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Portugal: Costa de Lisboa (Lisbon Coast)

Overview

The Costa de Lisboa region encompasses the area from around Ericeira in the north to just below Sines in the south, taking in the southern portions of Estremadura and Ribatejo provinces, and the capital Lisbon built on seven hills alongside the River Tagus (Tejo). Lisbon (pop. 1.3m) is one of Europe’s great historic cities (although destroyed by an earthquake in 1755) and despite being one of western Europe’s shabbiest, slowest and most decaying capital cities, is an elegant, cosmopolitan and vibrant city, steeped in history and tradition. It’s a city of stark contrasts, slowly being dragged into the 21st century (much of the city has recently been undergoing a facelift) and noted for its cobbled streets, ancient trams and funiculars; a wealth of museums, monuments and diverse architecture; and, above all, the friendliness of its people. If you’re bored of sterile, modern resorts and yearn for some good old-fashioned charm, then Lisbon (a city with a soul) may be just what you’re seeking.

The coastal area to the west of Lisbon is known variously as the Costa do Sol (sunshine coast), Estoril Coast and Portuguese Riviera. It has a number of elegant and sophisticated resorts, famous for their luxury hotels, extravagant villas, casinos and fine beaches. Estoril has long been a traditional refuge for Europe’s deposed royalty (hence the nickname ‘the coast of kings’) and is a favoured resort of the rich and famous. Sintra is a charming town that was the summer home of the Portuguese Royal family and before them the Moorish Lords of Lisbon. Cascais is the centre of the Portuguese Riviera (a new marina has recently been built) and is a stylish and colourful resort. Among the region’s many architectural gems are the superb Manueline monastery at Belèm (from where Vasco da Gama set sail on his two-year voyage to India in 1497) which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site; the monumental palace-convent at Mafra (Portugal’s equivalent of Spain’s El Escorial); and the wedding-cake Palácio de Queluz.

The Costa de Lisboa has many fine beaches, including those at Caparica, Estoril, Guincho, Praia Adraga and Tróia. Ericeira is an attractive fishing village with a cliff-top town (one of the liveliest night spots on the coast) and Sesimbra (west of Setúbal) is another picturesque fishing village with a medieval castle. Setúbal (pop. 80,000) on the Costa Azul (blue coast) is one of Portugal’s most ancient cities and its third largest port, noted for its impressive suspension bridge spanning the Tagus (one of the longest in Europe). Nearby Palmela is a pretty town with a magnificent castle.

The Estoril Coast is home to a small group of (wealthy) expatriates and the area has been enhanced in recent years by a number of new golf developments. Not surprisingly, the Costa de Lisboa boasts some of the most expensive property in Portugal. The region has excellent air, rail and road connections with the rest of the country and internationally.

© Survival Books Limited 2002

“Buying a Home in Portugal” 2nd Edition, David Hampshire.

Reproduced with the permission of Survival Books Limited.

Further information on this topic can be found in “Buying a Home in Portugal” 2nd edition, by David Hampshire.

For extensive information about buying a property in Portugal, you can purchase this book at www.survivalbooks.net

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