Hi, we're looking for places to stay in Portugal in early October, throughout the country, preferrably B&B-type accommodations, pensiones, or with families, etc. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks!

Annie, here in Portugal you will find many good and clean cheap places. Lodging is cheap. Usually we don't have much homestays we have "Turismo de habitação" and Rural Tourism. There aren't many but you can find them all over the country. A good option is to stay in Pousadas (like Paradores in Spain), good service, wonderful food and very confortable.

Hi Teresa I was looking for lodging to. What I am seeing is $85 a night in Lisbon anything cheaper?

A friend of mine is still raving about a place he & his wife stayed at in Sintra, Portugal (up the coast, N. of Lisbon). I don't have the name, but it is in Alistair Sadway's (Sp?) "Special Places to Stay: Portugal". They found this book very useful throughout Portugal.

Thanks to all of you for your posts. Teresa, do you have any specific recommendations for pousadas?

Annie and Cindy, the Pousadas site is www.pousadas.pt<BR>Click on the english version. There you can see all the pousadas throughout Portugal, prices and make reservations.<BR>If you need more help feel free to email me.<BR><BR>Teresa

Wondering if you can stay away from Lisbon along the coast without car? What if any regions do you need a car for?<BR><BR>Only just begun my search sorry to hijack your thread Annie.

Another site that may help you:<BR>www.portugalvirtual.pt/_lodging/

Cindy, if you stay in Lisbon you can easily take a train to the Cascais zone, where the beaches are. But I would advise you to rent a car . Portugal is a very small country, with easy road access to the North and south and with many beautiful places to see. There are trains to the north and south but you will skip many nice places travelling by train.

Teresa, thanks for your help. And Cindy, no problem for joining the post!Quick question for you Teresa... I've heard that driving can be kind of difficult in Portugal. Is that true?

Annie, that isn't true. Nowadays Portugal has very good highways that take you almost everywhere, north and south. Only if you go to some places in the interior you have some more narrow roads but you do it with no problem.

My wife and I stayed in the Residencial Florescente in Lisbon and found it to be great. It is centrally located (2 blocks to the Rossio) and very reasonably priced, we paid about 45 Euros for a room with private bathroom in March 2002.<BR>They have cheaper if you do not mind sharing a bathroom. The hotel was very clean and a large part of it is newly renovated. They have a website at:<BR>www.residencialflorescente.com<BR><BR>

Just back from a trip throughout Portugal. First, Pensao Nova Sintra in Sintra was WONDERFUL (www.novasintra.com). Residencial Florescente in Lisbon was well located, relatively "cute" and cheap. The ONLY problem was that our room was dirty/stinky.