yestravel

We have about a month to visit Portugal in mid May into June. I have been reading the TRs and other posts and have come up with a very tentative itin. We enjoy exploring small villages, art, museums, hiking and love Port. Your comments and suggestions would be appreciated.

Lisbon 6/7 nights in an apt. with day trips

Obidos 2/3 nights to visit Tomar, Navarre and Coimbra

Porto 4 nights visit Guimaraes

2 nights somewhere between Porto and Santiago de Compostela, Spain - looking for someplace with great views where we can kick back.

2 nights Santiago de Compostela, Spain

4 nights Duoro Valley
2 nights Marvão
3 nights Evora
2 nights Sintra and fly home from Lisbon

I look forward to your suggestions. Thanks!

Michael

You might want to take a look at my trip report; click on my name to find it.

yestravel

Thanks, Michael -- your TR is one of the ones I read. Good information and will come in esp handy when we drive around.

adrienne

<< Obidos 2/3 nights to visit Tomar, Navarre and Coimbra >>

I would stay in Tomar as it's much larger. Obidos is worth an hour or so, not more.

<< 2 nights Marvão >>

Too much time unless you arrive very late in the afternoon and leave early two days later. Visit Castello de Vide from Marvao.

<< 3 nights Evora >>

This is fine if you plan day trips from Evora.

<< 2 nights Sintra and fly home from Lisbon >>

Sintra was my favorite; give it enough time to see everything. How many days will you have in Sintra? One or Two? Suggest more than one day there as the Pena Palace takes a lot of time.

yestravel

Thanks, Adrienne for your suggestions. We have been to Sintra before, but will still likely stay 2 nights there. Where did you stay there?

adrienne

I stayed at Vila Marques near the center of town.

jamikins

Agree that staying in Tomar as it is bigger. Obidos is tiny and I can't imagine staying more than an afternoon. Also it is very touristy.

Magster2005

I suggest staying in Nazare instead of Obidos. It is a pretty beach town (for something different)and the weather should be decent in May/June. You can take the funicular up to Sitio for good seafood restaurants and great views.

The monastery of Alcobaça is an easy day trip from Nazare and very worth seeing with striking stonework, a romantic story (Dom Pedro and Doña Inés), and gorgeous cloisters.

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/505

amer_can

You will love the pousadas. We stayed in Tomar at Hotel dos Templarios. We stopped for a coffee and decided to stay..lovely room overlooking the river and park. Nazare will be older ladies still wearing the full short pleated skirts and you will see them( the skirts not the women) hanging on the clothes lines that are afixed to the upper windows..Short skirts, knee sox and cards advertizing "zimmer", rooms, and such!

amer_can

Another couple of things-- if you go to Santiago try to stay at the parador..Awesome!!! Should you be fortunate enough to get into the chapel at the Univ. in Coimbra the organ and the pipes are again awesome as is the library. I am green with envy..a month..WOW!

ribeirasacra

Drop SdC off your list. It is not the only place in Galicia! And for those tow days you will spend around 8 hours in the car just to get to and from Portugal. Time would be best spent in Portugal.
If you are hiring a car ensure it has a electronic toll dongle installed or you will have trouble paying some of the toll roads in Portugal.

ribeirasacra

Sorry also meant to add that seeing you have a whole month in Portugal you do seem to be moving around a lot. " nights gives you basically just one day in any location. Have you thought about slowing down and seeing something of the area you visit?

yestravel

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will look into use Tomar as a base instead of Obidos, stopping there on the way.

SdC is a definite. We can easily do a nice drive to and fro.

I am not one who think moving looses a half day - we pack very lightly and it's maybe an hour to check out and checkin to a new hotel. We do it a lot and its not an issue. That said I would be interested in reducing the number of hotels, but can't figure out which ones to eliminate and still see the areas we have mentioned. For day trips we prefer to keep them to about 1-2 hours each way.

Thanks for the info on the electronic toll dongle. I assume that is something we get from the car rental?

yestravel

Another question re where to stay. We will be driving around from ~May 21 thru June 11 or so (discounting time in Lisbon). We will have a res in Lisbon and Porto & SIntra if that remains our last night before departing home. Do you think we can travel about without reservations at that time of the year?

Michael

<i>Do you think we can travel about without reservations at that time of the year?</i>

Yes. We were able to negotiate price in the two pousadas where we stayed. That would not have been possible if they expected to be full. We did have a couple of reservations: In Porto and in Lisbon--beginning and end of the trip.

yestravel

Anyone have a suggestion as to where we could stay so that we could visit Marvão as well as Evora.

It appears the Lisbon airport is about thirty minutes from Sintra. Is that about right? I think we would spend two nights in Sintra.

Any others travel the May/June time frame and not reserve in advance? thanks!

Michael

<i>Anyone have a suggestion as to where we could stay so that we could visit Marvão as well as Evora.</i>

Pick a town between the two.

ribeirasacra

When you have booked your car ask then about the dongle, if the information is not included in the booking or on the website.

yestravel

thanks, yes, I want to pick a town between Evora and Marvao. I was hoping for a suggestion of a town or place to stay.

Thanks for the info on the car dongle.

bobthenavigator

We stayed at the Pousada in Estromoz.