European cities and resorts located near the Atlantic Ocean
How about a vacation near the Atlantic Ocean? Maybe a stay dedicated to water sports or surfing, maybe just long days at the beach or visits to cities full of history combined with walks on the coastal beaches.
In the summer of this year we received views of several such cities and tourist resorts that we will present below. They are only good to put on next year’s travel list.
Cascais, Portugal
Cascais is a resort located in the western part of Portugal, with access to the Atlantic Ocean. The resort is part of the metropolitan area of the capital, Lisbon (it is located 30 km from it).
Along the coast you will find many small beaches, most of them undeveloped, keeping the air of a wild beach.
From Cascais you can head to Cabo da Roca, one of the westernmost points in Europe, to Boca do Inferno where you can admire the impressive cliffs or to the resort of Nazare, known for its huge waves (several tens of meters high), the area loved by surfers .
In the resort you can visit an Art Museum and one dedicated to Oceanography. Also near Cascais you will find the Estoril, known for its famous casino and Palacio hotel (here were filmed frames from the James Bond franchise).
La Coruña (Spain)
La Coruña is a town in Galicia, Spain, located in a bay overlooking the Atlantic Ocean with many beaches.
The small port town offers a 9 km promenade area (Paseo Marítimo) full of restaurants or shops and boutiques, a perfect place to spend your free time.
The city is also known for the Tower of Hercules, a Roman lighthouse that has been operating since the second century. The tower is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The lighthouse is surrounded by a generous garden and a golf course.
Aquarium of the end of the World is an attraction especially for the little ones. This interactive center teaches visitors what they can do to protect the oceans and seas and how important they are to the global ecosystem.
The surprise of this city is the Picasso House Museum, maintained by the Picasso Foundation. In this museum you can admire nine original ceramic pieces made by the famous artist Picasso.
La Rochelle (France)
La Rochelle is an old port city in France, located near the Atlantic Ocean, between Nantes and Bordeaux.
A walk through the streets of this town will take you back in time, from the Middle Ages to the 18th century. Well-maintained medieval fortifications and the Renaissance-style Town Hall (between 1595 and 1606) are some of the tourist attractions you can list for a visit to La Rochelle. Tour de la Lanterne is a former lighthouse built in the 15th century, later used as a prison.
The La Rochelle Aquarium features 12,000 marine species specific to the Atlantic Ocean.
For a unique, almost exotic experience, you can take a day trip to the Ile de Ré, a picturesque islet located near the Gulf of Pertuis d’Antioche. The town of Saint Martin-de-Ré, located on this island, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Whatever destination you choose for your next vacation, Enterprise is ready to provide you with the right car for a long journey. Directly on the site or from any of our offices in Romania and abroad.
If you have other cities near the Atlantic Ocean that you would like to share with the Enterprise community, you can write to us on Social Media channels: Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.
