Dukey

We are thinking (strongly) of visiting Portugal, probably for a total of ten days, in late May <b>2009</b> and have started planning by reading posts here, etc. Later today I will pick up a print guidebook on the way home from work.

We know we definitely want to explore Lisbon for a couple of days but other than that are somewhat baffled about what to see and do.

We enjoy museums, churches, beaches, and impressive scenery.

We will probably have a rental car for transportation.

If you had to name at least two OTHER places besides Lisbon and enviroms which you feel are &quot;must sees&quot; what might those be?

Thanks for any and all help in this preliminary stage. Unfortunately, Fodors (here) seems to think the &quot;destination&quot; in Portugal comprises Lisbon and not much else.

bailey6325

Dukey,

DH and I took a trip to Portugal about 2 years ago and we enjoyed it immensely. I've posted a report and photos that you can find under my name (for some reason, I can never post a link correctly to it).

So, to answer your question about places that I consider must-sees... I highly recommend that you look into the Alentejo region. Some of our fondest memories from our trip are of us driving around the Alentejo with beautiful views of the country and sweet smells of olive trees, etc. There are many towns to choose from, Evora being one of the largest. DH and I loved Evora, but I'd like to visit some of the smaller towns near there for our next visit. Many fodorites have more info on this area. The towns you choose will have a lot to do with how much time you have and how much ground you'll be covering over the course of your trip.

And if you'll be in Lisbon, then I think Sintra is a must-see. Pena Palace, National Palace, and the Moorish Castle are gorgeous sights... The town is adorable... And it's super easy to get to from Lisbon. I highly recommend that you go during the week to avoid crowds.

Sher

Hi Dukey
We will be making our second trip to Portugal and we will be spending our time only in the Alentejo and ending with four days in Lisbon.

The first time we were there we explored the coast from Porto to Lisbon.

I cannot strongly reccommend enough a book for Portugal since you will have a carrive Around Portugal. A Thomas Cook Guide. It has itineraries of a great deal of Portugal. A new edition will be available on Amazon in June.

The Douro Valley has lovely scenery.
The Lisbon Coast is spectacular.
Tomar and the areas surrounding Coimbra have great churches and ruins.

Bailey did a wonderful trip report. I will certainly post one when I return but do not expect the prose of hers.

Our last four nights are in Lisbon, our first in the Serra Da Estrela with a sprinkling of the Alentejo in between.

So, you see, some of us do go other places in Portugal. If you research lreynolds1, she has been all over Portugal.

Have a wonderful time planning.

bilboburgler

Evora is ok. For me Porto and the Duoro is the main reason to go to Portugal. Very little beech or golf hence the attraction.

Lisbon I find a bit dull unless you go looking for Wellington's fortresses. Rough guide is v good

thursdaysd

Definitely Coimbra. I wasn't so impressed with Porto, but it's a great place to go to taste port! In the Duoro valley I really enjoyed the narrow gauge railway from Tua to Mirandela, but I'm not sure whether it's still running. If you like churches plan to see Braga, Alcobaca and Batalha. My trip report is at www.wilhelmswords.com/rtw2004.

seetheworld

Hi Dukey. I highly recommend Tavira, a fishing village in the Algarve (it has not reached the developed frenzy of the western coast). There are several beaches to explore and among my favorites are Ilha da Tavira and Barril.

Here is a link that will give you some history.

http://www.portugalvirtual.pt/_touri...ira/index.html

Have fun planning. We just love Portugal!

Byrd

marking

Nikki

In Portugal, I have only been to Lisbon and the Alentejo. Last summer we spent two nights in the Alentejo and it felt as if we were not there long enough; we want to go back some time for a week.

Here is my trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35062668

Dukey

Thanks so very much to each one of you for taking the time to reply and for the links/references. I'll be looking over those and if I have questions will ask later. This information is exactly what I was hoping for. You guys are the best!

backpacker_1040

I also highly recommend a couple of days in Sintra and a couple of days in Lisbon.
If you're a beach person, I also recommend the Algarve region. Tavira is nice (as has been mentioned), Lagos is a bit more touristy but nice, and Salema is a beautiful little town (to the west of Lagos)!