We have 4 nights allocated for the Porto area. We would love to stay somewhere outside the city, any suggestions?

Also, suggestions for day trips in the area?

How far outside the city? Maybe Foz do Douro? It's just west of the city, at the Atlantic Ocean, and only a short tram ride (antique tram no. 1) from the Ribeira. Nice hotels, good restaurants.

Daytrips: Douro Valley (either by car or by train), Braga, Guimarães, Aveiro.

Foz do Douro would be perfect. It's a short tram ride away from the center of the city. We've stayed at 4Rooms in Foz do Douro (www.4rooms.pt), which was designed by the famous Navarran architect Rafael Moneo, who has actually stayed there.

There are a number of excellent restaurants close by, including Foz Velha (www.fozvelha.com). Our favorite restaurant, Pedro Limos, is located at Rua Padre Luis Cabral, 974 in Foz (www.pedrolemos.net). He also has a place in central Porto.

From Foz you can walk along the boardwalk to Matosinhos, Porto's beach. Here, too, some of the best fish restaurants!

What about another village or town outside the city?

We will have a car, is it difficult to drive in and out if we stay in a more rural setting?

Or easier to stay on the outskirts such as Foz do Douro, and tram into the old part of town, and drive out on daytrips?

I did lovely day trips from Porto - to Braga, Guimares (in many ways a royal town and national patrimony of Portugal) and up the Duoro River Valley - I went by train but driving would be quicker - especially the Duoro is nice by car.

Porto did not seem terrible for cars - you could easily park in the beach area and take the antique-looking tram into the center- I stayed in the center and took the tram out to the beaches - nice circular tram ride around town in a circa 1900 or so tiny old tram, which was cool and a throwback for sure.

we had a car when we stayed in porto and did not find driving to be difficult.

We, too, had a car. No problem at all.

We waited and rented our car when we were done in Porto, although driving seemed fine, parking might not be.

We stayed in Vila do Conde, which is quite close to Porto and a lovely old fishing village that's gotten more like a bedroom community. It's only 30 km or so away--we stayed there the night before we left and drove straight to the airport.

There's Braga and Guimaraes, both quite close and both very historic.

We went up as far as Viana do Castelo, which is a lovely town, and drove back through some of the lovely country inland of the Minho (the name of this area of northern Portugal.)

And of course, don't forget Vila Nova de Gaia, right across the Douro river from Porto, the home of port wine.

Bookmarking for our first visit to Portugal May 2015. Deborah

Thanks all I just started another thread, so please look it up, would love your suggestions.

I think we are going to stay near Guimaraes. I just couldn't get into staying in another city after 5 nights in Lisbon. Too much of a country girl I guess!

Oh well, then why don't you stay somewhere in the Douro Valley? It's the prettiest area in northern Portugal, IMO. Very peaceful with vinyards as far as the eye can see.

Check out the Pousada hotel Barrao de Forrester!

Foz do Douro sounds interesting for our 3 or 4 nights in Porto (and day trips). Has anybody been there in January? Dead?

Has anybody been there in January? Dead?
I have and it rained most of the time ! Foz is off center and wasn't very lively due to the weather.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...s-in-porto.cfm

We were in Foz do Duoro in early June & it was pretty empty. i liked it there and had a great lunch, but would definitely stay in town in January.