We are planning on visiting Portugual in July and would like some direction. We are looking to stay in a 4 star hotel something small and charming. Can you recommend anything? Are these the two places that you recommend for beaches, good food & wine and great portugese culture??

Just back from 10 days in Portugal. Hotel Fortalezza do Guinch in Cascias is absolutely magnificent and convneient to Lisboa. The beach at Guincho is fine. If you want high heat and humidity, the Algarve will provide it. Didn't get to Sagres. Lagos was not exciting. We stayed in Hotel Bella Vista in praia da Rocha. Charming, but no air conditioning. The staff recommends that you viswit it in May or September. Too many people and too hot in the summer! The sea food is wonderful. Go to Alvor or Carveiro or Terrafugo. The wine is good. Culture: hard to find.

Just back from 10 days in Portugal. Hotel Fortalezza do Guinch in Cascias is absolutely magnificent and convneient to Lisboa. The beach at Guincho is fine. If you want high heat and humidity, the Algarve will provide it. Didn't get to Sagres. Lagos was not exciting. We stayed in Hotel Bella Vista in praia da Rocha. Charming, but no air conditioning. The staff recommends that you viswit it in May or September. Too many people and too hot in the summer! The sea food is wonderful. Go to Alvor or Carveiro or Terrafugo. The wine is good. Culture: hard to find.

Lagos was great - nice beaches, good restaurants etc - but definitely not the Portugese culture. Most of the bars etc had travellers (Canadian, Australian, NZ, British) working in them - and it was overrun by backpackers. I would try heading somewhere a but less touristy. We also found it much more expensive than the rest of Portugal (although the seabass dishes were wonderful!) <BR>

Sagres was a major disappointment, but Lagos is really nice. we just left portugal, what a great country. but there is nothing in sagres, trust me.

I have to disagree with the post regarding Sagres. While staying in Lagos we drove out to the lighthouse at the point (can't recall the name right now) just past Sagres for sunset. You will feel just like the explorers did when they thought this was the end of the earth, an absolutely spectacular location. Afterwards, we ate dinner at the Posada in the Fortaleza (Portuguese for fort) right before you get to the lighthouse. You must eat there. Very intimate and you just won't believe they actually put a restaurant there. Since it is a Posada, the menu incorporates many regional dishes. I think the dinner for two with wine might have been $35 (we quickly figured out that you just can't spend more than this on food in Portugal - and believe me we tried). One of the most memorable stops on our trip to Spain and Portugal.

I have to disagree with the post regarding Sagres. While staying in Lagos we drove out to the lighthouse at the point (can't recall the name right now) just past Sagres for sunset. You will feel just like the explorers did when they thought this was the end of the earth, an absolutely spectacular location. Afterwards, we ate dinner at the Posada in the Fortaleza (Portuguese for fort) right before you get to the lighthouse. You must eat there. Very intimate and you just won't believe they actually put a restaurant there. Since it is a Posada, the menu incorporates many regional dishes. I think the dinner for two with wine might have been $35 (we quickly figured out that you just can't spend more than this on food in Portugal - and believe me we tried). One of the most memorable stops on our trip to Spain and Portugal.

lESLIE, You will want to stay in Lagos <BR>but definately visit Cape St. Vincent-- <BR>a most unique experience. The Pousada at <BR>Sagres is wonderful, and you should plan to eat there, but Sagres is too <BR>isolated for a long stay. Let me correct <BR>your impressions---this is a wonderful <BR>place to visit, but the Algarve is not <BR>Portugal---it is the Algarve and is not <BR>anything like the rest of Portugal. <BR>I think of Portugal in 4 distinct areas <BR>and each is different. The Algarve is <BR>hot in July and crowded with Brits--you <BR>should try to see other parts if your <BR>time allows. If sun and surf is your <BR>intent, it may be better at Destin FL.

We just came back from Algarve and visited the Lagos/Sagres area. Most of the Algarve is being heavily built up... <BR>Lagos starts joining the trend, while Sagres is still quieter, although people are renting rooms or appartments everywhere in this little town. The Cape St Vincent is definitely worth a visit and the Pousada is a modern on but nice. We only had lunch there and it was OK. <BR>I think the most charming parts of Portugal are in the Evora areas, as well as Sintra and Cascais, near Lisbon. Algarve seems to be the place for golfers from Britain, Germany and Holland and I am afraid to say that it is definitely loosing its previous charm (i.e. fishermen's villages disappearing). However people were quite nice. Another address in the Faro area could be the Pousada at Sao Bras, but the restaurant is more than average. <BR>

I think there are two pousadas in the Sagres area. The one I ate dinner at was right near the tip of Cape St. Vincent and was built into a fort. If you were not looking for it you would never think there was a restaurant behind the wall. I think there is also a Pousada in Sagres which seemed to have more in terms of accommodations and amenities.

Leslie, <BR> <BR>Just got back from Portugal and had a great time. We flew into lisbon and immediately headed for Cascais. We stayed in a hotel at the top of the hill with a great view away from the center of town but close enough to walk. We took a day trip to Sintra and found both Cascias and Sintra well worth the visit. <BR> <BR>We then headed south to the Algarve and spent 5 nights in Lagos. We loved Lagos. Still doesn't seem as over developed as some of the towns in the Algarve. We stayed at the Hotel Gulfino overlooing the Praia D'Ana. This hotel was great because it was very close to the beach and away from the hustle and bustle of the town. <BR> <BR>The town of lagos was nice because it had a lot of pedestrian only streets which were great for casual strolls for shopping, dining, and partying. A previous post mentioned that a lot of the bars were owned and run by non-portugeas. This is true and these bars are only open during the summer. My recomendation is to eat at Don Sebatias and/or The Lagosteria(Have the Fish soup and the Fillet!!) and then have a few drinks at a bar call "Doggy Style". This is an Portugeas owned and operated bar the is patronized by year round "Lagosites". Ask for Carlos. He is a Lifeguard at the Praia D'ana by day and bar owner by night. You can't miss him because he is one of the best looking people in all of Portugual. Tell him Mike and Michele sent you. <BR> <BR>Sagres was awesome. The fort on the edge of Europe makes you realise why people thought it was the edge of the world. The views are spectacular and the winds is very, very strong. Not much to do in town. <BR> <BR>Visit Salema for dinner. It's a very small fishing village that maintains some of it's old world charm. <BR> <BR>The algarve may have a lot of Brits and Germans, but that is OK because you still feel like you are in a foreign country. There are vitually no Americans. Most don't seem willing to drive the extra 20 mile to go to Lagos. I say it's definitely worth it!! <BR> <BR>-m

Leslie, <BR> <BR>Just got back from Portugal and had a great time. We flew into lisbon and immediately headed for Cascais. We stayed in a hotel at the top of the hill with a great view away from the center of town but close enough to walk. We took a day trip to Sintra and found both Cascias and Sintra well worth the visit. <BR> <BR>We then headed south to the Algarve and spent 5 nights in Lagos. We loved Lagos. Still doesn't seem as over developed as some of the towns in the Algarve. We stayed at the Hotel Gulfino overlooing the Praia D'Ana. This hotel was great because it was very close to the beach and away from the hustle and bustle of the town. <BR> <BR>The town of lagos was nice because it had a lot of pedestrian only streets which were great for casual strolls for shopping, dining, and partying. A previous post mentioned that a lot of the bars were owned and run by non-portugeas. This is true and these bars are only open during the summer. My recomendation is to eat at Don Sebatias and/or The Lagosteria(Have the Fish soup and the Fillet!!) and then have a few drinks at a bar call "Doggy Style". This is an Portugeas owned and operated bar the is patronized by year round "Lagosites". Ask for Carlos. He is a Lifeguard at the Praia D'ana by day and bar owner by night. You can't miss him because he is one of the best looking people in all of Portugual. Tell him Mike and Michele sent you. <BR> <BR>Sagres was awesome. The fort on the edge of Europe makes you realise why people thought it was the edge of the world. The views are spectacular and the winds is very, very strong. Not much to do in town. <BR> <BR>Visit Salema for dinner. It's a very small fishing village that maintains some of it's old world charm. <BR> <BR>The algarve may have a lot of Brits and Germans, but that is OK because you still feel like you are in a foreign country. There are vitually no Americans. Most don't seem willing to drive the extra 20 mile to go to Lagos. I say it's definitely worth it!! <BR> <BR>-m