Guincho is a wind machine with a beach attached. The broad, curving strand lies on the exposed Atlantic side of the Cascais peninsula, backed by dunes and a wild scrub of juniper and umbrella pine, and the north-westerly that Portuguese sailors call the nortada blows across it almost every summer afternoon. Windsurfers and kitesurfers love it, and on a good day the water is full of bright sails skimming the swell. To the north the granite bulk of the Serra de Sintra catches clouds and holds them, while to the south the line of the coast leads on toward Cascais, six kilometres away, and Alcabideche sits on the hills inland.
The dunes behind the beach are protected as part of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, and they are worth knowing about because they are some of the last such dunes on this stretch of coast. A boardwalk crosses the sand at Cresmina, and in spring the slopes bloom with sea lavender and wild thyme, while lizards bask on the warm planks. At the southern end of the bay, an old sea fort stands on the rocks, a reminder that this coast spent centuries watching for pirates and enemy ships.
Riding to Guincho is a good outing in its own right. The coast road from Cascais is fast and open, with views of the sea, and the sweeping run toward Cabo da Roca takes you out into a landscape of low cliffs and wind-flattened grass. Gusts can be strong enough to shove a bike sideways, so grip the bars and be ready on exposed stretches. Fog often appears without warning, rolling over the dunes in a cold wall, and the temperature can fall ten degrees in minutes. If the day is bright, though, nothing beats the colour of the Atlantic here, a hard, bright blue.
Fuel and supermarkets are in Cascais and Alcabideche, and a handful of seafront restaurants near the beach serve grilled fish and shellfish, though prices reflect the view. Swimming is for the strong, since the surf is powerful and currents are treacherous, and the water is cold even in August. The best time for a visit is a calm morning in September, when the crowds have gone and the light is soft.