TravelerKaren

We've always gotten such great help from this forum when planning our European trips and are hoping some of you can provide some feedback on our May 2016 planned trip to Portugal. We have booked our flights (using miles) so will be flying into and out of Lisbon. We arrive late evening so have 14 days on the ground.

We like a combination of city and smaller towns but prefer staying someplace where we can walk to restaurants. After reviewing some itineraries, we've started putting together some options. If you have 14 days in Portugal, how would you spend them? Are we spending too much time in Lisbon?
Should we plan an overnight stop in Tomar?

This is what we put together but are open to other suggestions.
Day 1 - Arrive Lisbon PM
Day 2 - Lisbon
Day 3 - Lisbon
Day 4 - Lisbon (day trip to Sintra)
Day 5 - Lisbon (Belem)
Day 6 - Pick up car and drive to Evora (stop at Montemor on way)
Day 7 - Evora
Day 8 - Obidos (day trip to Alcobaca, Batalha)
Day 9 - Obidos (day trip to Nazare)
Day 10 - Drive to Coimbra (stop at Tomar on the way)
Day 11 - Coimbra
Day 12 - Drive to Porto and drop car
Day 13 - Porto
Day 14 - Porto
Day 15 - Train from Porto to Lisbon
Day 16 - Lisbon-->Home

sandralist

Personally I think you are giving too much time to Coimbra -- which is a rewarding stop with more than one point of interest, so I'm definitely not discouraging you from visiting. But were it me, I would spend only one night there and move on to Porto sooner -- which is a rich destination for exploration, full of surprised not mentioned in guidebooks.

TravelerKaren

Thank you sandralist.

We were planning 2 nights since we really only have 1 day there as we were planning to stop at Tomar on the way and wouldn't get there until late.

Would you stay 1 night in Tomar and 1 night in Coimbra? Or do you think 1 night in Coimbra would allow us enough time to visit Tomar on the way from Obidos and also see Coimbra?

MyriamC

Agree with sandralist. Otherwise, perfect itinerary!

sandralist

I'm sorry I can't be of much specific help because I've not been to Tomar.

Do you want to see more than the library/university and the Roman site? I am thinking that if you go directly to the university in the morning and get your ticket to see the library, and then have lunch in the center of Coimbra, you can return to your car and visit the Roman site on your way out of town.

If you think that won't give you enough time to get to Porto and drop off the rental car before the rental office closes, then consider dropping the car off at the Porto airport and taking a taxi into town.

Or, maybe find out if it is possible to drop off the car in Coimbra and then take the train to Porto.

sandralist

In case it wasn't clear, I was asking what you wanted to see in Coimbra (not Tomar)

yestravel

Nice itinerary! We were in Portugal for a month in 2014 -- wonderful country. I agree, I would consider more time in Porto. I think you have time to visit Tomar and arrive in the evening in Coimbra. Nearby in Luso is Bussaco forest which is worth exploring if you like such things. http://www.bussacopalace.com/en/bussaco-forest.html. In the area is some of the best pork I have ever eaten and I'm not really much of a pork eater.

jdcorrea1988

I was in Lisbon last year, I loved it! I would suggest you visit Bairro Alto. The most unique neighborhood in the city. The neighborhood is very lively filled with music and art. It also has a great view.

lauramsgarden

Hi Travelerkaren, that sounds almost exactly like our itinerary from two years ago. I might add another night to Evora so you have time to also visit the standing stones and Arreilos. We didn't visit Coimbra, but very close and absolutely magical was Hotel Bussaco with its enchanted forest and Napoleonic battlefield. We loved Obidos and it is a great base for exploring the area - I would add a night there. And we also loved Tomar though we stopped on the way from Porto to Obidos and one day was enough. I know I'm a minority on this forum, but we did not like Porto - maybe it was just a bad weather day and everywhere we went seemed to be closing just when we got there. I would go to Guimarres or the Duero valley instead. I wrote some fairly extensive trip reports with hotel and restaurant recommendations so feel free to check them out. Have a great trip.

TravelerKaren

Wow, thanks for all the great feedback. We will look at revising this to one night in Coimbra.

Sandralist: Yes, our intent was to see the University and Roman sites. Sounds like we should also look into dropping the car in Coimbra and taking the train to Porto. I hadn't thought of that.

yestravel: Thanks for your input. Sounds like the consensus is to add more time in Porto and eliminate a night in Coimbra.

jdcorrea: We do plan to visit Bairro Alto while in Lisbon. We were going to check out hotels/apts in that area.

lauramsgarden: Thanks, I will check out your trip report. I've read lots of good things about Porto so didn't want to miss it.

welltraveledbrit

We spent a month in Lisbon two years ago and visited a number of the places you mentioned. We enjoyed Alcobaca and Batalha for their architectural and historical interest but it was rathe one stop shopping for us. Karen Brown has a good driving itinerary in her Portugal book which might be worth checking out from the library.

I've covered much of what we saw on my blog which you may find useful.
http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/search/label/Portugal

TravelerKaren

welltraveledbrit: I will check out your trip report. I've read your London trip report when planning our recent visit there (we just returned end of Sept). Such great detail! I will also check out Karen Brown's book too. Thanks for the tips.

welltraveledbrit

Hi Karen, glad the London stuff was helpful!

yestravel

If you are thinking of changing your original itin I would definitely include the Duoro Valley - it is simply lovely. Probably the prettiest part of Portugal. We were also there in May and the flowers and hills were just beautiful. Portugal has so many places to visit, it really is hard to select what to visit.

nina88

welltraveledbrit, your apt. in Lisbon looks nice and what we're looking for 2 beds/2 baths. Would appreciate it if you can share more info about... name, website, etc. Thank you.

welltraveledbrit

Hi Nina,
Here's the link to the place we stayed.
http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p878701

I think the reviews say almost all you'd need to know. The owner is very easy to deal with and responsive. We loved the location it's just so central but also charming, the flat is large. The neighborhood is hopping most nights a week but the bedrooms are in the back of the building and we had no problems with noise. I'm not sure when you're going but the heating is somewhat inefficient and they mainly used space heaters. The kitchen is very well equipped - Nespresso plus lots of gadgets etc. This was very useful to us as we were there for a month.

One of the bedrooms is far superior to the other (larger) and the bathrooms are not ensuite. Both are simple but attractive. It wasn't a problem for us as we only had short term guests. The outdoor space isn't great, it's in the center of the building and so doesn't get much light, think light well. but it creates lots of interior windows which is nice.

I'm giving you some of the drawbacks but overall we very much enjoyed our stay. I loved looking down on the street life and we enjoyed the space and location the apartment afforded.

Fyi there's a link on the blog.
http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/2012/...irro-alto.html

Hope this helps!

lobo_mau

Some suggestions:
- Day 6 - Pick up car and drive to evora (stop at Arraiolos on way instead of Montemor). Montemor is ok, but I'd stop in Arraiolos (Laura's suggestion). Arraiolos in the land of hand made tapestry, very much a family oriented business. Outside Arraiolos (1 mile or so, the Pousada's chapel has some of the finest azulejos in Portugal).
- I'd add a day to Évora and visit Tomar in the way to Obidos. That extra day could be used to a side visit to Monsaraz. Monsaraz is a very authentic middle age castle. Sao Bento do Corval in the base of Monsaraz hill is to pottery what Arraiolos is to tapestry. Convent of Christ and Templar Castle require half a day but it's doable in transit from Evora to Obidos.
- Day 9 - Obidos (day trip to Tomar) - It doesn't make a lot of sense visiting Nazare and returning back to Obidos, since it is on the way from Obidos to Coimbra.
- I wish you could visit Marvao and Bussaco. Marvao is a little out of you way and it might be difficult to fit. As referred above Bussaco is a sacred land since Napoleonic army was badly kick in the *** there (around 1811). Consider swap Coimbra night by a night in Hotel do Bussaco (google it).
- I don't know if you have made your reservations. In the Alentejo, consider staying in a farm (google "turismo rural" or "turismo de habitacao", the equivalent to italian "agroturismo"), instead of a regular hotel.
- Obidos is quite disneyesque imho. However it might be worth staying there, because it's premium location in the crossroad of major highways.

nina88

Thank you very much, welltraveledbrit esp. the info re heating as we will be in Lisbon end of Nov. Will have to research more on the heating situation.

nina88

Ooops, welltraveledbrit, just read your blog and now just realized you were in Lisbon in January which will be much colder than November. Was the heating adequate in Jan.?

nina88

Oooops again, welltraveledbrit...just noted your comment about the insufficient heating, thanks. Sorry, TravelerKaren for hijacking your post, promise this will be the last one. Appreciate it if someone can comment on the location, etc. of another apartment we are considering located at Rue de S. Juliao, Caisas de Baixa-Jules & Madeiline. Thank you.