Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães
Av Rei Umberto II de Itália Parque Marecha Carmona, Cascais, Portugal
The 19th-century palace that houses this museum is the same color as the custard inside a Portuguese egg tart or pastel de nata. Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães is a cultural highlight in Cascais. The museum exhibits art, artifacts dating to the prehistoric period, rare Indo-Portuguese furniture, and rooms that appear as if royal visitors have just left.
Highlights of the Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães include a neo-Gothic room, home to medieval imagery and dramatic arches; a library with a manuscript from 1505, plus a wealth of 17th-century volumes; and a music room, home to an antique organ. Inside, some walls are tiled with classic Portuguese azulejos tiles. The museum is often included in sightseeing tours of Coascais, which usually combine it with the marine, historic center, and the Nossa Senhora da Luz fortress.
You can take a virtual 360° museum tour on its website.
The ground floor areas are wheelchair-accessible, with accessible toilets and parking.
To take a guided museum tour with a staff member, you must book in advance.
Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães is part of Marechal Carmona Park, which is near the Atlantic coastline of Cascais. From Cascais station (to which you can take a train from Lisbon in 30 minutes), the museum is a 20-minute walk. Thanks to its small size, Cascais’ historic center and surroundings are easy to explore on foot.
The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday year-round, between mid-morning and early evening. On weekends and public holidays, it closes for an hour for lunch. Summer (June–September) is the peak season in Cascais.
Considering its small size, Cascais has a wide range of museums. Highlights include the Museum of the Sea, which dives deep into the region's maritime history; the Paula Rego House of Stories Museum, which presents the surrealist paintings and drawings of Portuguese artist Paula Rego; and the Cascais Cultural Center, which hosts a rotating selection of exhibitions.
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