| ESTORIL |
3 km east of Cascais and 26 km west
of Lisbon, the upmarket resort town of Estoril grew up in the
1920s as a resort modelled along the lines of the Cote d'Azur.
During World War II it was a safe haven for exiled royalty from
all over Europe, including Italy's last king, Umberto II, and
Karl Hapsburg, the last Austro-Hungarian emperor. The majority
spent their evenings gambling in the town's modern casino, which
today is still the largest of its kind in Europe. Estoril is
a cosmopolitan place with clean sandy beaches, a range of high-quality
hotels, several championship golf courses and some of the best
restaurants in the region. The town's handicraft fair is one
of the best-organised events in Portugal's summer calendar.
What to see. St Anthony's Church in Estoril was built
in the 16th century on the site of an even older building. It
was rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake but was again severely
damaged by a fire in 1927. The tiles and the Baroque façade
remain intact.
Nearby. Motor racing enthusiasts might like to visit
the famous Estoril Autodrome, which lies in the shadow of the
Sintra mountains about 10 km inland. Some of Portugal's best
golf courses can also be found in this part of the Lisbon Coast,
which is now accessible from Lisbon Airport in less than 45
minutes. |
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| © 2007 Maisturismo |
