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-   -   Help me plan our 3 week trip to Portugal ! (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/help-me-plan-our-3-week-trip-to-portugal-1651509/)

thursdaysd Apr 23rd, 2018 01:55 PM

I usually stay near Praca dos Restauradores and take the airport bus, but from Oriente you can take the metro just three stops, so I would stay there, although it is not central.

allyboy Apr 24th, 2018 12:28 PM

thursdaysd I ended up booking a Starwood Sheraton Hotel (paying with points). My question is since we will be taking the CP train from Porto to Lisbon and arriving at the Gare Do Oriente station will it be best to take a taxi from there or should we be getting off at a closer stop ( if we can) and take a taxi?

thursdaysd Apr 24th, 2018 12:55 PM

How am I supposed to answer that without knowing where the hotel is and how far you are willing to walk? Look at Google maps. Taxis in Lisbon are cheap.

PalenQ Apr 24th, 2018 02:17 PM

Vila Franca de Xira 13:39Lisboa Oriente 13:52
Express trains from Porto seem to only stop at two places in Lisbon.

HappyTrvlr Apr 24th, 2018 02:59 PM

Sadly, pretty Obidos exists for tourism today thus is as LoboMau said above, Disneyesque, not real. We did stay in the medieval pousada which was nice but otherwise a few hours there at most is enough!

Masterphil Apr 27th, 2018 08:26 AM

I will be in Portugal at the same time. A friend of mine who just got back told me not to "waste my time" going to Aveira. I plan on hitting Obidos and Nazare on the drive up to Porto and Coimbra, Tomar and Fatima on the way back to Lisbon.

athorp Apr 29th, 2018 04:20 AM

I’m planning a trip for September and our itinerary is similar although not as long. To the OP I see you are not going to the Algarve and I’m wondering why. I ask because it seems if we go all the way to Porto it’s hard to get down to the Algarve and vice versa. I feel like we can go to one or the other but don’t have the time to go to both.

thursdaysd Apr 29th, 2018 04:28 AM

People go to the Algarve to chill out on the beach with a LOT of other people. That is not why people go to Porto. Why are you going to Portugal? That should help you decide.

allyboy Apr 29th, 2018 07:31 AM

Still working on the itinerary!

After spending 5 days in Lisbon and 3 in Evora with side trips to Sintra, Cascais and Estremoz we drive to Coimbra for 2 days. I have read about Nazare, Fatima, Obidos and Tomar as interesting towns to visit. Which of these towns would you include while driving to Coimbra? We will be in Coimbra for 2 nights before heading to Lemego.

PalenQ Apr 30th, 2018 05:29 AM

Nazare is off path - Fatima if into the pilgrimage shrine - Tomar a short stop. Obidos very mobbed these days by day trippers and kind of off course.

allyboy Apr 30th, 2018 06:00 AM

Thanks PalenQ! So it looks like Tomar would be best. Here's another question : We will be in Coimbra for 2 days and then head to Lemego for 3 days. I want to explore Aveiro either as a day trip from Coimbra or on the way to Lemego. Which is the better choice?

Sberg Apr 30th, 2018 05:00 PM

We drove from Lisbon to Obidos and then on to the Douro. We did stay just outside of Obidos at Casa O'Obidos. We loved it as they had a pool with a beautiful view of Obidos. We had lunch in Obidos went back and relaxed for a few hours before going out to dinner. I'm glad we didn't stay right in Obidos as it is quite busy. We very much enjoyed the town and am glad that we stopped there but you only need one night. In the Douro we stayed at Quinta Nova N. S. do Carmo | Douro | Vinhos e Enoturismo. It was simply gorgeous. It was a bit tough to drive to as you have to drive on a very narrow road but it was a great place to stay. You might be able to take a boat right from there to get to other Quintas. You would need to check. We loved the Douro Valley and plan to go back in a few years to stay longer. It was the highlight of our trip to Portugal. When we left the Douro we drove on to Porto which is a really fun city. Have a great trip!

allyboy May 5th, 2018 11:35 AM

Leaving tomorrow!! Thanks to everyone who helped me shape this itinerary. If there are restaurant suggestions ( vegetarian friendly), wineries in the Douro Valley, music venues ( other than Fado) or must sees please send them my way.


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