Driving from Lisbon/Itinerary
Sep 11th, 2007, 05:27 PM
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Driving from Lisbon/Itinerary
Boa noite!
I will be in Portugal next month. I plan on spending 3 nites in Lisboa. Then I plan on renting a car and driving for one nite to Evora. Then, I'm planning on back tracking, driving to Sintra for 2 nites. I fly out the next evening, so I have the whole day... don't have to be at the airport until 7ish. I was thinking of driving to Obidos for the day and then returning to the airport. First question... does this itinerary sound too crazy? Second question... will it be easier for me to pick up my car from the airport to drive to Evora, or, since I will be staying on Av. Libertidad, should I rent from an inner city office (in other words, will driving in the city trying to get out be hard and maybe it might be worth it to take the bus to the airport to rent the car?).
Obrigada,
debi
I will be in Portugal next month. I plan on spending 3 nites in Lisboa. Then I plan on renting a car and driving for one nite to Evora. Then, I'm planning on back tracking, driving to Sintra for 2 nites. I fly out the next evening, so I have the whole day... don't have to be at the airport until 7ish. I was thinking of driving to Obidos for the day and then returning to the airport. First question... does this itinerary sound too crazy? Second question... will it be easier for me to pick up my car from the airport to drive to Evora, or, since I will be staying on Av. Libertidad, should I rent from an inner city office (in other words, will driving in the city trying to get out be hard and maybe it might be worth it to take the bus to the airport to rent the car?).
Obrigada,
debi
Sep 12th, 2007, 07:15 AM
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Hi, debi,
I have a definite opinion on one of the questions you ask -- I think picking the car up at an in-town location and then dropping it off at the airport before your flight is the way to go. See Nikki's recent trip report for her discussion of the long lines at the Lisbon airport picking up a car. (there is no drop off fee for an in-city pick up and an airport return).
About the travel questions, this is a kind of scattered itinerary you propose, but if you are set on seeing those places, it certainly can be done. I've done all of those drives and none of them is more than several hours. One alternative would be to stay put in Lisbon for a day trip to Sintra on public transportation and then use the car for the other days' travel. As you undoubtedly know, Obidos is north of Lisbon and Evora is east. You can do a circle, and it would be a nice circle, up to Obidos, over through Tomar/Almourol/Marvao and then down to Evora, but the amount of time you have is just not enough.
If it were my call, I'd either drive north and visit Obidos/Nazare/Ericeira/Alcobaca/Tomar/Batalha or a subset of those. Or I'd drive east and spend my time in Evora and the Alentejo. You'll find lots of recommendations about both of those options here.
Boa viagem! LR
I have a definite opinion on one of the questions you ask -- I think picking the car up at an in-town location and then dropping it off at the airport before your flight is the way to go. See Nikki's recent trip report for her discussion of the long lines at the Lisbon airport picking up a car. (there is no drop off fee for an in-city pick up and an airport return).
About the travel questions, this is a kind of scattered itinerary you propose, but if you are set on seeing those places, it certainly can be done. I've done all of those drives and none of them is more than several hours. One alternative would be to stay put in Lisbon for a day trip to Sintra on public transportation and then use the car for the other days' travel. As you undoubtedly know, Obidos is north of Lisbon and Evora is east. You can do a circle, and it would be a nice circle, up to Obidos, over through Tomar/Almourol/Marvao and then down to Evora, but the amount of time you have is just not enough.
If it were my call, I'd either drive north and visit Obidos/Nazare/Ericeira/Alcobaca/Tomar/Batalha or a subset of those. Or I'd drive east and spend my time in Evora and the Alentejo. You'll find lots of recommendations about both of those options here.
Boa viagem! LR
Sep 12th, 2007, 03:42 PM
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LR --
Thanks for the response and I'm going to consider your suggestion. A friend of mine suggested spending two nights in Sintra rather than spending a day there commuting from Lisbon, but after reading the posts, it looks like the commute may be enough. So, I'm going to make another posting to get opinions on which direction I should go, north or east. Your preference?
Obrigada!
debi
Thanks for the response and I'm going to consider your suggestion. A friend of mine suggested spending two nights in Sintra rather than spending a day there commuting from Lisbon, but after reading the posts, it looks like the commute may be enough. So, I'm going to make another posting to get opinions on which direction I should go, north or east. Your preference?
Obrigada!
debi
Sep 13th, 2007, 06:40 AM
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Hi, debi,
Rather than tell you which route I'd choose (actually, I'm not sure, I love them both), I'll give you some initial reactions about the differences in the two.
If you want ocean and villages/towns on the coase, go north to Nazare and Ericeira.
If you like religious architecture, go north to Alcobaca, Tomar, Batalha (well, Evora does have its church lined with human bones and a cathedral,b ut I think most would say the north wins on this criterion).
If you like wide open spaces, views with endless horizons, fields with cork trees, castles up on hills with spectacular views, go east to Evoramonte, Marvao, Castelo de Vide. Stay at Casa de Terena in the small town of that name, a great B&B/inn well located for seeing the sights of the Alentejo area. (True, Obidos is a castle town, but it is far more touristy and disney-fied than the ones in the Alentejo. I think Obidos a great place to visit but between the two options, if you want castles, I'd head east).
If you covet an Arraiolos hand made rug, go east and stop in that town (its pousada is one of my favorites).
If you like pottery, head east to Redondo and Sao Pedro de Corval (although there is a trip report here that raves about a pottery place north of Lisbon, I just don't know it).
I'm sure there are other things that I've forgotten and others might jump in, but this is a start. LR
Rather than tell you which route I'd choose (actually, I'm not sure, I love them both), I'll give you some initial reactions about the differences in the two.
If you want ocean and villages/towns on the coase, go north to Nazare and Ericeira.
If you like religious architecture, go north to Alcobaca, Tomar, Batalha (well, Evora does have its church lined with human bones and a cathedral,b ut I think most would say the north wins on this criterion).
If you like wide open spaces, views with endless horizons, fields with cork trees, castles up on hills with spectacular views, go east to Evoramonte, Marvao, Castelo de Vide. Stay at Casa de Terena in the small town of that name, a great B&B/inn well located for seeing the sights of the Alentejo area. (True, Obidos is a castle town, but it is far more touristy and disney-fied than the ones in the Alentejo. I think Obidos a great place to visit but between the two options, if you want castles, I'd head east).
If you covet an Arraiolos hand made rug, go east and stop in that town (its pousada is one of my favorites).
If you like pottery, head east to Redondo and Sao Pedro de Corval (although there is a trip report here that raves about a pottery place north of Lisbon, I just don't know it).
I'm sure there are other things that I've forgotten and others might jump in, but this is a start. LR
Sep 14th, 2007, 10:53 AM
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Thanks for all of the great info, LR. Palaces, castles, churches and old walled cities are what I'm looking for. So, I think this is what I'm going to do... I'm going to spend my first 3 nites in Lisbon and really discover the city (and Belem). Then I'm going to spend two nites in Sintra. The 2nd day, I'm going to rent a car and drive to areas around Sintra and probably up to Obidos and back. After 2 nites in Sintra, I'm going to drive to Evora for the day and an overnight. I don't have to be at the airport the next day until 6:30 p.m. so I can either spend an extra day in Evora, or I may go to one of the other towns in the area before I go hop on the plane for my next adventure in Barcelona!! How does this sound for an itinerary? Which town around Evora do you recommend the most if I have the time to discover somplace else before turning back around to go to the airport? Thanks for all of your help!
debi
debi
Sep 17th, 2007, 05:03 AM
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Hi, Debi,
I think that the towns closest to Evora that you could squeeze into your timeframe would be Evoramonte (not much there except a really unusual castle with great views), maybe Estremoz (larger town, hilltop castle that's now a pousada), Arraiolos (probably the closest to Evora) or perhaps Vila Vicosa.
If you have to be back for a 6:30 p.m. flight, though, you are going to be on a tight timeline. The segunda circular, the highway that takes you to the airport is unpredictably stop and go at any time after 8 am, in my experience.
You should also check and see whether you're going to have a drop-off fee by picking up the car in Sintra and returning it to the airport.
Hope you have a wonderful trip.
I think that the towns closest to Evora that you could squeeze into your timeframe would be Evoramonte (not much there except a really unusual castle with great views), maybe Estremoz (larger town, hilltop castle that's now a pousada), Arraiolos (probably the closest to Evora) or perhaps Vila Vicosa.
If you have to be back for a 6:30 p.m. flight, though, you are going to be on a tight timeline. The segunda circular, the highway that takes you to the airport is unpredictably stop and go at any time after 8 am, in my experience.
You should also check and see whether you're going to have a drop-off fee by picking up the car in Sintra and returning it to the airport.
Hope you have a wonderful trip.
Sep 17th, 2007, 10:55 AM
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hi Debiness,
I've also done the driving throughout the area, but here is my recommendation, as well as the other fodorites, pick up the car in an inner city rental company with the option to returning the car at the airport.
Drive up north firts, towards Cascais, Nazare, Sintra, Fatima. Do stay in Sintra as it's a wonderful town, then drive inland towards Evora, but try to visit Amarante, Monzaraz, Evora and Evoramonte.
Have fun,
C
I've also done the driving throughout the area, but here is my recommendation, as well as the other fodorites, pick up the car in an inner city rental company with the option to returning the car at the airport.
Drive up north firts, towards Cascais, Nazare, Sintra, Fatima. Do stay in Sintra as it's a wonderful town, then drive inland towards Evora, but try to visit Amarante, Monzaraz, Evora and Evoramonte.
Have fun,
C
