Experience the best of Paço de Arcos

Paço de Arcos sits on the north bank of the Tagus estuary in the municipality of Oeiras, where the river widens before it meets the Atlantic. The town centre is compact, with older villas, cafés and small shops, and a stretch of waterfront has a sea wall, small beaches and a promenade that continues towards Cascais. The Cascais railway line runs along the shore to Lisbon.

Close by, Oeiras has the eighteenth-century palace and gardens of the Marquis of Pombal, with a cascade and formal terraces. West along the shore, the surf beach at Carcavelos is a short walk or ride away, then Estoril and Cascais with their villas, forts and bays. Belém, with its tower and monastery, lies to the east, and the hills of Sintra rise inland.

Grilled fish, clams and custard tarts are on every café menu along this coast. A sweet fortified wine called Carcavelos is made within the municipality, from a few vineyards that survive among the suburbs. The Atlantic breeze keeps summer afternoons comfortable on the sea wall, and autumn stays mild and bright.