Portugal Quandary. Help Appreciated
 

Our September/October trip is perfectly set up EXCEPT for one thing, and since half the Fodor's Board has already been to Portugal, and our resident experts Maribal and Helena (who I owe a glass of wine or two) are always insightful

I had to get weird dates for my Douro Valley stay and Porto because of lodging availability, and I have two choices:

After Coimbra I am set for two nights at Quinta de la Rosa and two days at Quinta do Pégo. I had wanted three nights and even though I booked a year ago, neither had that option. We would be coming from Coimbra. Is four nights too much in that area. I figure we could take our time from Coimbra and see Lamego on the way to Quinta de la Rosa. Of course if I try to attempt the 600+ steps at Santuario Nossa Senhora dos Remedios I might not make it anywhere after that.

OR

Should we head to Guimarães for the first two days (I have a hotel there just in case) and then just spend two nights in Douro Valley. It seems two is too short and four is too many in Douro Valley, or maybe I'm just not seeing all we can do. I'd like to figure this out quickly so I can give one of the properties time to fill another reservation (although since they were booked a year in advance that shouldn't be a problem.

We will have visited Lisbon, Sintra, Tomar, Coimbra on points in between, and then we have our last four nights in Porto, so we will have had a lot of churches, cathedrals castles and city stuff. I figure if we did the four nights and three days, we could take one of the wine boats, and maybe take a drive somewhere. But I know everyone is high on Guimarães, too. Oh these first world problems. Thoughts? Thanks!

PS - I did reserve the LisbonGuides for a Sintra tour . Thanks again.
PPS - Hope that traffic light is working at Quinta do Pego (:

Hi
Is your trip in early September?
Lamego has a big celebration at the beginning of the month culminating with a procession of Nossa Senhora dos Remedios on the 8th.

The procession is religious but there's food, drink and non religious Feira on the days preceding the procession.

Happy travels

I would go to Guimarães for the first two days. It is a lovely town and I think you will enjoy the food in that area. If you have two nights in the Douro Valley you also have a bit of time on your way back to Porto. And you can do a lot of wine tasting in Porto.

The days are the first four days in October. Thanks.

We stayed at Quinta do Pego for 3 days in May of this year. Same as your plan, we visited Lamego on the way there and then has 3 nights at the Quinta. It was quite hot while we were there. The first full day we went on a boat ride and had lunch in town. Spent the afternoon at the Quinta pool. Quite civilized, just pressed the buzzer and the staff comes out to take your drink order.
The next day we decided to take a break from exploring and just stay at the Quinta, in and out of the pool. Had lunch there and a Port tasting in the cellar. 3 nights were just enough for us.
We only spent one night in Guimares and wished we had another night.

I would go for the 2 nights in Guimaraes and then the 2 days in the Douro Valley. Guimaraes is very different from the other towns and we really, really liked it a lot. 2 nights in the Douro is really fine. The views are gorgeous at Quinta do Pego and even if you did nothing but relax and sip your wine by the pool*, you will have had a great visit! A boat ride or train ride on the day that you’re there won’t take up the entire day. There is not so much sightseeing in the Douro Valley as just soaking up ambience, and you will have a bit of time on both arrival and departure days.

PS - you can drive up to the church at Lamego! you don’t have to walk up a million steps!

*PPS - the winking icon I originally placed here now turns into a gobbledygook of numbers while wiring on my iPad! So, just think, wink-wink!

PPPS - of course, it depends upon how much you feel the need to see another location or just chill out. Staying in the Douro Valley for 4 nights wouldn’t be the worst thing (wink-wink again!), though knowing your gang, you would enjoy seeing Guimaraes. There is something special about the town.

"PS - you can drive up to the church at Lamego! you don’t have to walk up a million steps!"

That's great! So far it looks like Guimarães is the leader in the clubhouse. Thanks!!

maitatom,
About Lamego - our favorite pix of the church are from a flight below the church, where one can see the tiles on the staircase. Of course, the classic shot of the church and staircase is from the ground level. I’m afraid iPhone pix don’t do a good job on the moderate telephoto shot, but you get the idea:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...045a73a4f.jpeg
Ground level, looking up to the church

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6cfc83c70.jpeg
One flight below the church

You can get a similar feeling in Guimarães and no climbing necessary!
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...de73fa35c.jpeg
No need to climb stairs!

love this town!
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6cd802c04.jpeg
The town is charming and full of life in the evening!

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d99de899e.jpeg
Pretty full of life during the day, too!

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f814d83ab.jpeg


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7461df4c3.jpeg

Well, I made my choice (right or wrong), and I think with all those days seeing so many sights and towns along the way, I'm going for the two nights at Quinta de la Rosa and two nights at Quinta do Pego. I set up dinner reservations at Quinta de la Rosa the first night and a tour of the vineyards and cellar the following day. I'll probably set up a boat ride one day. I think the crew will be happy to cool their jets in the Douro for a few days after my "rigorous" Portugal schedule. Since it will really only be three days, hopefully I can find enough to do. I don't do "sitting around" well. Maybe a drive on that road that's supposed to be so beautiful that I researched three years ago when I first booked this trip. Any other ideas are greatly appreciated.

What I might do is get a very early start on the last morning and drive to Porto via Guimarães. I know it's not long, but we'll still have three full days in Porto after that. Decisions! Decisions!

I think you choosed wisely.

And I'm sorry, you don't own me a glass or two, I think it's more like a bottle or two!

But... I'm so busy, and will be, that I believe you can escape with just a small glass of wine!

Hope you enjoy your time in Portugal!

Quinta de La Rosa has a pizza oven and serves pizza - supposedly - I was there last month but never saw the restaurant actually open.

https://www.quintadelarosa.com/tims-terrace

if it is maybe would be nice for lunch one day, followed by a visit to the pool. Bring your DEET for the evenings. And get ready for the worst breakfast coffee of your life. You can pay extra for cappuccino .Hopefully Quinta do Pego has better coffee.

Up the street is the other end of the spectrum, tasting wise - Quinta do Infantado. Try to do a tasting there. You will get an education and taste better wines. Alvaro is one of the owners (they are a family operation) and he may be the one doing the visit. He knows everyone because he organizes a hip wine festival. https://quintadoinfantado.com/en/
Don’t attempt to email if you want to go. I would call.

a bit further afield (about a 90 minute drive, but a nice one) is the Côa Valley where they have a massive park full of prehistoric rock art. It is well worth a visit. You have to be with a guide to go into the park, but there is a good museum and a very good restaurant at the museum. It looks like they also have a boat tour, but I never did that one.

https://arte-coa.pt/en/

Would love to hear your review of the two hotels (or anyone else here)! Currently debating between the two for two nights next June. Either the suite at Quinta de La Rosa or a room at Quinta do Pego.

The Quinta de la Rosa two-level Donna Sara Suite is targeted to house a family of four and has a small terrace at its entrance. Rooms come with mini fridges filled with water and juices.

All of the ten rooms at Quinta do Pego are identical (one is handicapped accessible), measuring 269 square feet and all have private terraces with stunning, sweeping Douro River views.. We've stayed in room 3.
The rooms come with kettle and packaged coffee/tea, a complimentary decanter of port, marble baths, bathrobes.