Portugal October Itinerary question
 

Hello all,

I'll be in Portugal in early October and after reading quite a bit I have decided on the following rough itinerary. I'd appreciate your views on whether this would be doable. A few important points, I'll be arriving from Austria, where I currently live, so jetlag is not a consideration. Also, I'll be using trains and buses throughout.

Also, I could add an extra day if needed. I am not limited by a plane ticket yet.

Day 1 - Arrive in Lisbon mid-morning (walking tour in the afternoon)
Day 2 - Lisbon with Alfama in the evening
Day 3 - Belem in the morning, Sintra afternoon
Day 4 - Azeitao (visit to wine estate and cheese museum)
Day 5 - Tomar (Convent) and Aveiro
Day 6 - Costa Nova and Porto
Day 7 - Barcelos (Thursday market) and Porto
Day 8 - Douro excursion (guided)
Day 9 - Porto

You don't say where you are flying in from, but if it's a transatlantic flight, you may want to catch a little sleep after lunch and head out again in the evening, making a walking tour in the afternoon a bad option.

Belem in the morning, Sintra in the afternoon? Not really. Sintra takes most of one day. Belem needs more time to enjoy.

Over all, a bit rushed, especially if you are going to be relying on the train and bus to get you around.

The OP lives in Austria..so jet lag is not an issue.

Hi there: I just came back last night.

'Belem in the morning, Sintra in the afternoon? Not really'

I second that. Sintra is an entire day, starting early.

I did Belem in the morning (starting out at 9am), with a leisurely lunch at 2pm in a restaurant overlooking the river. In the afternoon/early evening I visited the Castle St Jorge. You could do Alfama that afternoon (lots of hills and stairs!)

Porto is lovely, but 2.5 hours each way by train. Your visit would be very rushed (I spent two days there and didn't see half of it). Suggest you drop it and spend more time in Lisbon, walking the Chiado, Estorel, Baixa ...

I also regret not getting to Cacilhas :(

I think a couple days in lisbon in enough. a full day in sintra absolutely necessary. don't skip porto and the douro valley- I was there last october, it is harvest time, absolutely stunning- at the vineyard we went to the workers were stomping on the grapes! You have time for it all.

Hi Amenadeo

Day 5 and 6 - Costa Nova is, actually, in Aveiro, a small (wonderfull) city. Unless you want to see old and contemporary Aveiro, you can see historical centre in one afternoon. I also advise you to go in a Moliceiro, but NOT in Aveiro city centre, choose Barra (near Costa Nova), on the other side of the Ria, and "ride" a traditional one.

If you could put there somewhere between Tomar and Aveiro, Coimbra... it's a must see.

Instead of Barcelos (if you're going just because of the market, I'm afraid you're gonna be disapointed), I would go to Guimarães (nice city centre).

Douro is good, you gonna love it. The best off-the-beaten-track: historical villages, very intact, as Piódão, Monsanto or Belmonte; and Serra da Estrela. That region is very genuine.

I'm portuguese, so, any help you need...

Thank you everybody for your really helpful comments. I am reworking my itinerary and adding a day, or three, to improve it. I quickly realized my mistake about Sintra.

SandraPestana - obrigado! I put Barcelos in my schedule precisely because of the market. May I ask, for the benefit of others reading these posts, why you think I'd be disappointed?

Also, I have been searching for Barra, and this is what I could find. http://www.cm-ilhavo.pt/pages/2340 (the one that says Farol de Barra) Is that the one?

Thanks again everybody!

Well, you can find markets like that one all over portugal. the only reason why you thing of it it's, probably, because it's on lonely planet. Right? But you can see a good market in Porto, for instance - Bolhão market.