Being an ocean girl I was forever drawn to the folklore of Cascais, a place only a short ride away from Lisbon where surfers danced on the chilled blue swells, where foam cascaded over rock and where the arc of the horizon shimmered in the morning light to make way for the rising sun. Dragging my city companion with me we set out to the fairytale beside the sea of Cascais and for a stay at the Farol Hotel.
Perched like an iced white cake on the very edge of the ocean no one can argue that the Farol boasts perhaps the best location along the coast. The scent of jasmine, wild thyme and sea salt ripples along the waterway rolling to greet the once upon a time palace nestled between a blinking lighthouse and giant sea boulders. Bicycles ring their bells, peacocks call from the wooded park and the music of the Atlantic Ocean swells and drums, swells and drums in this picturesque seaside destination.
Being a boutique establishment you will either love or loathe the signature style adorning the interior, taking its inspiration from the fashion scene this is a place where pianos are painted in zebra stripes, catwalk shows flash on the lobby TV and swaths of black netting and white silk wrap around columns. The result is daring and a seemingly far cry from the 19th-century heritage that once enveloped the Count of Cabral’s personal home.
Those visiting should be sure to book a sea view suite whose terraces gleam with encapsulating views of the sea in all its glory. Waking up in the Farol, with the silver mist and drizzle of an April morning I felt like a woman in the twenties sent to convalescence beside the ocean; a feeling that exudes calm and a manner of healing no matter how strong the mind and able the body.
Our suite held the surprise of an oversized gleaming white Jacuzzi tub strategically placed next to the bed. This is a place of bubbles, chilled champagne and a chocolate or two especially on evenings when the sea rages and clouds move swiftly to cover the stars.
The Farol Hotel in Cascais ensures that those wishing to do nothing but chill have all the space and time in the world. The attractive outdoor area boasts a cooling azure pool, sushi terrace and plenty of pillowy soft lounge chairs for sipping cocktails and watching the surf spray as it hits the rocks with a surge of raw power. The smoking lounge offers the chance to indulge in a cigar and cognac nightcap before climbing into your pristine pale bed and letting the sounds of the elements lull you.
With the town a short walk away in one direction and the impressive Boca Inferno in the other direction, it isn’t hard to fill your days at the Farol. The Boca Inferno or Hells Mouth, as it is known in my mother tongue, is as dramatic as its name implies. Foaming, spitting, surging and crashing as soon as you peer down into the salty abyss and watch the waves chew the rocks to pieces all your senses seem to spring to life.
The Boca Inferno Restaurant is a great little spot for tearing into tender white fish drizzled with lemon and hot oil until you feel fit to burst. In the town, postcard pretty souvenir shops, calm crescents of sand and incredible ice creams transports you to a simpler time and place.
