Cascais began as a fishing village, and the fish never left. In 1870 King Luís I made the little town his summer residence, the court followed, the aristocracy built villas along the shore, and a quiet harbour became the smart seaside resort of Lisbon. It is about thirty-six thousand people now, with a marina full of yachts, a pedestrian centre of mosaic pavements, and a fishing fleet that still unloads in the afternoon, which is the best moment to understand why people eat here.
Food is the reason for the stop, and Cascais is generous with it. Grilled sea bream, sea bass and sardines are the staples, cooked simply over charcoal with coarse salt, and you will find shellfish by the kilo, with prawns, barnacles and clams in garlic and coriander. Rice with seafood, soupy and rich, is a local classic, and a plate of salt cod in its many forms is never far away. Pastries are good, a pastel de nata for the road is almost obligatory, and the coffee is strong. Many of the best simple places are a street or two back from the water, where the prices are fairer and the customers are locals.
The town has a few things to see between meals. The old citadel, a sixteenth-century fortress, guards the bay, and nearby is the Boca do Inferno, a sea cave and chasm where the Atlantic booms into the rock. Further west lies Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe, about fifteen kilometres away, and the long beach of Guincho, famous for wind and kitesurfers.
For a rider, the coastal road from Lisbon along the Marginal is a famous run, with the ocean on one side and the line of the railway on the other, though it is heavy with traffic on summer weekends. The road from Cascais towards Guincho and Sintra winds along cliffs and through pine woods, with good bends, wind gusts and great views. Watch for sand blown across the surface at Guincho, and for cobbles and tram-like rails in the centre of town.
Fuel is easy in Cascais and in neighbouring Estoril, with plenty of stations, and parking for motorbikes is possible near the marina. Allow time to eat slowly.
The late afternoon light on the bay, with a glass of cold vinho verde, is the point of the stop.