danon

Planing our first visit to Lisbon ,and perhaps another city in Portugal, in mid Oct.
We would stay in Lisbon for five nights and then take a train to...??
We like cities, history architecture, outdoor cafes.
Not interested in driving, beaches, resorts.

Porto seems like an interesting city .. Is it? How many days?
day trips?
We have to return to Lisbon ( for a night or two )to fly home.

We usually go to Spain that time of year, but would like to experience a new destination.

HappyTrvlr

Yes, Porto is very interesting and can be reached via train.
Lots of history, setting on the Douro River, Port houses. We were pleasantly surprised by the city. Towns surrounding it to the north such as Guimares are worth a day trip too.

CarolJean

Between Lisbon and Porto is Coimbra, an old University town. It is worth a day. There is an amazing library there. Train connections are easy. We stayed at a small, recently remodeled hotel just a half block from the train station. The name escapes me but I'll check.

PalenQ

Porto was my favorite city in Portugal - a real old-world atmosphere now lacking in places like Lisbon to a large extent anyway.

Porto seemed like a time trip back to days when I first started traveling around Europe - decades ago! Small shops mainly - and an ABC town - another bloody church but all ther churches are exquisitely decorated with azulejo tiles (sp?) like all over Portugal - even train station walls are made of them!

Take the Port wine tours right in Porto - along the river. Really neat.

Porto makes a great base - not only Guimares but Braga too are nice nice towns an hour or so by train from Porto. Two of the most historic cities in Portugal, especially Guimares - a national patrimony treasure.

I took a train also along the Duoro - to the wine area - some nice towns there too.

Coimbra to me was fantastic as well - on the way to Porto - the upper town especially neat and monumental.

danon

Thanks for your suggestions

sandralist

I like Lisbon and Porto equally, with a slight nod to Lisbon because the food is so much better there and it is not a museum set piece but a wonderful living European city. But Porto is a great fascination.

I saw Coimbra on the way to Porto (by train.). I spent the night in Coimbra but if I had it do all over again, I would have seen the library at Coimbra en route and that's about it. Although there are other aspects to Coimbra, I just felt only the library/university was unique and the rest has equals in Lisbon and Porto. (I didn't see the ruins outside of town.) You need to reserve ahead for entrance to the library and if you do it en route, I don't know what you would do with your luggage. There used to be a tour guide company called Tuk-Tuk and if they still exist and you want to see something of Coimbra, then you might be able to get a 2 or 3 hour tour with them that would include the library and other notable parts of Coimbra, but you could be in Porto by dinner time.

thursdaysd

I'm another fan of Coimbra. Great place for wandering. Also, good Roman ruins, with mosaics, just outside at Conimbriga, don't miss them.

jamikins

We really enjoyed Lisbon, beautiful city that is full of character...some say a bit gritty but that added to the charm for is. We also really enjoyed the day we stayed in Porto and would love to go back for more time because we shortchange as it.

danon

thanks again to all posters

marianacardoso

Lisboa+Porto it's a great trip. Both cities are great, but very different from each other. And both have many day trip options if you decide you want to.
Porto it's colder, rougher and darker then Lisbon, it gives the city a different charm. I love Porto, but I also love Lisbon, I don't think I could chose.
5 days + 2 at the end will give you a good time for Lisbon and you take the train to Cascais and Sintra for day trips if you don't want to drive.

PalenQ

Great day trips from Lisbon:

Of course Sintra and its castles - an old royal town that is a short suburban train ride away. From there I took a bus to Capo de Rabo, the westernmost tip of the European mainland continent and a wild looking sea where the waves crash into the rocks - next stop New York City!

It may be too much for some but I tend to move fast - took bus from there to Cascais and then train back to Lisbon.

Obidos is also an excellent day trip or overnight stop going north - the ultimate walled medieval town - there is a Pousada - Portuguese equivalent of a Parador - fancy government run hotel in historic places - built right into the ancient ramparts. Trains stop below the walled city but buses may be better as they go right into it.

https://www.google.com/search?q=obid...=1600&bih=1075

Cabo de Rabo
https://www.google.com/search?q=cabo...=1600&bih=1038

danon

Thanks.