We sail in the same sea but have as a destination a location much closer to Lisbon: towards the enchanting Bay of Cascais. During the journey, by means of coastal navigation, we enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the Estoril coast and see in the distance the Serra de Sintra, the beaches of Costa da Caparica as well as the distant Cape Espichel.
Cascais Bay is located in the center of Cascais village. According to the ancestors, it is also known as Fish Beach or Fishermen’s Beach. In the lower area of Cascais you can still find Cascais Town Hall, Seixas Palace, Cascais Fish Market, the Maritime Ecopoint among others.
With that in mind, check out the events schedule for Cascais village and plan your visit.
Luís Vaz de Camões docked in Cascais
Luís Vaz de Camões, one of the major figures of the Portuguese literature and one of the great poets of the West, had the opportunity to sail to distant and unknown destinations.
The famous national epic, The Lusiads, is the main work of this notable writer who narrates in verse the glorious deeds of the Portuguese. He was born in Lisbon in 1524 and lost his right eye in a naval battle in the Strait of Gibraltar.
At 30 years old he docked in Goa for the first time. He faced enormous storms at the Cape of Good Hope. He sailed the Red Sea. He was in Hormuz, in the Persian Gulf. On a voyage between Macau and India, near the mouth of the Mekong River, he was shipwrecked, saving only himself and the manuscript of The Lusiads. Meanwhile, in 1567, he embarked in Malacca bound for Sofala, on the Island of Mozambique. Just over two years later, at 46 years old, he returned to Portugal and docked in Cascais aboard the ship Santa Clara.
His importance is so great that June 10 (the date marking his death) is a national holiday. In addition, it celebrates Portugal Day, Camões Day and Portuguese Communities Day.
* Luís de Camões, The Lusiads
** Sri Lanka, known as Taprobana in Antiquity. It is an Asian island country, located off the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent.
New Year’s Eve in Cascais Bay
On New Year’s Eve, Cascais Bay was the stage for a stunning aerial show. Around 300 drones lit up the sky with a synchronized choreography, accompanied by a sound retrospective of 2024, highlighting themes such as innovation, culture, sports and sustainability.
At the signal from the drones, the crowd began the countdown to the arrival of 2025. Then, a fireworks display was reflected in the sea. Watch below a summary of this show:
