Portugal Guide
Around Lisbon
A string of beach resorts lines the coast west from Lisbon, easily reached by local trains from the city. The further you go the cleaner the water and the better the sand, or cross the Tejo by ferry to reach the Costa da Caparica, a 30km stretch of dunes to the south of the capital. Further south still, there are good, clean beaches at Sesimbra and in the Parque Natural da Arrábida, a superb unspoilt craggy reserve. Inland, the spectacular palaces and beautiful town of Sintra, the most popular excursion from Lisbon, demand a longer look and reveal a very different side if you stay overnight.