Portugal by car
 

Driving from Porto to Lisbon, have about 3 days to stay somewhere in the middle and take day trips. Any suggestions as to where to stay and what to see??

This really depends on your interests. You could go toward Evora and the Alentejo before going North. Or you could just as easily travel through the middle and over to the coast. Or you could just head North and spend the time in Northern Portugal.
If this is in the Summer, I might avoid most of the Alentejo as it can be very hot.
Nearer to the coast will be cooler.

Thanks for your help Sher.

im traveling in early September and wanted to stay in either
Coimbra or Alcobaca and explore the area before heading to Lisbon. Another option is staying in Sintra and doing a few day trips from there. what do you think?

We spent 2 nights on the road between Porto and Lisbon. We stayed in Pousada Condeixa-a-Nova and Pousada de Óbidos. Near Condeixa we visited Conimbriga and Coimbra. On our way to Obidos we stopped in Alcobaça and Nazare. Between Obidos and Lisbon we stopped in Cabo de Roca, Praia da Adraga and Sintra.

If in Alcobaça, stop in the store Olaria Vale Coelho. It sells terracotta pottery and dishes. It had the best priced we came across and a great selection. I could kick myself for not taking advantage (I only bought some little things thinking we'd see more along the way, no such luck).

We enjoyed both Pousadas. Each was a unique experience.

Im from NYC as well so maybe not all is lost.......:)

how long where you in Porto, where did you stay? did you have a car?

Any area you pick near Coimbra will get you to Alcobaca, Tomar, Batahla, Obidos very easily.
There is a lot to see in the area and I found driving around was the best way to travel.

We don't stay in pousadas, although they are lovely. You should look into that option as in September you can take advantage of some of their specials, I believe.

Since we had a car, I visited Sintra for a day before heading to Lisbon. Some people like to stay in Sintra. I prefer to stay in Lisbon since it is so close. A friend and I always disagree about this.

IMHO I think you might skip the Alentejo on this trip as it really deserves more time.

In September it should be lovely but still pretty warm. Enjoy

We spent 2 nights in Porto. We stayed at the Guest House Douro which is incredible. It's a small, newly renovated guest house in the historic district, on the river, run by the nicest couple. They treat you like family and their restaurant recs were outstanding.

We arrived in Porto, early, and hit the ground running (and exhausted from jet lag and lack of sleep). The next day we did a day trip into the Douro valley. We drove to Pinhao (picked up the car the night before), and took the train to the end of the line and back (it hugs the river, stunning views, lots of kodak moments). Our last morning we took in some more local sights then left Porto in the afternoon. We never did find time to visit the Port houses, which, if time allowed, we would have done.

MFNYC, this sounds great, most of the things you are describing is exactly what we are planing to do, we arranged with Carmen to stay in Douro as well.

If you are coming from NYC, bring Carmen a bagel or 2. She had made that request when we visited last October. Any questions you may have, you can email Carmen, and once you arrive both she and Joao are so willing to help. And bring your camera to breakfast, the fruit plate that Joao arranges is a work of art.

Also, when in Porto, be sure to climb the tower at Torre dos Clerigos. The views are amazing.

My camera is burned into my hand, shouldn't be a problem. How is the situation with parking near the Guesthouse?

Sher, thank you for invaluable advice. Which place would you recommend for a beach day in this area?

There's a parking garage nearby (maybe 2 blocks, Largo do Infante), and through the guest house, you get a discount. They will direct you. According to my notes, it was 15E with in/out access.

The beach at Nazare looked very nice, but I would imagine it's a mob season in the summer. In October (when we were there), it was too cold to swim, and the town was pretty quiet, yet very charming.

MyMaleEgo, Here's a link to my photos if you're interested: http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/th...NAME=snapfish/

I think you need a snapfish account to access so you can set one up if you don;t already have.

MFNYC, awesome pictures, thanks for your help

Well. The last time we stayed near the beach, we were in Salir do Porto. It is a very small town and I think most of the rentals are longer than one night.

But. If I had to stay again. I would stay in the guest house at Casal dos Patos([email protected]). You can Google them. We did not stay in the guest house but in the small cottage on the property. I cannot vouch for the rooms in the guest house but for a night I don't think the cottage is available.
Now. I have to tell you that Lourinha isn't as picturesque as some towns. But this guest house is in a spectacular location above the beach on the edge of a bluff, I guess you would call it. It has steps down to the beach on the edge of the property. You can also park there.
We would sit at the edge of the property in the evening with a glass of wine to watch the sun sink into the sea. The beach is sandy but we did not go in the water just walked along it.

Once you get to the house you leave the tourists behind and it feels as if you are on the edge of the world. A German couple run the property and live there. They speak very good English.

Wherever you stay you will enjoy Portugal.