Portugal Itinerary Help – too many places; too little time
 

I’m having trouble fitting in all the places I want to see in Portugal in a 2-week trip. I thought 2 weeks was plenty of time to see everything but as I read more I want to see more places between Porto and Lisbon and now I’m stuck in Itinerary Limbo! I do not want to rush through any towns so I’m willing to forgo Porto (and pick up the rental car in Coimbra) and cut back on a day in Lisbon. Need advice please.

Here’s the current plan:

Arrival day (arrive Lisbon, train to Porto)
Day 1 - Porto
Day 2 - Porto
Day 3 – pickup rental car, drive to Coimbra
Day 4 – Coimbra
Day 5 – Coimbra/Bucaco
Day 6 & 7 - Obidos, Alcobaca, Batalha, Fatima, Tomar
Day 8 - Marvao, Castelo de Vide
Day 9 - Estremoz, Vila Vicosa
Day 10 - Evora, Redondo, Monsaraz
Day 11 to 14 – Lisbon (drop off car on Day 10)

With this plan I’m missing Sintra, Cascais, and Estoril. I don’t think I could give up any of the towns between Bucaco and Sintra on the itinerary so should I give up Porto and free up 2+ days?

Thanks for any help!

Adrienne

Hi, Adrienne,

You're right that two weeks is not enough time to see Portugal. I've lived there for two different one year periods and still have a lot left to see. I guess in part my suggestions would depend on whether or not you think this is a once in a lifetime trip, or the first of several trips to Portugal. If it's the former, I would definitely leave Porto in there, because I think it's a wonderful city and has a lot to see. If it's the latter, I would cut Porto and leave Porto and the Douro and the cities of northern Portugal for a return visit. The Douro Valley, Guimaraes, the mountains of Peneda Geres and Lousa, Viana do Castelo, Ponte de Lima, Aveiro and the Rias, and it goes on and on, are all wonderful places to visit in northern Portugal. All of your destinations other than Porto are in the center or south, so consolidation in those two regions might make sense for you.

You currently have at least two full days in Coimbra. I think that's a lot, especially for a first time visitor who wants to see lots of things. The Coimbra historic district is compact, and even if you like to "soak it all in," a full day is really pretty generous. In addition, (though I may have said this to you already in another post, if so, I apologize), if it were me, I'd reconsider the trip to Bucaco. I have stayed in that crazy hotel in the old mansion, and my parents and my kids all loved it. I also enjoyed some nice walks through their pretty forests/gardens. But I wouldn't say it's a "must see" stop compared with the other places on your itinerary. But these are just my opinions.

If you knock off Porto, you could see Sintra. Sintra has enough to keep you busy for days, the castles, palaces, mansions, and though it's extremely touristy, at night it's magical.

I think Cascais and Estoril are congested, but pretty, suburbs of Lisbon that happen to be on the beach. I don't think there's much in either town that really will wow you, and that if you want to see beaches, Portugal has many many more beautiful places to offer.

So, those are just my ideas, I'm sure lots of people have very different reactions to your itinerary. In any case, you will love Portugal, of that I am almost sure!

Laurie

Hi Laurie,

I appreciate your information and I'm working on a revised itinerary. This may be my only trip to Portugal but I would rather see fewer towns in depth than run around visiting many towns. I'm a slow traveler and prefer to take my time and wander the streets, stopping in cafes, in addition to seeing the sights. I want to get the most from my 2 weeks there.

One focus in traveling is to visit Unesco Heritage sites so Tomar, Batalha, Evora, Alcobaca, and Sintra are on my list. Porto is also a Unesco site and that's why I chose it. Perhaps I should give up Coimbra and Bucaco.

Re: Caiscais and Estoril - I'm not interested in beaches but would like to take photos of boats. And I've read that these two towns are "charming" or "interesting." Maybe I'm getting confused. Perhaps I could visit one of them to get a flavor.

I only researched Sintra this morning and I do see that I could spend 2 days there - there is a lot in Sintra that interests me.

I also want to drive through a town that I'd read about in the book "A Cottage in Portugal." I don't remember the name of the town so I will have to research it (probably have to read the book again). I do know it's near Lisbon and really a village. At the time of the writing the town had no running water nor electricity!

I'll work on another draft of my itinerary and could perhaps fit in Porto w/o giving up other towns and without running around too much. Do you think cutting a day off Lisbon to see Porto would be a good idea? I do have a lot of things I want to see in the Lisbon area.

A question - I would like to see the Moorish Palace near Lisbon. Lonely Planet guide book states visits are only by guided tour and suggests reserving a tour. I don't see anything about this on the Palace web site. Do you have any further info on tours and reservations?

Thanks!

Hi, Adrienne,

Am I remembering correctly that we've had some communication on this board about the Camino de Santiago?

Anyway, not to complicate things further, but if UNESCO World Heritage sites are a top destination, have you considered Guimaraes? It's about an hour northeast of Porto, so it probably wouldn't make sense for you, but it is really a show-stopper.

I don't think you've got too much time devoted to lisbon -- 3 or 4 days, IMO, is an absolute minimum. I would think cutting out the Bucaco detour, and maybe cutting a bit off of the time you've allotted for Coimbra would give you more breathing room for the things you really want to see. Giving up Coimbra altogether would give you lots more time, that's a tough decision. I like Coimbra very much, but think that a day is plenty to get a good sense of the place. The central historic area is pretty compact.

When you say the "Moorish Palace," I first assumed that you were talking about the Moorish Castle above Sintra, near the Pena Palace. But the last time I was there it was easy to buy a ticket and enter and walk around. There's actually not a whole lot to see, but climbing around is fun and the views are great. So, anyway, maybe you are talking about some other attraction, or maybe the rules have changed since I was last there. Sorry I can't help you here, do you have more information?

And by the way, I didn't think that your days 6 and 7 are too rushed. The distances are very small, are you going to spend two nights in Obidos and do day trips?

Hope this helps a bit, Laurie

Thanks again Laurie! But please please please no more fabulous places that I can't fit into my itinerary! :) I knew nothing about Portugal when I bought my ticket and though 2 weeks would be fine. Now I know better.

I will start again tomorrow morning for a final itinerary. I've got to get the rental car sorted out and find some (cheap) lodgings so I need to get this itinerary in place quickly.

I do mean the Moorish Castle above Sintra. You probably have the most up to date information as I'm using a guide book from 2007 so it was published in 2006.

<< Am I remembering correctly that we've had some communication on this board about the Camino de Santiago? >>

Yes we have. You're the pilgrim and I'm the pilgrim wannabe! I loved your posts about the various caminos.

We just got back from Lisbon. I've traveled quite a bit and I must say that Sintra is on the top of my list. We went to Cascais and Estoril and (I know I'll offend someone here!

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Attraction...tremadura.html was unbelievable. More so than the Pena Palace for me, and the Palace was beautiful.

Laurie is really good for information. She helped me quite a bit on our trip last year to Portugal. We bought a Pousada Passport and got rooms quite reasonably. If you need any restaurant recmd's Laurie is the one. Enjoy-we had a great time in Portugal. I especially liked driving in the Alentejo area & staying in the pousadas. Chris

Hi, Adrienne,
If you are going to have a lot of time in Sintra, four of the sites are advertised together and offer a combined ticket. The Pena Palace and the Moorish Castle are two of the four, they are close together. A lot of people miss the grounds of the Pena Palace and that's a pity, there are many beautiful gardens, viewing spots (I believe the highest spot in the Sintra mountains is on the ground).

The Moorish Castle has a pretty astonishing cistern, several rings of walls, and lots of places to walk and climb. Both of these places have shops, cafeterias, parking, and are accessible by public transportation from Sintra. We usually bring a lunch and eat it in the gardens.

The other two sites in this group are not very heavily visited, but I think they're both well worth a visit. The 19th century Monserrate mansion was once a summer residence for rich Brits, fell into disrepair, and the government finally bought it and is currently restoring it. The grounds are beautiful, lots of water and green (allergy sufferers beware) and a lot of work has been done and is ongoing. The library is incredible, and the exterior is so impressive. I don't think there's public transit here, but I could be wrong.

Continuing on the road where Monserrate sits, you can get to the fourth site, the Convento dos Capuchos, a very tiny monastery (note that in Portuguese, convent can be male or female, same as in Spanish). 6 or 7 cells, I think, plus the other facilities, are very interesting.Terrific views as well. The monastery dates from the 16th century, and is also being restored.

You can see pictures of these places, and if you can read portuguese, can get more information, on this website:
http://www.parquesdesintra.pt/

Good luck with the itinerary, Laurie

Hi Laurie,

Thanks again. I have looked at the (English) site and you have explained it wonderfully (as always). I cannot read Portguese, I cannot speak Portuguese, and until a few days ago I could not spell Portuguese! LOL

I'm now planning 2 days in Sintra and probably cutting out Cascais and Estoril. Still reviewing my notes and trying to make decisions which I will do in the next few hours. Maybe I'll just throw darts at the map to see which places I'm going to and which I must forgo.

Thanks for all your support and help!

Here's the latest itinerary draft for consideration. I hope it's the final version! I've eliminated Porto and environs and Coimbra and the Bucaco forest.

Arrive Lisbon; train to Evora - stay 4 nights (I'm taking the train since it's a 3 hour drive from the airport and I'll be too tired to navigate that far and I won't need a car the first day in Evora)

Day 1 - Explore Evora
Day 2 - Pickup rental car and visit Monsaraz & Redondo (for ceramics)
Day 3 - Visit Estramoz and Vila Vicosa
Day 4 - Drive to Marvao (stay 2 nights)
Day 5 - Castelo de Vide
Day 6 - Drive to Tomar (stay 2 nights)
Day 7 - Fatima & Batalha
Day 8 - Drive to Obidos via Alcobaca(stay 1 night)
Day 9 - Sintra (stay 2 nights)
Day 10 - Sintra
Day 11 - Return rental car to Lisbon
Day 12 - 14 - Lisbon

Thanks again for help with this itinerary!

Is there any advantage to leaving from Rossio or Oriente? I think Rossio is closer to the airport and both stations have trains leaving at 2:00. The train from Oriente takes slightly less time (about 15 minutes less) and is a non-stop to Evora.

I'm arriving about 8:30 am in Lisbon and the next train is not until 2:00. Is there anything to do/see around either station? Restaurants for lunch?

Hi, Adrienne,
Sounds like a great itinerary to me! And it seems much more consistent with your low-stress, linger and enjoy approach to travel than the earlier version. I will be happy to help you set up a similar trip for the north of Portugal once you see how much you love this place. :-)

I have never taken a train to Evora (I think it's probably closer to a two hour than a three hour drive), but I would think that it would have to be the same train with stops in Rossio and Oriente rather than different trains. But I really don't know for sure.

Anyway, the Oriente station is much closer to the airport. It is out at the Parque das Nacoes, the site of the Lisbon Expo in the late 90s. It has a very nice river walk, a huge shopping mall, the aquarium, cafes, etc. The train station there was designed by Calatrava and is unique.

Rossio station is right in downtown central Lisbon. So it might make sense to have a few hours out at the Parque das Nacoes since you'll be in downtown at the end, but that depends on whether those kinds of attractions appeal to you.

Laurie

Laurie - your are THE BEST!!!

Do you think I could have your email in case I have other questions as I complete my research? If you don't want to post it here please email me (my email is in my profile). Ordinarily I would simply post on fodors but it seems that there are few folks who can answer (or who are interested in) my questions. I promise I won't deluge you with emails. :)

Thanks also to CIB and BeniciaChris for their input. I've added time to Sintra. Unfortunately this is a very low budget trip so Pousadas are not in the picture. I'm trying to keep lodging at 25 Euro a night (except for Lisbon).

Now that I have final approval I'm off to talk to Auto Europe and change my car reservation again and to find those cheap, cheap lodgings.

BTW - do you know the Portuguese for Bonne Route or Buen Camino? Or doesn't that expression exist in Portuguese.

Hi, Adrienne,

I sent you an email with my email address and I'm happy to give you my opinions about Portugal, either in email or here on the forum. Are you sure that Auto Europe is the cheapest rental option? I always have found carjet to be quite a bit cheaper.

I think you will be able to find 25E or less lodgings in a lot of the places you are going, other than Lisbon. I can give you some suggestions for Tomar. I walked from lisbon to Porto this spring and spent a night there. Laurie

Bom Caminho, laurie

Hi Laurie,

I also called Kemwell (sister company to Auto Europe) and they are quite a bit more expensive. I'm not familiar with carjet but will look into it. Thanks for the tip.

I would love suggestions for lodging in Tomar. My Let's Go book suggested Residencial Uniao on Rua Serpa Pinto but does not give an email or fax; only a phone number. Their singles are supposed to be 25 Euro (but the price may have increased since publication). Please let me know what you recommend since first-hand knowledge is the best thing.

In Lisbon I booked a place for 35 Euro on the suggestion of Nedsireland from this site so I'm all set there.

I did receive your email - thanks!

Hi, Adrienne,

Here are the Tomar recommendations. I actually spent the night in a nice hotel because my husband met me at the end of my day's walk and he's not the "camino" type. But the Residencial Luz is the place where a friend of mine stayed, he thought it was fine, and the price is right!

Residencial União, (Rúa Serpa Pinto 94, tel., 249 323 161)(the one listed in LP -- I don't have a website or fax either)

Residencial Sinagoga (Rúa Gil Avo 31, tel. 249 323 083), website: http://residencialsinagoga.planetaclix.pt/

Residencial Luz, (Rúa Serpa Pinto 144, tel. 249 312 317) (reported basic but very good, 17.50 E). Website: .http://www.residencialluz.com/index.php

All of these places are on or next to the Caminho, and there may be special prices for peregrinos (pilgrim walkers).

If there are other towns where you're looking for a cheap place, let us know and maybe some of us will be able to help. Laurie

We were recently in Tomar and had a nice meal on Rua Serpa Pinto. The restaurant O Tabuleiro was very good and very reasonably priced. I thought of it when you mentioned the street with the hotel.
Four of us ate for E49 and that was with wine, water, three coffees and four desserts and bread and a small appetizer. We split two entrees between the four of us. The entrees were E12.50. So you could easily cut back on the bill. The entrees were listed as a portion for two and they were very generous.
Just a suggestion.

Adrienne. I mentioned the restaurant and maybe you are traveling by yourself. Then I would ask the restaurant to give you a half portion. You can do that almost everywhere in Portugal.
And I love the new itinerary. Like Laurie, we have used Carjet in Portugal and their prices are very good.

Thanks for the restaurant tip, Sher. I most certainly will go there. It sounds incredible that a portion for 2 is 12.50 Euro.

I did look at the Carjet site today. They're about $35 less expensive than Auto Europe but they do not have a pickup location in Evora. That means I would have to pickup in Lisbon and I'm not sure I want to drive as soon as I arrive.