Costa da Caparica, Lisbon Coast

Getting there without a car

From Lisbon	How	Time	Trips (Oct 2026)
Areeiro	Bus 3710, direct to the Costa terminal	45–60 min	about 41 on a weekday, 33 on a Saturday
Cais do Sodré	Ferry to Cacilhas, then bus 3022 or 3011	bus 40–45 min plus the crossing	3022: about 48 a weekday; 3011: about 28
Marquês de Pombal	Bus 3709, direct	55–60 min	8 on a weekday
Roma-Areeiro, Entrecampos, Sete Rios	Fertagus train over the 25 de Abril bridge to Pragal, then bus 3024	bus 30–40 min	about 30 on a weekday

Run times and trip counts come from Carris Metropolitana’s open timetable data for 13 and 17 October 2026; the 3708 from Cais do Sodré runs only a handful of trips at night. The operator warns that 3710 may run with significant delays for about 10 months from April 2026 because of tunnel works on Av. João XXI. The Cacilhas ferry costs €2.00 single or €1.60 with Zapping [TTSL, 2026]. These buses are coloured as “long” lines in the operator’s data; that category costs €2.70 on board or €1.55 prepaid [carrismetropolitana.pt]. Check fares in the app.

Along the coast, weekday-only bus 3044 links the town with Praia da Mata (15 minutes, 12 trips a weekday in the July and October 2026 data), and 3012 runs from Cacilhas to Fonte da Telha (55 minutes). The Transpraia beach train that used to run from Costa to Fonte da Telha every summer has no confirmed 2026 service that we could find.

Costa da Caparica or Cascais?

	Costa da Caparica	Cascais
Beaches	One long, open Atlantic strand, 10 Blue Flags	Small town beaches, usually sheltered, plus Guincho
Getting there	Bus or ferry + bus, 45–60 min	Train from Cais do Sodré, about 40 min
Town	Beach town, little to see beyond the sand	Historic resort, promenade, museums
Best for	A beach day, surf, long walks on sand	Families with small children, a base with town life

For a base for weeks, our research points to Cascais or Carcavelos, both on the train line; Costa da Caparica is the better beach day if you like space. See Cascais, Carcavelos and where to stay on the Lisbon coast.

What the sources say (research)

• Parish of Almada with 13,968 inhabitants (2021) on 10.18 km²; a city since 2004. [pt- and en-Wikipedia]
• Beaches near the Tagus mouth have been eroding for years; groynes, a sea wall and sand replenishment are used to hold them. [pt-Wikipedia]
• The Arriba Fóssil is a protected landscape since 1984, 1,570 ha from Costa da Caparica to Lagoa de Albufeira; collecting plants, animals or fossils is prohibited. [pt-Wikipedia]
• Two beaches are designated naturist: Bela Vista and Adiça, in the south. [cm-almada.pt]

Health care

The local public hospital, Garcia de Orta in Almada, sees children only with a referral from a doctor, health centre or SNS 24, and its page (last updated November 2023) says its night service is closed. Call SNS 24 (808 24 24 24) first, or 112 in an emergency. The Lisbon options are in healthcare in Portugal for travellers.

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