From the beach to the table: the best things to do in Carcavelos

The long sandy beach is ideal for everything and everyone. No, it's not one of the quietest destinations, you might spend the afternoon listening to loud music and other people's conversations, but access is easy and you can even play a game of volleyball, go skateboarding, do a bit of jogging, join in a surf lesson, eat a Berlin ball and buy trinkets or pareos.

In this restaurant at Praça do Junqueiro, in Carcavelos, the ingredients are authentically Italian - just like the owner. The menu features fresh pasta, risottos, and Roman-style pinsas, alongside salads and a selection of meat and fish dishes. To drink, you can choose from a selection of Italian wines, or, if you're in the mood for something a bit stronger, go for a classic spritz.

The factory where the famous Santini makes its ice creams is in Carcavelos. What better reason to go there? The facilities, which can be visited, also have a shop, making it one of the best reasons to visit this part of the Cascais coastline. 

It is Hurley's first street store in Portugal. The big difference from the previous store, which was located in Centro Colombo, is that here, in addition to the various clothing items – from shirts to socks, including coats – you can also find technical material for surfing and skateboarding.

Take a Break could have been just another brunch spot along the coast, but the quality and uniqueness of its menu are the secrets behind the success of the project. It all started during the pandemic in 2020 when Nicole Lourenço suddenly found herself unemployed in the restaurant industry. Confined at home and noticing the new trend for online orders, she decided to start a homemade pancake project according to her own style. It quickly became a hit, especially for being among the first to sell brunch boxes, but sales began to decline as consecutive deconfinements occurred.

That's when she decided to take a step forward and open Take a Break's physical space in Carcavelos with her partner, chef Júlio Roque. They kept the pancakes, of course, but added many other options to the menu, which now includes various meal choices, many of them ideal for sharing. Highlights include the bao Break (10€), with slow-cooked pork belly, kimchi, scallion, crispy onion, and teriyaki sauce reduction; the taco Break (9,50€), wheat tortillas with avocado, Chinese cabbage, shrimp, pico de gallo, and satay with cassava chips; or the Mush Rosti (11,50€), made with sweet potato, Portobello mushroom, sun-dried tomato, caramelized onion, low-temperature eggs, and a mix of greens.

They also serve bowls, bruschettas, and other dishes. In the pancake department, it's worth trying the Break P (8,50€), with mascarpone cream with lime, vanilla, and red berries; the Citrus (8€), with lemon cream, red berries, and meringue, which evokes a dessert from the restaurant where the couple met; or, among others, the P. Pumpkin (8€), made with roasted pumpkin dough, cottage cheese, pumpkin jam, and walnuts. They aim to introduce new items to the menu every summer and winter.

In February 2024, considering Take a Break's growth, they decided to move to another space in Carcavelos where they could have more seating. Soon, they plan to also take over the building's first floor to expand the project.

Right next to Carcavelos train station, the street market has been going on for many years with all kinds of knick-knacks on display. Every now and then you hear a "it's good and it's cheap!" call from the sellers who want their customers to open their wallets. You'll mainly find clothes there - things to blow your mind and fill everyone's wardrobe at home. Don't forget to haggle, it almost always works.

You don't even have to go down to the beach. Capricciosa has its own beach lounge, with beds (20€) and hats and sunbeds (12,5€), which will make you want to stay here all day on this sort of private beach. The list of cocktails at the seafront pizzeria is also refreshing, from the Forest Mojito to the Sunset, with various sizes, from the smallest glass (6€) to the 3-litre XXL jug (50€), ideal for sharing. The garlic bread with cheese and oregano (3,5€) is a novelty, as are the salads such as carpaccio (12,5€) or salmon (12€).

In a sea dominated by boys and surfboards, it's always good to recognise the difference. Like Boogie Chicks, the women's bodyboarding school at Aqua Carca, which began catching its first waves in the 1990s as a project to promote the sport, the brainchild of athletes Dora Gomes and Catarina Sousa. In 2005, Catarina Sousa, the first Portuguese woman to win a race on the world bodyboard circuit, decided to continue the events and opened this school for girls in Carcavelos, next to Pastorinha. 

With new owners (it belongs to the SANA group), A Pastorinha is still one of the finest places for lunch with a sea view and a safe harbour in Carcavelos - all seafront restaurants should be like this. Peeled seafood rice (48€/two people), mariscada (140€ for two people with shrimp from Espinho, the Algarve, prawns, lobster, barnacles, oysters, langoustines and stuffed crab shells) or Pastorinha-style grilled mixed fish (53€/kg). Start thinking about what you're going to eat.

The Toca is a multidisciplinary space that combines an English-language children's bookshop with a ceramics studio, where visitors can either hand-shape clay or paint pre-made pieces. Designed for both kids and adults, this project aims to foster a sense of community and encourage hands-on creativity in an age increasingly dominated by technology.

There are sun loungers facing the beach and even some hanging armchairs, so this is the place to stay for wraps (from 7,5€), toasties and salads or be more demanding and go for the fish of the day (13,5€). There are also snacks, such as sautéed squid rings or roast beef bruschetta, and a street-facing bar that promises drinks late into the night. Or night in, as you prefer.

After making their mark in Campo de Ourique, Cais do Sodré, and Saldanha, Smash Street Burgers ventured beyond Lisbon for the first time at the start of 2025. The brand’s newest location in Carcavelos is also its biggest yet. Other than that, it’s business as usual: a menu centred around smash burgers and an open kitchen in a space with distinct industrial vibes.

General Eisenhower was installed here in 1951 and Marshal Montgomery the following year. The walls tell much of the country's military history, from the time construction began on the Fortress - opinions are divided between 1553 and 1556. In addition, the Fort served as a military and political prison, with the famous case of General Gomes Freire de Andrade, who was held in São Julião da Barra and executed on the land next to the fortification. It was in 1951 that the fort lost its military function to take on state functions, and it can be visited by prior appointment (21 303 8520).

After three restaurants in Lisbon, AronSushi, which serves traditional Japanese-style sushi, has expanded to Cascais with this venue in the Riviera Shopping Centre in Carcavelos. The menu is exactly the same as in the capital, with the difference being that here there are three private rooms for groups of friends seeking more privacy or for those wanting to hold a meeting during their meal.

Joanino is a restaurant in Sassoeiros that specialises in modern Portuguese tapas with international twists. With both an indoor dining room and a terrace, each seating 25 guests, it serves dishes featuring ingredients and cooking touches inspired by the chef and manager Ivo Salgueiro’s travels and experiences.

Since 2022, Tricana da Barra has become Tricana Carcavelos, when Edgar Nozes joined forces with José Alves Ribeiro for a new management of the space. There, they offer a beach bar menu as vast as it is diverse: from pokes to burgers, including wraps, toasts, açaí bowls, salads, Portuguese and international snacks, and meat dishes, the idea is to have options for everyone. And they certainly do! In addition to the ground floor, they have a pleasant rooftop at an enviable distance from the sea, which occasionally features live music. And take note: by the end of the year, they plan to open an Italian restaurant in the same building. The Tricana brand also has a surf school on Carcavelos beach.

Dallas, whose hamburgers have already conquered Cais do Sodré, Anjos and São Bento, has now arrived in Carcavelos. It's the brand's first space outside Lisbon, but with the usual menu, which can be consulted online.

It’s a classic along the Cascais coast. In August 2024, Os Gordos pizzeria, open since 1987, moved from São Pedro do Estoril to Carcavelos. The space is new, the business is entering a new phase, but the essence (and most of the menu) remains the same.

It's the beach in Carcavelos closest to the São Julião da Barra fort and a favourite with many people who want to escape the crowds. At high tide the sand is scarce. At low tide there are those who have fun exploring the rocks and, with a lot of luck, even find a starfish. The beach has a bar, also called Moinho, with sun loungers and sofas, ideal for those who don't want to touch the sand.

Castiço Wine Bar, it reads on the bar’s frame. A standout gem in the food court where it settled in the summer of 2021, at the Carcavelos Municipal Market. Vítor Santa and Francisco Figueirôa welcome you to explore their wine and food offerings, all from small Portuguese producers. Wines are available by the glass, and if you pick the “wine of the week,” it’s even better value. To accompany your drink, enjoy cheese and cured meat boards, grilled chouriço, and Briosa preserves with artisanal bread, featuring flavours from the Douro, Beiras, Islands, Estremadura, and Algarve.

In 2022, Carcavelos gained its own Guitar Academy, located in one of the rooms of the local shopping centre. The teaching method is gradual and personalized, allowing students to play the repertoire that motivates them the most to practice. You can find more information and prices for the services on the project's official website.

Perhaps a tea room isn't what you're looking for on a hot summer's day, but A Chaleira has plenty of alternatives for this time of year, from the iced tea of the day to sangria, not forgetting the homemade cakes and desserts, toast, scones and salads. There's a small terrace, but don't miss a visit inside. Ideal for quenching your hunger after the beach with a good snack.