Portugal and Spain help PLEASE
 

3 adult women are traveling to Portugal/Spain for 3 weeks. We will NOT have a car. Any suggestions for bus or rail between cities would be appreciated.
Flying into Lisbon:
Oct 8-11 Sintra,PORTUGAL
Oct 11-12 Obidos
Oct 12-15 Tavira
Oct 15-18 Sevilla, SPAIN
Oct 18-20 Arcos de la Frontera
Oct 20-22 Ronda
Oct 22-24 Granada (flying to Madrid)
Oct 24-28 Madrid
We have all accomodations finalized. Are their special tasty, reasonably priced restaurants we shouldn't miss? The local people and ambience are the most important. What are the local artifacts that we shouldn't miss while shopping? or any special shops not to miss?
Thanks for your help....Kathy

How could one miss out Barcelona when you are in Spain, unless you are thinking of going there on its own in another trip?

Kathy, That will be tough without a car.
Good itinerary--too much time in transport.

I agree with KY. Barcelona is fabulous! We did spend a week there on a previous trip.

We went to a restaurant in Ronda that we really liked called Dona Pepa at Plaza del Socorro 10 (952 87 47 77). Food was delicious and reasonably priced.

In Sevilla, I highly recommend seeing the flamenco show at Los Gallos.

If you don't already have tickets for Alhambra, you can order them on the Internet at alhambratickets.com.

Have a great trip and let us know all about it when you get back.

A train service between Lisbon-Sintra operates out of Cais do Sodre station. There may be another (TranVia) that goes from Oriente rail Station. You can get to either by MetroLisboa but for 3-adult women with luggage you may be better off taking a taxi (or van) to the train station or all the way to Sintra.

I don't know if the Alfa express trains stop in Obidos but you will probably have to come back to Lisboa to catch a bus to Tavira.

I don't know how you will get from Tavira to Sevilla. There's no rail line but Damas SA operates seasonal Bus Service (twice daily) between Huelva (Spain) and Faro / Lagos (Portugal): I don't know if they stop in Tavira or what frequency they operate in October. Damas SA also operates bus service between Huelva & Sevilla.

I would check with your place of lodging in Sintra to see if they are willing and what it would cost to pick you up at the airport. After a long flight, it is money well spent IMHO.

Thanks for the suggestions. We will use them. We are flying out tonight, but will check Fodors on the trip if anyone has additional suggestions. Thanks so much....Kathy

in Obidos, Restaurante o Alcaide serves some nice ensopados...

in Sintra, get away from the crowds in the center of the city and try the restaurant of the Berardo Museum of Modern Art. Less expensive than the touristic restaurants in the center and very nice in my opinion. And of course, dont forget to visit the museum...

And in Tavira, Restaurante Quatro Aguas. Excellent seafood.

Regards,

Ricardo Correia Duarte
advice and tips when traveling to Portugal:
http://pwp.netcabo.pt/ricardo-duarte