Located just 20 kilometers from Lisbon, Estoril is one of the most famous places on the Portuguese Riviera. This is a place with a huge history, with so many things to visit and explore. Among them, you can also find the famous Estoril Casino, which is one of the oldest and biggest casinos in whole Europe.
This establishment profiled itself as a major casino back in the 1940s. During World War II, Portugal was a neutral territory and during the conflict, it was home for so many wealthy people, who were escaping from the war. The city was ready to accept all these rich and famous people, thanks to numerous hotels that were built, as well as the legendary casino.
Many believe that this casino was the main inspiration for Ian Fleming to create the famous James Bond character. Today, it is a must-see place, whether you are a casino enthusiast or not.
So, you probably wonder why this place is so special. Besides great history and numerous amazing stories that go with it, its recommended as the number one casino to visit by the online casino bonus comparison site Foxbonus.com. Moreover, this place is still one of the biggest casinos in Europe, while its impressive building is an attraction by itself.
Today, Estoril Casino has so many great things to offer. First of all, there is an extremely generous offer of casino games. Of course, you may count on pretty much every kind of game, starting from roulette and numerous table games, including blackjack, baccarat, poker etc. Furthermore, there are over 200 one-armed bandits, for a complete casino experience.
The thing you should know about Estoril is that this establishment is much more than just a casino. There is so much content that you have to prepare yourself to spend several days exploring it completely.
One of the first places that come to mind is the famous Black and Silver Room (Salão Preto e Prata), which accommodates up to 1.000 visitors. It is a perfect venue for large banquets and conventions, and also a place where numerous concerts are held every year. It’s large and acoustic, while the visual impression it leaves on visitors is exquisite.
The Auditorium is a smaller and more exclusive place inside this casino. It accommodates 385 people and it is reserved for high-profile art forms, including cinema, jazz and classical music concerts, theatre etc. Of course, it also hosts congresses, meetings and other ceremonies.
Speaking of art, it’s hard not to mention the super-fine Art Gallery, which has been working since 1958. This special place has been home to so many exhibits, while the Gallery is currently focused on supporting promising artists from the fine arts universe.
Of course, it’s hard to have a good time without trying some amazing food. Luckily, this casino has four restaurants to offer. One of them is a Mandarin restaurant, which is pretty much at a world-class gastronomy level, according to experts, where you can taste over 100 specialties from this Chinese province. For those who are for a more relaxed atmosphere, there is the Zeno Lounge, a fusion restaurant, which offers a modern take on Brazilian and Italian cuisine.
If you’re not from Portugal, it may be a great idea to try its national cuisine. The Estoril Casino also includes Praia do Tamariz restaurant, located by the beach, with Portuguese and Spanish cuisine on the menu. Finally, there is the Bistro Restaurant, located in the privileged area, which focuses on the traditional Portuguese cuisine, which includes tons of season food.
It’s hard to imagine a proper casino without numerous bars. In Estoril, there are five of them. Those are Lounge D, Jackpot Bar, Blackjack Bar, Play Garden Bar, and Casablanca Bar. Finally, there are two discos – Jezebel and Tamariz. Unfortunately, the latter is temporarily closed.
What’s important to know about the casino is that there are also some restrictions. A good thing to know is that this casino requires only casual wear. In other words, you don’t need formal clothes to enter, but you won’t be allowed to enter if you wear things like flip-flops, shorts, T-shirts, hats etc.
Also, it’s good to know that the casino practices anti-smoking measures, which means that each casino room has separated areas for non-smokers, as well as areas where smoking is allowed.
Of course, the access is age-restricted and you must be over 18 to enter gambling areas. Furthermore, you must have an identification document with you. That can be a passport, ID card, driving license, residence permit, diplomatic card etc.
The Casino is open every day, between 3.00 PM and 3.00 AM. Not so long ago, things like EU COVID Digital Certificate or negative test for Covid-19 were required to access game areas. That’s no longer the case, and the only mandatory thing is a protection mask.