Estoril, on the coast west of Lisbon, holds the largest casino in Portugal, set in gardens facing the sea. During the Second World War the resort's neutrality and its mix of exiles, diplomats and intelligence officers gave the place a reputation that later attached itself to spy fiction.
The present building dates from 1931 and has been extended several times. It combines classic gaming rooms, a machine hall, a theatre and exhibition space, and it anchors a resort strip that runs from Cascais to Lisbon along the Tagus estuary.
