A Local's Guide to Cascais, Portugal

A Local's Guide to Cascais, Portugal

Describe who you are in 3 sentences
I am Anette Bastviken, Norwegian & quarter Portuguese and co-founder of the brand and platform Radical Broccoli. I created RB with my sister and we share everything we love on a more eco-friendly lifestyle, plant based foods, wellness and spirituality - on social media, in our podcast, our lifestyle store & books! I also just moved from Portugal to Costa Rica for the time being, and I love being out in nature, surfing, connecting with people and going for adventures.

What is your relation to this city?
My grandmother is Portuguese and she lived in Cascais my whole life. I have visited Cascais every year since I was born, and I moved there in 2020. It's so beautiful, and the nature is really wild and raw and the colors are amazing. If you love surfing, nature and yoga its a perfect spot. I totally understand why people call it the European California. Plus its located only 30 min from Lisbon and Ericeira, which makes it a perfect little town.

Best experience?
Most definitely a combination of surfing (when the waves are small enough for me) followed by acai at Casa da Guia and watching the sunset with good food and amazing DJs at Palaphita d'Guia.

Weirdest experience?
I have had some interesting experiences with bureaucracy in Portugal, thinking I speak better Portuguese than I do resulting in a lot of misunderstandings hehe.

Your top 3 hangout spots?
Casa da Guia is a little center with lots of cute cafes and shops and the worlds best acai (really).
- Praia Abano my favorite beach where it's also allowed to bring dogs all year
- Bio Mundo is an organic store that I love, I can spend hours just looking around.

Favourite restaurants?
Páteo do Petisco, Torre
- My Mother's Daughters, Lisbon
- Cantina Clandestina, Cascais Old town

Best date place?
Palaphita d'Guia or one of the local fish restaurants along the Paredão in Cascais.

Best Sunday spot?
Guincho beach & beach bar! Preferably on a less windy day🙂

If you were to live in another place, where would that be and why?
Santa Teresa in Costa Rica a place that I love so much, or south in Portugal which is also beautiful. I also really love summers in Norway. It’s so hard to choose just one place, I think thats why I allow myself to move around a bit and experience different places. I also believe we can have more than one home, luckily!

Where is your escape place from this city?
Definitely the 35 minute drive to surf town Ericeira. In Ericeira there is more of a younger crowd and even more places to surf for all levels. They also have lots of cute plant based cafes and a really amazing community.

Best 5 local advices?
1. Drive from Casa Guia and out to Cabo da Roca. The scenery is so beautiful, and the nature is so wild you will be in awe the whole way!
2. See the sunset from Cabo da Roca (the most western point in Europe) it's a must.
3. Eat at one of the local restaurants in Torre, I recommend Páteo do Petisco. I'm plant based, and even though it's mainly a meat place they have the most delicious vegan or vegetarian meals as well, plus you really get a feel of the local culture.
4. Run into the ocean early in the morning at praia Abano. It's a bit hidden, and harder to access but oh so beautiful and all dogs are welcome all year around.
5. Hike up to Santuário da Peninha and see the view of Guincho, Cascais, Lisbon and almost all the way to Ericeira.
... Lastly, a bonus, treat yourself to an organic facial or nail treatment at Sisu. Every treatment is divine!
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