PT-435525 Cascais, Greater Lisbon subregion, Portugal

Cascais is a coastal town and a municipality in Portugal, 30 kilometres (19 miles) west of Lisbon. It is a cosmopolitan suburb of the Portuguese capital and one of the richest municipalities in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 206,479, in an area of 97.40 km². Cascais  was formerly a fishing village which gained fame as a resort for Portugal's royal family in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Nowadays, it is a popular vacation spot for both Portuguese and foreign tourists. It is located in the Estoril Coast in the Greater Lisbon subregion.

This postcard also shows the Santa Marta lighthouse.  This lighthouse had in the past been important for the defence of the area.  It is now Portugal’s first lighthouse museum.  Santa Marta Lighthouse began to operate in 1868. It was further transformed in 1908 and the tower was increased by 8 metres in height in 1936.

In 1981 the lighthouse was automated and there was no further need for the continuous presence of lighthouse keepers.

Personal Note:  In 2012 we stopped in Cascais to look around when we were heading to Lisbon from Porto.

This postcard came from Helena (2 October 2015) Postcrossing.