Hotel Vila Galé Cascais * * * *

At the Estoril Coast where Cascais is located, golfers will find  7 golf courses, all with individual characteristics.
Also, the Estoril Casino, the largest in Europe. It has a great deal of entertainment, including different types of gambling and nightly cabaret and music hall shows, in a sophisticated atmosphere. Apart from the main activities of the casino, there is also an art gallery where a variety of art exhibitions are held, particularly of modern painting and sculpture.
 

This town 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.  When in 1870 the King, Luís 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. During the 2nd World War several Kings and Heads of countries sought refuge in Cascais and nearby Estoril.  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 be associated with the history of both this town and that of neighbouring Estoril. Today it is the centre for the Lisbon working international community and the "younger set" who enjoy the diverse and sophisticated nightlife.
There are important historic places to visit during your stay at Cascais. One of the most outstanding palaces is the Palácio de Conde de Castro Guimarães which exhibits its own grand private collection that includes over 25.000 books and  rarities. Also, most of the pre-historic finds from the Grutas de Alapraia ( underground caves  discovered in the late 19th Century) are stored here. Also interesting to visit 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 thus creating its name which in English means "mouth of hell". Today, Cascais now boasts a smart new Marina with lovely boats adding a further attraction to the town. The Parque Palmela is an attractive park created by the Duques de Palmela and now maintained by the Town Hall and in which open-air concerts are often held. For the water sports fan, 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.