops in most important beach spots along the way – in case you’re looking for a beach getaway. Important! Buy the right train ticket at the station depending on where you’re heading to! The Lisbon card is not valid all the way to Cascais and you have to pass it through the machine when exiting the station so if you didn’t buy the right ticket, you might get in trouble! Don’t say I didn’t warn you 😉
Cascais is also a cute little town to visit! We just passed biking through it this time because I already visited it 2 years ago, but it’s worth spending some time here too, even if just for a delicious plate of fried fish. It gets quite busy during high season though!
What are your recommendations for a day trip getaway from Lisbon? Let me know in the comment section below!