The five classic drives from Cascais are all short: Estoril is 3 km away (5 minutes), Cabo da Roca 16 km (about 20 minutes), Sintra 21 km (about 25 minutes), Azenhas do Mar 23 km (about 30 minutes) and Ericeira 37 km (about 40 minutes by motorway). The coast road N247 to Cabo da Roca and Azenhas do Mar is toll-free; the fastest roads to Sintra and Ericeira use the tolled A16. Two things catch drivers out: you cannot drive up to the Pena Palace, and parking at the Sintra beaches is paid in summer. This guide gives distances, times and parking for each route. If you still need a car, compare car rental at Lisbon Airport (34 km, about 30 minutes from Cascais) or read our car rental in Cascais guide.
| Drive from Cascais | Distance | Time | Road | Parking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estoril | 2.7 km | 5 min | Avenida Marginal, no tolls | Paid street zones; Parclick car park from €2.40 for 2 h |
| Cabo da Roca | 15.5 km | 20 min | N247 coast road via Guincho, no tolls | Free car park at the cape in 2026 |
| Sintra (historic centre) | 21 km | 25 min | A16 (tolled); toll-free via Cabo da Roca and Colares, 37 km | Lourel car park, about 540 free spaces; no cars up to Pena |
| Azenhas do Mar | 23 km | 30 min | N247 and N375 via Colares, no tolls | Nearby Praia Grande and Praia das Maçãs: €4 for up to 4 h, 1 Jun–30 Sep |
| Ericeira | 37 km | 40 min | A16 + IC30 (tolled); coast road via Azenhas do Mar 54 km, about 70 min | No official tariff published |
One way from Cascais centre, measured with OSRM on 21 October 2026 without traffic; allow more time on summer weekends. For toll amounts use our Portugal toll calculator.
Cabo da Roca is the westernmost point of mainland Europe: a lighthouse on high cliffs above the Atlantic. From Cascais it is 15.5 km, about 20 minutes, on the N247 coast road past Guincho beach, with no tolls. The car park at the cape is free in 2026; Sintra council has said it plans to charge there in future, but not this season. Early morning and late afternoon are the quietest times.
Sintra’s historic centre is 21 km and about 25 minutes away on the tolled A16; the toll-free alternative over the hills via Cabo da Roca and Colares is 37 km and about 45 minutes. Do not plan to drive to the palaces: Parques de Sintra states that private vehicles are not allowed up to the Pena Palace. Leave the car at the council’s Lourel car park (about 540 free spaces) and take bus 434 or 435 to the palaces. The council also restricts traffic in the old town: it closed the centre to visitors’ cars from 19 March to 6 April 2026, and since 8 July 2026 tour coaches are banned from the centre and Uber or Bolt can only stop at fixed pick-up points. Tickets in 2026: Pena from €20 (park only €12), Quinta da Regaleira €20. Read our Cascais driving laws before you set off.
Azenhas do Mar is a white village stacked on a cliff above a natural ocean pool, 23 km and about 30 minutes from Cascais on the N247 and the N375 through Colares, with no tolls. Combine it with Cabo da Roca: the cape is on the way, 13 km before the village. In the 2026 bathing season (1 June to 30 September) Sintra’s parking company EMES charged €4 for up to four hours at nearby Praia Grande and Praia das Maçãs; no tariff has been announced for Azenhas do Mar itself. The streets in the village are narrow, so park at the edge and walk down to the viewpoint.
Ericeira is a fishing town and surf spot 37 km north of Cascais. The fastest route, about 40 minutes, uses the tolled A16 and the IC30. For the scenic version, follow the coast through Cabo da Roca and Azenhas do Mar: 54 km and about 70 minutes of driving without traffic, with no motorway. The town centre is compact and busy in summer; we found no official parking tariff from Mafra council, so check the signs and park on the outskirts if the centre is full.
Estoril is only 2.7 km from Cascais, about five minutes along the seafront Avenida Marginal: casino, gardens and the Tamariz beach. It is part of the same municipality, so the same rules apply: street parking is paid, with up to €1.80 an hour in the busiest red zones and hours that vary by street. For a covered space, Estoril Residence on Avenida Marginal is bookable on Parclick from €2.40 for two hours. More in our guides to parking in Cascais and the parking regulations in Cascais.
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About 15.5 km and 20 minutes on the N247 coast road past Guincho beach. The road has no tolls and the car park at the cape is free in 2026.
No. Parques de Sintra states that private vehicles are not allowed up to the Pena Palace. Park in Sintra, for example at the free Lourel car park, and take bus 434 or 435.
The fastest route, 21 km and about 25 minutes, uses the tolled A16. The road over the hills via Cabo da Roca and Colares has no tolls but takes about 45 minutes.
Park at the edge of the village and walk to the viewpoint. No tariff has been announced for Azenhas do Mar; at nearby Praia Grande and Praia das Maçãs parking cost €4 for up to four hours from 1 June to 30 September 2026.
37 km, about 40 minutes on the A16 and IC30, which are tolled. The coast road via Cabo da Roca and Azenhas do Mar is 54 km and about 70 minutes.
Lisbon Airport, 34 km and about 30 minutes from Cascais, has the widest choice of rental companies. There are also rental offices in Cascais itself.
Start early: Cabo da Roca and Sintra fill up by late morning, especially at weekends. Keep coins or a card for paid parking, and ask your rental company how motorway tolls are paid. For full-day trips further away, such as Mafra, Óbidos or Arrábida, see our day trips from Cascais by car; for the Guincho loop in detail, Estoril coastal drives.
Fact-checked on 21 October 2026 against OSRM routing, the Parques de Sintra Pena page, Quinta da Regaleira’s 2026 prices, Sintra council announcements on beach parking and traffic in the historic centre (via ECO, Postal and 24noticias), the Parclick Cascais listings and DiscoverCars. Auto Jardim may earn a commission from DiscoverCars and Parclick links at no extra cost to you.
