ESTORIL Portugal Tourist Guide cascaisportugaltourism.com

The suburb of Estoril is part of Cascais, and together they make up the “Portuguese Riviera.” Just over 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Lisbon, it’s where the rich, famous, and even royal Europeans and spies escaped to during WWII, when Portugal remained a safe, neutral country. Grand hotels and Europe's biggest casino were built to welcome them, and that's where author Ian Fleming got the idea for the James Bond character. Although the special agent's birthplace is no longer as glamorous and glitzy, it remains a cosmopolitan town, with palm-lined streets, aristocratic mansions, world-class golf, and beaches attracting locals and tourists throughout the year.