Thirty kilometres west of Lisbon are the beach resorts of Cascais and Estoril which, in turn, give easy access to the elegant town of Sintra, (once the holiday haunt of Europe’s nobility) and the magnificent beaches of remoter Guincho. Classified in the UNESCO World Heritage list, Sintra boasts several manor houses and palaces, including the Pena National Palace with its beautiful painted rooms. The surrounding area, ‘Serra de Sintra’, is ideal for keen walkers as there are ample forests to explore and breathtaking views over the Atlantic coast from many hilltops.