We always took our kids on vacation when they were younger.
I really believe that if you are planning to take your children, it really isn't fair to them not to plan activities that they will enjoy.
And it seems as if you are making a great effort. Better watch out, you may never be able to go to Europe without them even when they are 35 and 38 as mine are!

ditto to all the above thanks!

I do have a question about going to Cabo da Roca. We will be driving there from Sintra on our way to Lisbon if that makes sense. But how is the drive - very curvy, steep drop offs, scary??? Sometimes to me the destination is not worth the trip!

Only a week to our departure for Porto and 2 weeks to Lisbon.

Sherry, it's kind of funny because most people seem really suprised that we are taking our kids. I couldn't imagine going without them. Part of the exictement of the trip (to me anyway), is to be able to show them things I saw when I was their age. I want them to experience different cultures and to see history that goes well beyond anything they have seen in the states. I am hoping this will broaden their horizons and open up a whole new world for them. I know they already love to travel but before this, it was Florida, Hawaii and pretty much Disneyland. They are finally at an age where I think they are ready for this experience and we get to do it as a family!!!!

I have a conference in Lisbon June 14-18. June 13-18 we will do some half day tours to Sintra, in Lisbon etc. I want to take some kind of transport to the beaches to the south of Lisbon ( Cararica?) where the train does a series of stop offs at the beaches ...i.e. a day trip with public transport. Advice here? We are staying at the Tivoli Lisboa, June 13-19, and we plan on doing a lot of Lisbon wandering around and exploring, then renting a car to go north for three days. We will stay at a coastal pousadas near Aveira, tour Conimbriga etc, drive on to Oporto, stay at the Pestana two nights, take the long train/boat Duoro cruise, back to Oporto and then drive to Lisbon, stay at the Tivoli Lisboa again and up early to the airport on June 23.

I hope this trip will initiate us to Portugal and we can go again in off seasons. That is the way we like to travel. An initial trip to a place followed by more leisurely and "locale" enjoying trips later.

Any off-hand advice, comments on accommodations etc are most appreciated.

Don't listen to Sher about Fatima; it is an absolute must. The town is so kitschy and bad taste that it like watching a car accident--you can't take your eyes off of it, darling. Visit some of the shops to buy a glow-in-the-dark Blessed Virgin coatrack. Or how about a sequined Infant of Prague stamp dispenser?

Don't forget to take lots of photos of the devoted crawling towards the enormous statue of Mary on their hands and knees.

Bring some Band-aids, sweetie.

Thanks SMNOVELLA for the different perspective of Fatima.

Sherry

Polly, is that you sweetie?

SShhhhhhh.

Mirror, mirror
On the wall
I am the thinnest
One of all!

Hi there ScienceNut - I've just cut and pasted your question to the big Lisbon thread

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34785948

Where there are some very knowlegable (and not so) Portugal loving people. Oh, and me of course...

Matt

Thanks Matt!

I have two lovely and erudite colleagues who spent five or so years in Portugal. One, a British citizen who also speaks Polish, chose Braga and the other chose the Algarve, from whence she could travel; on down the Mediterranean coast as the spirit moved her! Both say they will return some day.

My wife was completely impressed with all the help you provide anyone who asks.

What is the Lisbon Dining Club? How adventurous can a couple, seasoned travellers but new to Portugal, be when exploring the older parts of Lisbon?

I am dying to go to the flea market on Saturday morning as I really enjoy getting out and away from the "madding crowd" of bus tours. The only reason we will take several half-day tours, e.g. Sintra is because of time constraints and I have to attend to business at intervals.

Anyway, we are excited. My feeling is that Portugal will be a place that I will long to return to, especially the north, at least in my fantasies, from whence my better half always returns me to the mundane and decidely suburban !

I will assiduously seek out those hidden places under arches that you have so well described and the simple things like ferry rides and trams always appeal to me.

I will try to find the "big thread" devoted to Lisbon.

Muito obrigado.

What is the Lisbon Dining Club? It's a non-governamental and non-profit organization composed by Matt_from_england, Lobo_Mau, our best halves, and all who happen to be in town and wish to share some food, some wine, and some relaxed moments with us.
We've heard too many times about tourist traps, including regular meals costing more than 100 euros. Based on this perception we've decided to indulge ourselves with excellent food, in places not listed by Rick Steves, and paying less than 20 euros/person.
In LDC we have a fair share of responsibilities, I do field work (scouting) and Matt writes excellent reports, including photographs. Matt decided to put on line those reports to give some hints to other fodorites who want, not necessarily to joint a LDC meeting, but to have a reference of alternative places to eat, suggestions of specialities to ask and an ideia of how much it would cost.
So far, we went to Trindade, Casa dos Passarinhos and Adega das Gravatas. The complete reports are available on this site ("Things to do in and around Lisbon" and "Things to do in and around Lisbon part 2") . The last of these diners had the presence of 2 fodorite friends from California.
Next LDC is scheduled for next Saturday.

I couldn't have said it better myself Lobo...