Portugal Trip Report
Jun 12th, 2006, 12:33 PM
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Portugal Trip Report
My husband and I just returned from a fabulous 15-day trip to Portugal. We really enjoyed the beautiful sights and scenery, delicious food, and wonderful Portuguese people. We had such a wonderful time and I hope that this report can help with your upcoming trips. Our itinerary worked well for us, it was a good pace.
I will complete my report in sections; starting with our itinerary, flight info, and Lisbon hotel accommodations…
Portugal Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive in Lisbon, sleep in Lisbon
Day 2: Tour Belem; sleep in Lisbon
Day 3: Tour Sintra; sleep in Lisbon
Day 4: Pick up rental car and drive to Salema; sleep in Salema
Day 5: Tour Lagos, Cape Sagres, Cape St. Vincent; sleep in Salema
Day 6: Pottery in Redondo, Tour Evora; sleep in Evora
Day 7: Drive to Obidos and tour; sleep in Obidos
Day 8: Drive to Nazare and tour; sleep in Nazare
Day 9: Tour Alcobaca, Pottery stop, Batalha, Fatima; sleep in Coimbra
Day 10: Tour Coimbra; sleep in Coimbra
Day 11: Tour some of Douro Valley, return rental car in Porto; sleep in Porto
Day 12: Tour Porto; sleep in Porto
Day 13: Tour Porto; sleep in Porto
Day 14: Train back to Lisbon, tour more of Lisbon; sleep in Lisbon
Day 15: Tour more of Lisbon; sleep in
Day 16: Return to USA
Flights:
Our flights, through Continental Airlines, went very smoothly and without a single delay. We flew from BWI to Newark to Lisbon.
Taxi ride from airport to hotel (near Rossio Square):
Make sure that the taxi driver turns on his meter. Later on, we learned that our ride should have cost about 10 E, but our driver charged us about 25 E. Live and learn
Lisbon Hotel Accommodations:
Hotel: Pensao Residencial Geres
Website: http://cb2web.com/geres/index-en.shtml
Price: 60 E for double room with private bath
Pensao Geres is a wonderful choice if you’re looking for budget accommodations in Lisbon. It’s a very clean, safe, family-owned pension located centrally off of Rossio Square. With the inexpensive price tag, there are some amenities you will not receive such as an in-room safe and continental breakfast. I also strongly recommend earplugs since the street noise was very loud – this may have more to do with the location than the pension.
Some photos can be found at: http://www.baileytravels.shutterfly.com
Note: You do NOT have to sign up on shutterfly to view the album. I’ll continue to add photos as I update my report.
I will complete my report in sections; starting with our itinerary, flight info, and Lisbon hotel accommodations…
Portugal Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive in Lisbon, sleep in Lisbon
Day 2: Tour Belem; sleep in Lisbon
Day 3: Tour Sintra; sleep in Lisbon
Day 4: Pick up rental car and drive to Salema; sleep in Salema
Day 5: Tour Lagos, Cape Sagres, Cape St. Vincent; sleep in Salema
Day 6: Pottery in Redondo, Tour Evora; sleep in Evora
Day 7: Drive to Obidos and tour; sleep in Obidos
Day 8: Drive to Nazare and tour; sleep in Nazare
Day 9: Tour Alcobaca, Pottery stop, Batalha, Fatima; sleep in Coimbra
Day 10: Tour Coimbra; sleep in Coimbra
Day 11: Tour some of Douro Valley, return rental car in Porto; sleep in Porto
Day 12: Tour Porto; sleep in Porto
Day 13: Tour Porto; sleep in Porto
Day 14: Train back to Lisbon, tour more of Lisbon; sleep in Lisbon
Day 15: Tour more of Lisbon; sleep in
Day 16: Return to USA
Flights:
Our flights, through Continental Airlines, went very smoothly and without a single delay. We flew from BWI to Newark to Lisbon.
Taxi ride from airport to hotel (near Rossio Square):
Make sure that the taxi driver turns on his meter. Later on, we learned that our ride should have cost about 10 E, but our driver charged us about 25 E. Live and learn
Lisbon Hotel Accommodations:
Hotel: Pensao Residencial Geres
Website: http://cb2web.com/geres/index-en.shtml
Price: 60 E for double room with private bath
Pensao Geres is a wonderful choice if you’re looking for budget accommodations in Lisbon. It’s a very clean, safe, family-owned pension located centrally off of Rossio Square. With the inexpensive price tag, there are some amenities you will not receive such as an in-room safe and continental breakfast. I also strongly recommend earplugs since the street noise was very loud – this may have more to do with the location than the pension.
Some photos can be found at: http://www.baileytravels.shutterfly.com
Note: You do NOT have to sign up on shutterfly to view the album. I’ll continue to add photos as I update my report.
Jun 12th, 2006, 01:05 PM
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Hi bailey6325,
Isn't Portugal fabulous!
We are heading to Algarve in 3 weeks and looking forward to it immensly, however we have not yet been to Lisbon, but it looks great from your pics. Thanks for sharing.
Taxi drivers....grrrrrrrrrrrrr I dislike them immensly.
Muck
Isn't Portugal fabulous!
We are heading to Algarve in 3 weeks and looking forward to it immensly, however we have not yet been to Lisbon, but it looks great from your pics. Thanks for sharing.
Taxi drivers....grrrrrrrrrrrrr I dislike them immensly.
Muck
Jun 12th, 2006, 03:30 PM
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I'm looking forward to the rest of your report, sounds like you had a great trip. We are going in July, and will be in many of the same places, but I'll wait till after you post your report to ask questions. I am glad to hear your Continental flight from Newark was good as we will be on that flight too. Can't wait to see the photos.
Jun 12th, 2006, 06:13 PM
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Good work Jen, look foward to reading all about it, though I already know most of what you guys got up to. Especially looking foward to all the photos and it was a good idea to document the hotel in such detail.
Take care and speak soon,
Matt
Take care and speak soon,
Matt
Jun 13th, 2006, 05:56 AM
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Here's the next section of my trip report that I've managed to finish... Please be sure to check out my link to the photos - I've added more.
Lisbon Activities:
Day 1: We were checked into our hotel by about 10 am. After taking short naps, we set off for Tram #28 to explore the Alfama. We began our tour at Sao Jorge Castelo and from there we spent the rest of the afternoon strolling through the twisted, cobblestone streets of the Alfama.
Day 2: We started off our day by strolling through the streets of the Baixa. After spending a couple of hours in the Baixa, we took a short cab ride to Belem. The Lisbon Dining Club was to meet tonight at Pateo da Memoria. Our meeting point was in Belem, so my husband and I decided to spend the afternoon touring the Monastery of Jeronimos, Belem Tower, and the Monument of the Discoveries. Of course, we also stopped by Casa Pasteis de Belem to sample some of their amazing pastries. We ended our evening with a fabulous dining and fado performance with the Lisbon Dining Club.
Day 3: Today, we took the train from Lisbon into Sintra for the day to explore the National Palace, Pena Palace, and the Moorish castle. Getting to Sintra was easy. We caught a cab from Rossio Square to the Sete Rios station, descended the stairs into the station and bought our train tickets at the green CP vending machine, and then caught the Sintra train from platform Linha 2 located upstairs in the station. The trip costs about 3 E roundtrip per person and took about 35 minutes.
The sights in Sintra really are beautiful. I really enjoyed walking through the palaces, which are beautifully maintained with very detailed descriptions and signs. I think it’s very important to visit Sintra during the week when crowds are at their minimum. We made the mistake of going on a Sunday and there were many tour groups and Bus #434 that takes you up to Pena Palace was very hot and crowded. Also, my husband and I really enjoyed walking down through the woods, on the rugged stone path, from the Moorish Castle rather than taking the bus back down. Some people may not like the 40-minute hike, but the path comes out at Rampa do Castelo, in a more “non-touristy” area of Sintra. We enjoyed that time away from the crowds.
Lisbon restaurants we enjoyed:
Pastelaria Suica: We stopped here numerous times for light breakfasts and lunches since it was located so close to our hotel. Here, you have the option of prepaying and eating at the counter, eating in their dining room, or eating outside on their patio alongside Rossio Square. We usually ate at the counter since these prices were much cheaper than eating outside or in their dining room (they had 3 menus depending on where you sat).
Bonjardim: This restaurant is located on the “eating lane” near our hotel and is one of the restaurants known for their roast chickens. They really were delicious and we enjoyed sitting at their outdoor tables (I think they also have different prices based where you sit – I think this was pretty typically at most restaurants).
Cervejaria da Trinidade: Later on in our trip, my husband and I ate here with Matt on our last evening in Portugal. Matt has a very detailed review of this restaurant in his LDC reviews, so I won’t talk too much about it other than that our meals were very good and that I really enjoyed the restaurant’s ambience and tiled decor. Of course, the best part of the dinner was the company!
More photos have been added to: http://www.baileytravels.shutterfly.com
Note: You do NOT have to sign up on shutterfly to view the album. I’ll continue to add photos as I update my report.
Lisbon Activities:
Day 1: We were checked into our hotel by about 10 am. After taking short naps, we set off for Tram #28 to explore the Alfama. We began our tour at Sao Jorge Castelo and from there we spent the rest of the afternoon strolling through the twisted, cobblestone streets of the Alfama.
Day 2: We started off our day by strolling through the streets of the Baixa. After spending a couple of hours in the Baixa, we took a short cab ride to Belem. The Lisbon Dining Club was to meet tonight at Pateo da Memoria. Our meeting point was in Belem, so my husband and I decided to spend the afternoon touring the Monastery of Jeronimos, Belem Tower, and the Monument of the Discoveries. Of course, we also stopped by Casa Pasteis de Belem to sample some of their amazing pastries. We ended our evening with a fabulous dining and fado performance with the Lisbon Dining Club.
Day 3: Today, we took the train from Lisbon into Sintra for the day to explore the National Palace, Pena Palace, and the Moorish castle. Getting to Sintra was easy. We caught a cab from Rossio Square to the Sete Rios station, descended the stairs into the station and bought our train tickets at the green CP vending machine, and then caught the Sintra train from platform Linha 2 located upstairs in the station. The trip costs about 3 E roundtrip per person and took about 35 minutes.
The sights in Sintra really are beautiful. I really enjoyed walking through the palaces, which are beautifully maintained with very detailed descriptions and signs. I think it’s very important to visit Sintra during the week when crowds are at their minimum. We made the mistake of going on a Sunday and there were many tour groups and Bus #434 that takes you up to Pena Palace was very hot and crowded. Also, my husband and I really enjoyed walking down through the woods, on the rugged stone path, from the Moorish Castle rather than taking the bus back down. Some people may not like the 40-minute hike, but the path comes out at Rampa do Castelo, in a more “non-touristy” area of Sintra. We enjoyed that time away from the crowds.
Lisbon restaurants we enjoyed:
Pastelaria Suica: We stopped here numerous times for light breakfasts and lunches since it was located so close to our hotel. Here, you have the option of prepaying and eating at the counter, eating in their dining room, or eating outside on their patio alongside Rossio Square. We usually ate at the counter since these prices were much cheaper than eating outside or in their dining room (they had 3 menus depending on where you sat).
Bonjardim: This restaurant is located on the “eating lane” near our hotel and is one of the restaurants known for their roast chickens. They really were delicious and we enjoyed sitting at their outdoor tables (I think they also have different prices based where you sit – I think this was pretty typically at most restaurants).
Cervejaria da Trinidade: Later on in our trip, my husband and I ate here with Matt on our last evening in Portugal. Matt has a very detailed review of this restaurant in his LDC reviews, so I won’t talk too much about it other than that our meals were very good and that I really enjoyed the restaurant’s ambience and tiled decor. Of course, the best part of the dinner was the company!
More photos have been added to: http://www.baileytravels.shutterfly.com
Note: You do NOT have to sign up on shutterfly to view the album. I’ll continue to add photos as I update my report.
Jun 13th, 2006, 06:07 AM
#7
Thanks for posting this. I am embarking on a trip to Lisbon quite unexpectedly next month and am playing catch-up reading things to do. Hoping to enjoy some of the same fine company you did while I'm there.
Jun 13th, 2006, 06:59 AM
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Jen the photos are getting better - that image of the tram infront of Se Cathedral is such a typical image and the shot you have of Sintra's moorish castle really shows how alone on the rocks it is.
Enjoying the read,
Matt
Enjoying the read,
Matt
Jun 13th, 2006, 11:52 AM
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And so the trip report continues…
Day 4 – Pick up rental car and drive to Salema: Today, we left Lisbon and headed to Salema in the western Algarve. First, we took a cab to the airport to pick-up our rental car. Our rental car experience could not have gone any smoother – I have nothing but outstanding things to say about Carjet and Budget. I booked our rental car through www.carjet.com about a month or so before our trip. I reserved a PTS10 Opel Astra Automatic with A/C for 8 days at the price of 415 E including an additional driver and insurance excess buy-out. Carjet hooked us up with Budget and we received a very cute and comfortable Mercedes A150 hatchback that drove very well and had plenty of trunk space for our two 20-inch rolling suitcases and two backpacks. Budget gave the car to us with a full tank of gas and we were responsible for returning it to them with a full tank. The customer service we received at Budget was outstanding. The young lady at the desk, as well as the two young ladies on the car lot, went well above the call of duty in explaining our rental agreement and giving us directions to the Algarve.
Driving in Portugal: Before leaving for our trip, I was apprehensive about driving in Portugal due to some of the posts I have read. Based on our experience, which does not involve driving in the cities of Lisbon and Porto, we found that driving in Portugal was a breeze. Other than tailgating, we had no problems with other drivers. We also found the road conditions to be excellent. In order to navigate our way around Portugal, I used a combination of directions I printed from www.viamichelin.com, a Michelin map of Portugal, and road signs. I found that viamichelin was a great resource for estimating gas and toll costs and that nothing could replace the good, old-fashioned Michelin map for getting us from Point A to Point B. For the most part, we did not have any problems finding our way between the different towns.
Our trip, on the toll highway, from Lisbon to Salema took about 3.5 hours.
Salema Accommodations: Pension Mare
Website: http://www.algarve.co.uk/
Price: 65 E per night with private bath & continental breakfast
We enjoyed our two-night stay at Pension Mare. We chose to stay in a small room (#6) since it had a beautiful view of the ocean and beach. My husband and I really enjoyed the innkeepers and the B&B-like feel of Pension Mare.
Salema Activities:
We spent our first evening in Salema, on Day 4, relaxing and enjoying the beach environment. We took this time to unwind from all of the sightseeing we had done while in Lisbon and Sintra. Salema is nice because it’s not too touristy. It’s kind of shared between the local fishermen and the tourists.
On Day 5, we drove to Lagos, Sagres, Cape Sagres, and Cape St. Vincent. The cliffs along the beaches were spectacular.
Salema Dining:
Mira Mar: My husband and I had our favorite meal in Salema here on Day 5. My meal consisted of garlic prawns with peri peri and a garden salad while my husband had their pork cutlet served with a very good dipping sauce, a garden salad, and sautéed potatoes. Their food was excellent and I really enjoyed their location, right near the beach.
Atlantico: On Day 4, my husband and I ate our dinner here and tried their cataplana and grilled swordfish. Both entrees were very good. We also enjoyed their gelatos.
Carapau Frances: This restaurant is owned by a Greek/French couple and serves Greek and French food. Our pizzas that we ate here were very good.
Once again, more photos have been added to:http://www.baileytravels.shutterfly.com
Day 4 – Pick up rental car and drive to Salema: Today, we left Lisbon and headed to Salema in the western Algarve. First, we took a cab to the airport to pick-up our rental car. Our rental car experience could not have gone any smoother – I have nothing but outstanding things to say about Carjet and Budget. I booked our rental car through www.carjet.com about a month or so before our trip. I reserved a PTS10 Opel Astra Automatic with A/C for 8 days at the price of 415 E including an additional driver and insurance excess buy-out. Carjet hooked us up with Budget and we received a very cute and comfortable Mercedes A150 hatchback that drove very well and had plenty of trunk space for our two 20-inch rolling suitcases and two backpacks. Budget gave the car to us with a full tank of gas and we were responsible for returning it to them with a full tank. The customer service we received at Budget was outstanding. The young lady at the desk, as well as the two young ladies on the car lot, went well above the call of duty in explaining our rental agreement and giving us directions to the Algarve.
Driving in Portugal: Before leaving for our trip, I was apprehensive about driving in Portugal due to some of the posts I have read. Based on our experience, which does not involve driving in the cities of Lisbon and Porto, we found that driving in Portugal was a breeze. Other than tailgating, we had no problems with other drivers. We also found the road conditions to be excellent. In order to navigate our way around Portugal, I used a combination of directions I printed from www.viamichelin.com, a Michelin map of Portugal, and road signs. I found that viamichelin was a great resource for estimating gas and toll costs and that nothing could replace the good, old-fashioned Michelin map for getting us from Point A to Point B. For the most part, we did not have any problems finding our way between the different towns.
Our trip, on the toll highway, from Lisbon to Salema took about 3.5 hours.
Salema Accommodations: Pension Mare
Website: http://www.algarve.co.uk/
Price: 65 E per night with private bath & continental breakfast
We enjoyed our two-night stay at Pension Mare. We chose to stay in a small room (#6) since it had a beautiful view of the ocean and beach. My husband and I really enjoyed the innkeepers and the B&B-like feel of Pension Mare.
Salema Activities:
We spent our first evening in Salema, on Day 4, relaxing and enjoying the beach environment. We took this time to unwind from all of the sightseeing we had done while in Lisbon and Sintra. Salema is nice because it’s not too touristy. It’s kind of shared between the local fishermen and the tourists.
On Day 5, we drove to Lagos, Sagres, Cape Sagres, and Cape St. Vincent. The cliffs along the beaches were spectacular.
Salema Dining:
Mira Mar: My husband and I had our favorite meal in Salema here on Day 5. My meal consisted of garlic prawns with peri peri and a garden salad while my husband had their pork cutlet served with a very good dipping sauce, a garden salad, and sautéed potatoes. Their food was excellent and I really enjoyed their location, right near the beach.
Atlantico: On Day 4, my husband and I ate our dinner here and tried their cataplana and grilled swordfish. Both entrees were very good. We also enjoyed their gelatos.
Carapau Frances: This restaurant is owned by a Greek/French couple and serves Greek and French food. Our pizzas that we ate here were very good.
Once again, more photos have been added to:http://www.baileytravels.shutterfly.com
Jun 13th, 2006, 04:22 PM
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Your photos are getting me really excited for our trip - we leave in just over 3 weeks. A question for you - now that you've been to Sintra are you glad you went by train rather than once you had the car? I just can't decide. We were planning on going on our last day with the car, before returning it in Lisbon. But if it's more of a hassel (and more expense?) to park a car than to take the train, we could always just drive past Sinta (we'll be coming from Obidos) to Lisbon half a day early and then do a day trip. What do you think?
Jun 13th, 2006, 04:36 PM
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Jen,
Your pictures are FABULOUS! We were at all the same places as you in Lisbon, but your pictures look like they belong in a travel magazine! I'm not even posting the remaining pictures I had planned to share--no need. I love looking at you photos, I feel like I'm back there in Portugal again.
Lyn
Your pictures are FABULOUS! We were at all the same places as you in Lisbon, but your pictures look like they belong in a travel magazine! I'm not even posting the remaining pictures I had planned to share--no need. I love looking at you photos, I feel like I'm back there in Portugal again.
Lyn
Jun 13th, 2006, 05:34 PM
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Thank you so much for the kind words regarding my photos. I really hope that my report and photos can be some help since I have received so much assistance on these boards for our trip.
Isabel: In our case, taking the train from Lisbon to Sintra worked out beautifully. But, if I were in your situation, I would be tempted and do as you originally plan and drive to Sintra since you will be passing by on your way to Lisbon. It would be different if Sintra was a large city where it was difficult to drive in and parking was expensive. Perhaps Matt and Lobo could give you info on driving to and parking in Sintra - maybe they have done it?
Isabel: In our case, taking the train from Lisbon to Sintra worked out beautifully. But, if I were in your situation, I would be tempted and do as you originally plan and drive to Sintra since you will be passing by on your way to Lisbon. It would be different if Sintra was a large city where it was difficult to drive in and parking was expensive. Perhaps Matt and Lobo could give you info on driving to and parking in Sintra - maybe they have done it?
Jun 14th, 2006, 03:04 AM
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WOW. Beautiful pictures!!! I see you did your homework, which is more than halfway to success.
Jenn and Greg, I think that your itinerary is a case study for anybody with 2 weeks available willing to get a 1st picture about Portugal in a cost effective way.
But don't forget you haven't seen it all, and we expect that you could return some day
Jenn and Greg, I think that your itinerary is a case study for anybody with 2 weeks available willing to get a 1st picture about Portugal in a cost effective way.
But don't forget you haven't seen it all, and we expect that you could return some day
Jun 14th, 2006, 03:16 AM
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bailey: what a great report, not sure I can follow that! I know I will have no photos. I have to have my husband look at that shutterfly. Thanks for sharing I know that is a lot of work but it takes us all there again!
We had no problems driving either but that tailgating is nervracking! Since my husband is the map reader, I did most of the driving including in Porto - we did not drive in Lisbon.
Isabel we drove into Sintra and found parking on the street fairly easily before we could find the hotel. We did stay over night so then could park at the hotel but left the car there and taxied to the sights. Walking and a bus are the other options but we felt pressed for time. With a car you could also go to Cabo Raso and the interesting drive, sights further out of Sintra.
We had no problems driving either but that tailgating is nervracking! Since my husband is the map reader, I did most of the driving including in Porto - we did not drive in Lisbon.
Isabel we drove into Sintra and found parking on the street fairly easily before we could find the hotel. We did stay over night so then could park at the hotel but left the car there and taxied to the sights. Walking and a bus are the other options but we felt pressed for time. With a car you could also go to Cabo Raso and the interesting drive, sights further out of Sintra.
Jun 14th, 2006, 06:18 AM
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This section covers Day 6 - pottery shopping in Redondo and sightseeing in Evora. Boy was the Alentejo goregous!
Day 6: Today, we woke up bright early and made our way from Salema to Evora, with a stop in Redondo for pottery. The drive from Salema to Redondo took about 3.5 hours and was one of the highlights of our trip. At this point, we were very happy that we had a rental car so that we could drive ourselves through the Alentejo and witness the beautiful sights and smells that the fields of grapevines, olive trees, and cork trees offered. The drives through the Alentejo and the Douro Valley (later on in our trip) were our most scenic drives. Also, driving past Evora to Redondo was a good opportunity to see some of the smaller villages and towns in the area. Lobo, you are right – our trip gave us a great taste of Portugal and when we get a chance to return, we plan to spend more time in the Alentejo.
Pottery Stop in Redondo: We didn’t have enough time to spend the entire day in Redondo, so we only made one pottery stop and that was at Olaria Pirraca since I had read good reviews about them on this board. In the end, I only purchased my pottery in 3 different stores/factories - Olaria Pirraca, Olaria Vale Coelho near Alcobaca, and a small gift shop in Coimbra. I am happy that I resisted buying pieces in Lisbon or other more touristy areas because I found the prices to be outstanding and the selection to be excellent at Olaria Pirraca and Olaria Vale Coelho (I noticed that the prices for the Coimbra pottery didn’t vary greatly between areas or sources – it was all pretty expensive). I’ll talk more about Olaria Vale Coelho, near Alcobaca, later on in my trip report – it turned out to be my favorite pottery stop.
Evora: It took us about 30 minutes to get to Evora from Redondo. We had no problems finding our hotel, Pensao Policarpo, since there were excellent signs posted throughout Evora for our hotel. Thank goodness! We found the cobblestone streets in Evora to be a maze.
Evora Accommodations: Pensao Policarpo
Website: http://www.pensaopolicarpo.com/
Price: 55 E per night w/ private bath and continental breakfast
Pensao Policarpo is a 16th century nobleman’s mansion and is filled with character and charm. It’s centrally located near the university and just steps away from all of the sights. Our room was very simple and basic.
Evora Activities: We spent our afternoon exploring the Roman Temple, Cathedral, Church of St. Francis and the Chapel of Bones, the main square, and the many shops throughout the town.
Evora Dining: We had an excellent dinner at Restaurante Cervejaria Fialho. We took Matt and Lobo’s advice – I had pork bits with clams and DH had secrets of the black pig. Both meals were delicious.
Once again, I’ve updated my photos:http://www.baileytravels.shutterfly.com
Day 6: Today, we woke up bright early and made our way from Salema to Evora, with a stop in Redondo for pottery. The drive from Salema to Redondo took about 3.5 hours and was one of the highlights of our trip. At this point, we were very happy that we had a rental car so that we could drive ourselves through the Alentejo and witness the beautiful sights and smells that the fields of grapevines, olive trees, and cork trees offered. The drives through the Alentejo and the Douro Valley (later on in our trip) were our most scenic drives. Also, driving past Evora to Redondo was a good opportunity to see some of the smaller villages and towns in the area. Lobo, you are right – our trip gave us a great taste of Portugal and when we get a chance to return, we plan to spend more time in the Alentejo.
Pottery Stop in Redondo: We didn’t have enough time to spend the entire day in Redondo, so we only made one pottery stop and that was at Olaria Pirraca since I had read good reviews about them on this board. In the end, I only purchased my pottery in 3 different stores/factories - Olaria Pirraca, Olaria Vale Coelho near Alcobaca, and a small gift shop in Coimbra. I am happy that I resisted buying pieces in Lisbon or other more touristy areas because I found the prices to be outstanding and the selection to be excellent at Olaria Pirraca and Olaria Vale Coelho (I noticed that the prices for the Coimbra pottery didn’t vary greatly between areas or sources – it was all pretty expensive). I’ll talk more about Olaria Vale Coelho, near Alcobaca, later on in my trip report – it turned out to be my favorite pottery stop.
Evora: It took us about 30 minutes to get to Evora from Redondo. We had no problems finding our hotel, Pensao Policarpo, since there were excellent signs posted throughout Evora for our hotel. Thank goodness! We found the cobblestone streets in Evora to be a maze.
Evora Accommodations: Pensao Policarpo
Website: http://www.pensaopolicarpo.com/
Price: 55 E per night w/ private bath and continental breakfast
Pensao Policarpo is a 16th century nobleman’s mansion and is filled with character and charm. It’s centrally located near the university and just steps away from all of the sights. Our room was very simple and basic.
Evora Activities: We spent our afternoon exploring the Roman Temple, Cathedral, Church of St. Francis and the Chapel of Bones, the main square, and the many shops throughout the town.
Evora Dining: We had an excellent dinner at Restaurante Cervejaria Fialho. We took Matt and Lobo’s advice – I had pork bits with clams and DH had secrets of the black pig. Both meals were delicious.
Once again, I’ve updated my photos:http://www.baileytravels.shutterfly.com
Jun 14th, 2006, 09:16 AM
#19
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Bailey, I am really enjoying your trip report. I am one of those who recommended the pottery store in Redondo, and I look forward to your description of the shop near Alcobaca, which I do not know. And by the way, you're right the Coimbra pottery is expensive, but I found one factory store that seemed to have cheaper prices with the same high quality as many of the expensive stores in Coimbra. The place I went to was actually out of Coimbra, in Condeixa a Nova (about 12 km south?), where there is a nice pousada and some very interesting Roman ruins (Conimbriga). The name of the store is Nazari, and it is very close to pousada on the road that comes off the highway – as you leave the pousada, turn right, take your first right down the hill, turn right again, and it’s just a few hundred feet on the right side of the road past the traffic circle (phone is (351) 239-945-500). It has a website, too: http://www.nazari.pt
Thanks again for the report! LR
Thanks again for the report! LR
Jun 14th, 2006, 12:13 PM
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lreynold – that’s a great tip about the Coimbra pottery. I did find that the piece I bought in Coimbra was cheaper than if I had bought it in Lisbon, but it would have been nice to have found a store like the one you mentioned while I was there.
And here’s the next section of my report that covers Obidos…
Day 7: We chose to not take the toll highway from Evora to Obidos and we were rewarded with some of the great scenery we had seen the day before. Our drive took us about 3.5 hours.
Obidos Accommodations: Estalagem do Convento
Website: http:/www.estalagemdoconvento.com
Price: 100 E per night with private bath and continental; breakfast
I think Estalagem do Convento is quite a gem – it’s definitely my cup of tea. Estalagem do Convento was built in the 1800s as a nunnery and has been beautifully maintained over the years. I found the inn to be very charming while our room was very comfortable and spacious. The inn is also in a very good location – within walking distance to everything.
Obidos Activities: We spent most of our afternoon climbing the town wall and wandering around the charming cobblestone streets of this medieval village. We stopped at Church of St. Mary of Obidos to admire the beautifully tiled walls and also made sure to try some ginjinha in one of the many bars. Luckily, Obidos was not very crowded while we were there. It’s very popular with tour groups, but perhaps it helped that we were there on a Thursday instead of the weekend.
Obidos Dining: For dinner that night, we ate at the convent’s restaurant. We both had very good steak dinners that, oddly enough, were prepared by our maitre d’!! Our steaks were very good, but much, much rarer than we anticipated.
More photos can be found at http://www.baileytravels.shutterfly.com
And here’s the next section of my report that covers Obidos…
Day 7: We chose to not take the toll highway from Evora to Obidos and we were rewarded with some of the great scenery we had seen the day before. Our drive took us about 3.5 hours.
Obidos Accommodations: Estalagem do Convento
Website: http:/www.estalagemdoconvento.com
Price: 100 E per night with private bath and continental; breakfast
I think Estalagem do Convento is quite a gem – it’s definitely my cup of tea. Estalagem do Convento was built in the 1800s as a nunnery and has been beautifully maintained over the years. I found the inn to be very charming while our room was very comfortable and spacious. The inn is also in a very good location – within walking distance to everything.
Obidos Activities: We spent most of our afternoon climbing the town wall and wandering around the charming cobblestone streets of this medieval village. We stopped at Church of St. Mary of Obidos to admire the beautifully tiled walls and also made sure to try some ginjinha in one of the many bars. Luckily, Obidos was not very crowded while we were there. It’s very popular with tour groups, but perhaps it helped that we were there on a Thursday instead of the weekend.
Obidos Dining: For dinner that night, we ate at the convent’s restaurant. We both had very good steak dinners that, oddly enough, were prepared by our maitre d’!! Our steaks were very good, but much, much rarer than we anticipated.
More photos can be found at http://www.baileytravels.shutterfly.com
