Day Trips
Nov 15th, 2019 | 12:46 PM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,204
Likes: 8
Day Trips
Two years ago we added about 5 days in Lisbon (and day trip to Cascais) to an Italy trip. This was supposed to be a scouting trip.
We were quite surprised how much we like Lisbon.
We're now planning another trip and we have 4-5 days either before or after.
It will either be first half of Sept or first half of May (for May it would have to be before).
I'm thinking of possibly basing in Porto and going to some of Aveiro, Coimbra, Guimaraes.
I haven't researched details yet so it's possible we'd stay in Porto several days and pick one day trip destination.
Another base with other day trips could be selected if there was a compelling reason.
We don't rent a car and travel almost exclusively by train.
Suggestions?
We were quite surprised how much we like Lisbon.
We're now planning another trip and we have 4-5 days either before or after.
It will either be first half of Sept or first half of May (for May it would have to be before).
I'm thinking of possibly basing in Porto and going to some of Aveiro, Coimbra, Guimaraes.
I haven't researched details yet so it's possible we'd stay in Porto several days and pick one day trip destination.
Another base with other day trips could be selected if there was a compelling reason.
We don't rent a car and travel almost exclusively by train.
Suggestions?
Nov 15th, 2019 | 12:56 PM
#2
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 841
Likes: 0
Porto is still a great city (even if it's becoming increasingly touristy thanks to low-cost airlines) and perfect base for daytrip by train.
The best daytrip scenery wise would be a train along athe Douro river, perhaps combined with a boat trip. If you go in September you could even take a steam train on weekends.
https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/how...storical-train
The best daytrip scenery wise would be a train along athe Douro river, perhaps combined with a boat trip. If you go in September you could even take a steam train on weekends.
https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/how...storical-train
Nov 27th, 2019 | 02:23 AM
#5
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Porto
Hey,
I suggest you spend 2 days in Porto itself. Even though you would be able to see most of the main points of interest in less than 2 days, I believe that this city deserves slower-paced sightseeing, there are just too many picturesque sceneries to take in. Aveiro is also a great idea, however, a day spent wandering around there is more than enough. My suggestion would be leaving for Aveiro early in the morning, then heading to Coimbra after lunch and returning to Porto late in the evening (if you'd like to stay based there). However, the matter is subjective, what sounds great to me might not sound appealing to you and vice versa, thus I suggest reading some travel guides on Portugal and deciding which places deserve more time.
I suggest you spend 2 days in Porto itself. Even though you would be able to see most of the main points of interest in less than 2 days, I believe that this city deserves slower-paced sightseeing, there are just too many picturesque sceneries to take in. Aveiro is also a great idea, however, a day spent wandering around there is more than enough. My suggestion would be leaving for Aveiro early in the morning, then heading to Coimbra after lunch and returning to Porto late in the evening (if you'd like to stay based there). However, the matter is subjective, what sounds great to me might not sound appealing to you and vice versa, thus I suggest reading some travel guides on Portugal and deciding which places deserve more time.
Nov 27th, 2019 | 10:14 AM
#6
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,661
Likes: 0
Myer,
We just returned from a 5-day repeat visit to Porto.
For covering the major Porto sights, I would allow a minimum of two full days, choosing among some of the following:
Stunning Baroque Clérigos church (free noon organ concerts), the Sé (cathedral), over-the-top, lavish rooms of the Palacio da Bolsa (1/2 hr guided tour), Igreja de São Francisco (gorgeous Baroque interior, museum, catacombs), Igreja de Misericórdia (beautiful church & museum), São Bento rail station for its famous tiles, the temporary Bolhão market, gondola ride over to Gaia, where the port lodges sit, a visit to a port lodge (Graham's, Taylor's) & evening drinks or dinner in Gaia (at the Yeatman or Barão Fladgate) for the views, the Serravles Foundation, its contemporary art museum, Art Deco Pink Villa & its gardens in Boavista, maybe an evening concert at the Rem Koolhaas-designed Casa da Música.
There's also a trip out to sunny Matosinhos on the bus 500 for a great grilled fish lunch across from the fish market or a short boat ride over to the fishing village of Afurada (from the Ouro dock) for the same, a ride on the #1 tram out to charming Foz do Douro, where the Douro meets the ocean & stroll along the beachfront promenade along Avenida do Brasil. It's all good!
On this trip we skipped Henry the Navigator's Casa do Infante, & the always crowded Lello bookshop but were again suckered into a 6-euro coffee at the Café Majestic (why, I can't explain, since Café Guarany on Aliados would have sufficed) and didn't take any day trips since we had just come from 5 days in the Douro Valley with a car.
Turismo do Porto - Portal Oficial - Visitar - Início
https://porto-north-portugal.com
https://portoalities.com
https://oportocool.blog
For day trips by train, I would consider choosing among Aveiro (1/2 day would do), Coimbra (full day, on the high-speed Alfa Pendular), Guimarães (my favorite & very atmospheric Minho town). We saved Braga, the ecclesiastical capital, for another trip.
We love Portugal!
We just returned from a 5-day repeat visit to Porto.
For covering the major Porto sights, I would allow a minimum of two full days, choosing among some of the following:
Stunning Baroque Clérigos church (free noon organ concerts), the Sé (cathedral), over-the-top, lavish rooms of the Palacio da Bolsa (1/2 hr guided tour), Igreja de São Francisco (gorgeous Baroque interior, museum, catacombs), Igreja de Misericórdia (beautiful church & museum), São Bento rail station for its famous tiles, the temporary Bolhão market, gondola ride over to Gaia, where the port lodges sit, a visit to a port lodge (Graham's, Taylor's) & evening drinks or dinner in Gaia (at the Yeatman or Barão Fladgate) for the views, the Serravles Foundation, its contemporary art museum, Art Deco Pink Villa & its gardens in Boavista, maybe an evening concert at the Rem Koolhaas-designed Casa da Música.
There's also a trip out to sunny Matosinhos on the bus 500 for a great grilled fish lunch across from the fish market or a short boat ride over to the fishing village of Afurada (from the Ouro dock) for the same, a ride on the #1 tram out to charming Foz do Douro, where the Douro meets the ocean & stroll along the beachfront promenade along Avenida do Brasil. It's all good!
On this trip we skipped Henry the Navigator's Casa do Infante, & the always crowded Lello bookshop but were again suckered into a 6-euro coffee at the Café Majestic (why, I can't explain, since Café Guarany on Aliados would have sufficed) and didn't take any day trips since we had just come from 5 days in the Douro Valley with a car.
Turismo do Porto - Portal Oficial - Visitar - Início
https://porto-north-portugal.com
https://portoalities.com
https://oportocool.blog
For day trips by train, I would consider choosing among Aveiro (1/2 day would do), Coimbra (full day, on the high-speed Alfa Pendular), Guimarães (my favorite & very atmospheric Minho town). We saved Braga, the ecclesiastical capital, for another trip.
We love Portugal!
Nov 28th, 2019 | 04:25 AM
#7
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 9,479
Likes: 0
1-2 days for Porto
1 day for daytrip to Coimbra
1 day Douro cruise DOUROACIMA-PORTO-REGUA-PORTO-SUBIDA.pdf
1 day for daytrip to Coimbra
1 day Douro cruise DOUROACIMA-PORTO-REGUA-PORTO-SUBIDA.pdf
Trending Topics
Nov 28th, 2019 | 05:02 AM
#8
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,299
Likes: 0
Coimbra is located at 120 km south of Porto. Other than the university I didn't really find Coimbra of much interest.
I'd rather visit Guimarães, much more interesting and only half the distance.
And yes, do visit the Douro Valey. Either by car, by train or by boat.
I'd rather visit Guimarães, much more interesting and only half the distance.
And yes, do visit the Douro Valey. Either by car, by train or by boat.
Nov 28th, 2019 | 11:35 AM
#9
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,661
Likes: 0
Myer,
As MyriamC notes, Coimbra sits much further from Porto than Guimarães. The latter is certainly an easier, much shorter day trip.
I haven't done Porto-Coimbra by day trip since I've spent nights there at the Quinta das Lagrimas on the other side of the river.
The only way I personally would make a day trip from Porto to Coimbra would be to take the high-speed Alfa Pendular train from Porto Campanha to Coimbra-B. *The ride takes 1 hour, 2 minutes (2nd class is fine, and there are cheap senior fares).
Then I would consider taking a guided tour of the city and University (including Joanina Library) with former University students, run by Go Walks Portugal, so as to have a greater understanding of the *U. history and student life.
These 3-hour tours are conducted daily at 10 am and 2 pm.
https://www.gowalksportugal.com/coim...ity-of-coimbra
What I enjoyed most during our visit to Coimbra surprisingly wasn't our self-guided tour of the U buildings but instead the newly renovated Machado de Castro Museum, housed in a former 12th century Bishop's palace, with its fine collection of religious art, sculptures, jewelry, furniture, ancient ceramics and its underground labyrinth of tunnels from Roman Coimbra, the "cryptoporticus". It's considered one of Portugal's finest museums. *And the views from the terrace are memorable.*
There are also the splendid Roman ruins of Conímbriga, 14 km outside of the city (requiring a taxi ride--bus schedule is limited), whose fine mosaic floors can be seen in about an hour or a bit more with a visit to the excellent adjacent museum.*
But again, adding this would make for a very long, tiring day trip, so I think that Coimbra would be best seen with an overnight to perhaps attend a fado performance (male performers, quite different from Lisbon fado) at the Fado ao Centro or Fado a Capella.
A nice guide to what to do/see in Coimbra: *https://juliedawnfox.com/things-to-do-coimbra/
As MyriamC notes, Coimbra sits much further from Porto than Guimarães. The latter is certainly an easier, much shorter day trip.
I haven't done Porto-Coimbra by day trip since I've spent nights there at the Quinta das Lagrimas on the other side of the river.
The only way I personally would make a day trip from Porto to Coimbra would be to take the high-speed Alfa Pendular train from Porto Campanha to Coimbra-B. *The ride takes 1 hour, 2 minutes (2nd class is fine, and there are cheap senior fares).
Then I would consider taking a guided tour of the city and University (including Joanina Library) with former University students, run by Go Walks Portugal, so as to have a greater understanding of the *U. history and student life.
These 3-hour tours are conducted daily at 10 am and 2 pm.
https://www.gowalksportugal.com/coim...ity-of-coimbra
What I enjoyed most during our visit to Coimbra surprisingly wasn't our self-guided tour of the U buildings but instead the newly renovated Machado de Castro Museum, housed in a former 12th century Bishop's palace, with its fine collection of religious art, sculptures, jewelry, furniture, ancient ceramics and its underground labyrinth of tunnels from Roman Coimbra, the "cryptoporticus". It's considered one of Portugal's finest museums. *And the views from the terrace are memorable.*
There are also the splendid Roman ruins of Conímbriga, 14 km outside of the city (requiring a taxi ride--bus schedule is limited), whose fine mosaic floors can be seen in about an hour or a bit more with a visit to the excellent adjacent museum.*
But again, adding this would make for a very long, tiring day trip, so I think that Coimbra would be best seen with an overnight to perhaps attend a fado performance (male performers, quite different from Lisbon fado) at the Fado ao Centro or Fado a Capella.
A nice guide to what to do/see in Coimbra: *https://juliedawnfox.com/things-to-do-coimbra/
