Today we visited Cascais by train. Whereas we used Rossio Station to go to Sintra, this time we had to get to Cais de Sodre for the train journey along the coast. Cais de Sodre being further away from Hotel Maxime, in the interest of saving our legs we opted for a 7 euro taxi ride.

Sodré is the name of a 15th-century family with businesses in this neighborhood, which has always been linked to the maritime trade. Over time, the entire area, from the waterfront to the two blocks north of it, became known as "Cais do Sodré," or “Sodré’s Wharf”
Today, it’s a terminal of the ferries that link Lisbon to Cacilhas across the river, and is also a train and metro station, as well as a major bus stop. Across the station is Praça Duque da Terceira, a square named after the Duke of Terceira, whose bronze statue stands at the center.

Cascais Tower and Fortress of Nossa Senhora da Luz

The Cascais Tower was built towards the end of the 15th century during the reign of John II and together with its sister towers, the Tower of Belem and the Tower of Caparica, followed a new model of architecture that indicated the transition between the medieval castle and a fort strengthened with buttresses. Designed by Pero Anes for defensive purposes with a courtyard and built right next to the sea, it was later replaced by the Fortress of Nossa Senhora da Luz that was finished precisely when Philip I of Portugal came to the throne., The fortress, which has a triangular shape with buttresses, substantially improved the defense of both the town and the Tagus Bar owing to the fact that the architectural plans took into consideration new wartimes strategies and tactics.