3 Best Sights in Cascais and Boca do Inferno, Sintra, the Estoril Coast, and the Setúbal Peninsula

The most visited attraction in the area around Cascais is the forbiddingly named Boca do Inferno ("Mouth of Hell"), one of several natural grottoes in the rugged coastline. Located just 2 km (1 mile) west of town, it is best appreciated at high tide or in stormy weather, when the waves crash high onto the surrounding cliffs. You can walk along the fenced paths to the viewing platforms above the grotto and peer into the abyss. A path leads down to secluded spots on the rocks below, where fishermen cast their lines. The bleakly beautiful spot is where English occultist and magician Aleister Crowley faked his own suicide in 1930, shocking onlookers when he appeared at a Berlin art gallery three weeks later. A white plaque at the site marks the intriguing occasion, together with the text of the "suicide note" he left behind.

Take respite from the crowds at this relaxing park next to the palacial Museu dos Condes Castro Guimarães. There are tree-shaded spots for picnickers, plus a large lawn for sunbathers (expect strolling ducks and peacocks for company). There's also a playground and a pleasant café.

Quinta do Pisão is a 1,112-acre natural park and farm situated on the outskirts of Cascais that makes for a pleasant day out if you tire of the beach. Along with walking trails across meadows and through forests, it has a farm where visitors can pick their own vegetables and fruit to buy and take home. There's also a small herd of endangered woolly Portuguese Asinina de Miranda donkeys, which children can ride.