Checking out your reports LauraM. Thanks!

Booked Porto for 3 nights.

Cant decide where to stay in Lisbon and things are booking up fast because its NYE. Any advice?

With 3 nights in Porto and 4 nights in Lisbon.
That gives us 3 nights in between.
Not sure if we should pick one place for 3 nights (which is preferable to moving around more.) or a 2/1 combo.

Evora is loved on the boards - but a friend there now felt like it was a skip - but said dont miss Merida (Spain)

Coimbra gets mixed reviews as a base. Also will be winter - so not sure about Nazare - but it may be a good base for - Alcobaça, Batalha Fátima, and Obidos.

Someone said no to Duoro Valley bc its winter - is it just that its too cold? Would it be worth a day trip from Porto with a guide?

In Lisbon, we loved the Hotel Avenida Palace.

Perfect location on the square and next to the train station, gorgeous property with excellent customer service, and the best breakfast buffet we've ever seen, in a beautiful dining room.

Contact them directly for the best price and service.

http://www.hotelavenidapalace.pt/hotel-overviewhtml

MoBro - thats exactly where my friend just stayed and sadly they are booked for one of my nights (according to the website.) I will email them just in case!

I have attached the link to our Portugal trip report. We spend about 10 days in Lisbon, Douro valley, Evora, Marvao and Algarve. Fast paced as you can see but not much I would change. Portugal is lovely. You will have a great time.

https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...ra-algarve.cfm

MiamiBeachMomma, it's worth a try to contact them directly. It's an awesome hotel.

I remember there was another beautiful hotel, across the square from Avenida Palace, but I can't remember it's name and really don't know anything about it, except it's a great location.

Good luck!

Nights 4-5 Algarve (not sure which town)>

In December I'd forget the Algarve - very modern place with a few old towns and too cool for swimming.

Maybe consider stopping overnight in Obidos en route to Coimbra - perfectly walled medieval town - a Pousada - hotels in historic edifices is built right into the ancient walls. Really exceptional.

Or add days to Porto and Lisbon - again some neat day trips from Porto to say Guimares and Braga.

PalenQ - for sure we dropped the Algarve for the winter visit. I think we will do one of your suggested day trips while in Porto as we have 3 nights there.

MoBro- emailed the hotel and they replied they are booked
I also used google maps to check the hotel that looks like its across the street - they are booked too. Arg!

mnag - thats for posting!! Did you feel like Evora was worth the stop? Was thinking one night at the Convento Do Espinheiro.

I have rooms at he Lapa Olippiso as a back up - since things were booking up - its way more than we planned to spend and I think its not really the location we were hoping for - any thoughts?

Thinking we may add a night to Lisbon and then do 2 in Coimbra as a base for that area rather than staying anywhere of just one night - unless someone highly recommends.

Last Winter break we went to London for 9 days or so and stayed the entire time in one place and did some day trips. That was a big winner with my younger son - he enjoys his sleep and chill time.

Thanks!

MiamiBeachMomma, yes we enjoyed Evora and the Convento. The women in our large group enjoyed the little shops in the main part of town, nice restaurants in addition to the historical sights. You may find the below article useful.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/tr...ernighter.html

'The town of Évora certainly has enough charm to hold your attention for two (or more) days but since you’ve most likely arrived by car, there is also lots to explore nearby. Within 30 minutes are the charming villages of Monsarraz, Estremoz and Vila Viçosa, with their Baroque palaces and medieval churches. To the north, the hilltop town of Arraiolos is the center of Portuguese carpet and tapestry weaving.

There are also wineries galore, like Herdade de Coelheiros, whose labels for their Tapada de Coelheiros wines are inspired by Arraiolos’s famous rugs. Even closer to Évora is Adega de Cartuxa.'

mnag - Thanks!! Will read the NYT article! Its me, my hubby, and my boys - 18 and 15 - do you think this would be an interesting stop for them as well?

Now Im considering visiting the area as a day trip from Lisbon (if I add a night there) and using Coimbra or Tomar for a 2 night stop in between the Porto and Lisbon stays.

Where did you all stay in Lisbon?

I suggest you don’t miss Evora. It was one of the high points in our trip. The surrounding countryside is so beautiful-studded with cork oaks. I would imagine your boys would enjoy seeing all the products made out of cork in town. I wished we had more time there- we only spent one night.
I enjoyed Coimbra but I think stopping there for the day is fine. I didn’t love Obidos- felt too much like Disneyland to me. You have to pay to enter!
Have a great trip- we loved our visit!

Miami beach momma,
Are you planning on writing a trip report when you return? We will be in Lisbon for 5 nights in April, so I would love to hear what you have to say about Lisbon. And other places, as well. Hopefully, we will make a second trip to Portugal to visit Porto and other places. Thanks.

Coimbra is good for a morning visit, finishing off in Tomar for the night. Neither right now require much more.

I enjoyed Coimbra but I think stopping there for the day is fine.>

Or even a few-hour stop just to see the exquisite university rectangle in upper town. Rest of town nice but not that compelling.

Obidos have to pay to enter? Are you sure about that or talking about mandatory parking fee for vehicles? Can find nothing to document that you say if arriving by train or bus you must pay to enter -please clarify.

Anyone have good car rental experience? From which company? Just renting for abut 3-4 days between porto and lisbon.

May want to make a separate post about that -old threads are not much read but a separate post should yield several erudite answers from Fodorgarchs.

Thanks for tip PalenQ!

Seems to have worked... AutoEurope always gets great reviews here (not from me as I am clueless on car rentals).

definitely did not have to pay to stay in Obidos, (other than at hotel lol) and we did have a car.

My memory is that our car rental experience in Portugal was pretty easy. We used auto europe. definitely get the prepaid toll gadget, otherwise the toll roads would be a nightmare.

So far this is the plan.....

Land in Porto on Christmas Day.
Walking tour booked for 4 pm.
3 nights Porto - pick up car upon checkout

Belmonte 1 night

?????? 1 night

Evora 1 night

Lisbon 4 nights. Drop off car upon arrival in Lisbon.

Private day trip tour to Sinatra and Cascais is booked.

Still deciding on that one night...was thinking Tomar as a possibility.

Any thoughts on the one night???

Marvao was another option reccomnded to me...