We based our vacation out of Cascais, on the coast roughly 20 miles west of Lisbon, which was the perfect spot to explore with young kids and would be a great base for families with older kids as well.
Cascais, originally one of Portugal’s largest port towns, is the place that started the beach tourism boom when King Luis I chose it as his summer home.
This is fantastic for those who are interested in surfing, and it’s a great beach for families as it doesn’t get quite as crowded in the summer as those nearer the town.
It’s just 40 minutes outside of Lisbon by train or car, so you don’t have to travel hours from the airport to enjoy some beach time during your Portugal holiday.