All the way from Lisbon to Cascais you will just be amazed by the breath-taking landscapes, the beautiful architecture, the historical treasures, and with every stop the local cuisine will delight you as well, because the Portuguese local dishes are among the best ones in the world.

Arriving in Lisbon

If you want to rent a boat in Lisbon, the easiest way to reach it is by plane, and the closest airport to the departure point is Lisbon Airport with regular and charter flights from all over Europe’s capital cities.

Weather in Lisbon

Due to its Mediterranean climate, sailing around Lisbon is possible almost any time of the year, however, the weather is also under the North Atlantic influence, so it can change accordingly.

Portugal has long, dry summers with average temperatures around 28 ºC (82 ºF) and mild, wet winters, with temperatures between 14 to 16 ºC (57 to 61 ºF).

Wind conditions during summer are influenced mostly by the North Atlantic Ocean, from light to moderate, and they tend to blow from South East or Nord.

A good practice before sailing away is to check the weather forecast with the marina, keep the VHF radio open for weather updates or you can check one of the many apps which offer weather forecasts, like meteoconsult.co.uk or Windy.

Planning the itinerary

The starting point for this sailing week around Lisbon is Marina Parque das Nacoes located rather close to the Vasco da Gama bridge. The marina is also located close to the airport, from where you can find public transport or take a taxi, in case you decide to rent a boat from this marina.

For this itinerary you will sail around 33 nautical miles, and you should consider spending more than one week, to have enough time to explore other locations around Lisbon.

You must prepare in advance, consult the weather forecasts and choose your own pace and itinerary. Depending on your yacht type, pace, skills and other factors, the information below might vary.

• Leg 1 - Lisbon to Oeiras - 12 nautical miles - 2.5 hours
• Leg 2 - Oeiras to Cascais - 5 nautical miles - 1 hour
• Leg 3 - Cascais to Doca de Belem - 11 nautical miles - 2 hours
• Leg 4 - Doca de Belem to Lisbon - 5 nautical miles - 1 hour

1. Lisbon to Oeiras - Leg 1

Sailing to Oeiras

After checking in and provisioning the yacht is time to raise the anchor and set sail to Oeiras. After leaving the marina, head South and follow the incredible coastline but also keep an eye on the traffic, which could be quite heavy during summer months.

Marina Oeiras will appear on your starboard side as soon as you get close to the town with the same name. It has great amenities, offers good shelter and has plenty of fun activities around it.

Sightseeing in Oeiras

One of the top attractions around Oeiras is the Santo Amaro do Areeiro Fort, built in 1647 under the direction of Antonio Luis de Meneses and completed in 1659. The fort was built for reinforcing the defence of the Tagus estuary, along with Sao Juliao da Barra and Sao Lourenco do Bugio forts, and better control the access to the capital Lisbon. All these fortifications can be visited and will offer you a great impression about the Portuguese history.

Oeiras is also known for its beautiful beaches, if you prefer to spend the day at the beach. Best beaches in Oeiras are:

• Carcavelos beach
• Gemeos beach
• Praia da Torre
• Praia da Laje

Accommodation when sailing to Oeiras

Good accommodation can be found at Hotel Real Oeiras**** with starting price from 93 € / night or Vila Gale Collection Palacio dos Arcos***** from 213 € / night.

2. Oeiras to Cascais - Leg 2

Sailing to Cascais

Cascais is located quite close to Oeiras and can be reached in about one hour. After leaving Oeiras, head NW until you have in sight the Nossa Senhora da Luz de Cascais fortress. Marina de Cascais is located just in front of the fortress, and is one of the top marinas in Portugal, offering excellent services.

Sightseeing in Cascais

Being the preferred summer holiday destination for the Portuguese royal family, this place is just glamorous, with elegant parks, noble mansions and castles. Cascais has lots of landmarks and you should definitely spend some time in this location to explore its beauty.

Close to the marina, you’ll find Condes de Castro Guimaraes Museum completed in 1900, rich in prehistoric architecture, paintings, porcelain and jewellery, but also an impressive library with more than 25.000 volumes, many going back to the 1600s.

Another landmark is the Casa das Historias Paula Rego art museum, hosting temporary exhibitions of Rego’s paintings and graphic art.

Timetable:

• Tuesday to Friday: 10am - 6pm
• Saturday to Sunday: 10am - 1pm / 2pm – 6pm

Ticket: 5€

While sailing around Cascais, you will notice also the Santa Marta Lighthouse, which can also be visited from land. Right next from the Fort of Santa Marta, the lighthouse has been guiding ships in and out of the Tagus Estuary since 1868.

Also close to the marina, in the Sintra-Cascais natural park, you’ll find the Boca do Inferno, a chasm in the cliffs, where the ocean is surging through it in the bluffs and making incredible echoes up the chamber. This is also an amazing spot to watch the sunset, being a favourite location for couples.

Accommodation when sailing to Cascais

If you don’t want to sleep onboard of your yacht, Cascais has lots of accommodation alternatives like Grande Real Villa Italia Hotel & SPA***** with starting price from 243 € / night or Vila Gale Cascais**** from 180 € / night.

3. Cascais to Doca de Belem - Leg 3

Sailing to Doca de Belem

Heading back to Lisbon, you should consider a stop in Doca de Belem marina, only 11 NM from Calais. Head back East and you should reach the marina in about 2 hours.

Sightseeing in Doca de Belem

This location offers plenty of attractions and worth spending some time here. Right next to the marina, you can find the Padrao dos Descobrimentos monument, built in 1940 to mark 500 years from Henry the Navigators’s death.

The marina is also surrounded by 3 amazing parks, Jardim Afonso de Albuquerque, Vasco da Gama garden and Jardim da Praca do Imperio.

Close to the parks you can visit the Jeronimos Monastery, a 16th century masterpiece, housing archeologic relics and a maritime museum in its wings. The monastery was founded by King D. Manuel, and in 1983 was listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.

Further west, close to Doca do Bom Sucesso marina, you can find the Belem Tower, located in the park with the same name. This medieval fortified tower offers amazing views over the estuary and river Tagus.

Accommodation when sailing to Doca de Belem

Good accommodation can be found in Benalmadena, like Geronimo Guest House Belem**** with starting price from 126 € / night or Setubalense*** from 85 € / night.

4. Doca de Belem to Lisbon - Leg 4

Sailing to Lisbon

Heading back to your point of departure doesn’t mean that the journey is over, because Lisbon has incredible places to discover, so if you have more time to spend in Portugal’s capital city, head up on Tangus river for about one hour to reach Marina Parque das Nacoes.

Sightseeing in Lisbon

You cannot visit Lisbon in one day, so make sure you spend some more time in this location, because Lisbon is packed with places of interest. Anyone can find some point of interest around the city, from heritage districts and palaces to historical sites, museums and not last, amazing cuisine.

Standing tall above the old Alfama district, Saint George’s Castle is unquestionably the most visible landmark of the historic centre, visible also on your port side while heading back to Lisbon.

Located Noth to the marina, the Lisbon Oceanarium is a must visit landmark, especially if you visit it with your children. It’s just incredible to watch up close the puffer fish, marauding sharks, moray eels and meet the cuddly penguins.

Because the city was built on hills, the authorities developed a funicular railway transport system to and from the neighbourhoods above the city. One of the most impressive rides is with the old Ascensor do Lavra dating back to the late 1800s.

Accommodation when sailing to Lisbon

Good accommodation can be found at: Lisboa Pessoa Hotel**** with starting price from 217 € / night or Hotel Borges Chiado*** with starting price from 203 € / night.

Capetanos sailing and general recommendations

For an amazing sailing week around Lisbon, we recommend to plan in advance, consult the charts, weather conditions and choose the most suitable time and boat, according to your sailing skills.

We hope that information in this guide will contribute to your decision for your next sailing holiday in Portugal. Sailing on the Tagus River will give you the opportunity for great memories to take back home with you.

Sailing bugdet calculator / rent boat calculator Lisbon

These calculations are performed for one-week charter on a 43-foot sailboat in mid-august and crew of 8. The total may differ depending on many factors like boat amenities and construction year, mooring fees, dinner out, etc.

1-week total	8.890 €
4 cabins sailboat	4.550 €
Skipper (optional)	1.050 €
Food	650 €
Water	80 €
Diesel	150 €
Moorings	850 €
Food out	1.560 €