Talillama

Visiting Portugal for the first time and need advice as to how long to stay in each visiting city. (We are a late-twenties couple. Foodies, love art, fashion, and culture. Hate cheesy places)

Condensed version: Lisbon-Porto-Douro Valley-Guimaraes-Porto

Detailed version:

-Flying into Lisbon and staying there for (how many do you suggest) days.

-Drive or train (which is best?) to Porto where we will stay for 1 night (1.5 days)

-On the following day will drive to Douro Valley and spend the night. Following day will drive to Guimaraes (is it worth spending night there?).

-From Guimaraes we will drive back to Porto (in order to return car.)


From Porto, need to take train to Spain (prob. Vigo) What is best train to take to their? Having trouble finding best route!

Looking for suggestions of length in each location, what area is best to stay in (central but not too touristy and congested) and some suggestions on restaurants.

As we will be doing a 10-day Portugal/Spain road trip, we are looking for some budget restaurants with stellar food (high end restaurants too, but not as frequently)

Thanks!

thursdaysd

As long as possible for Lisbon, including Belem and Sintra. Train to Porto. There is only one train route from Porto to Spain, see bahn.de.

ribeirasacra

What ever you plan you should bear in mind that the more travelling you do the less chance you have to see and relax. So try not to rush things too much.
Getting across the border between Oporto and Vigo.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g1...ransport..html
It has been announced that a plan is a foot to add frequency to the train service. When that will happen know one knows.
For train planning in Portugal www.cp.pt The website is also in English.
To read about the electronic toll road system in Portugal
http://slowtalk.com/groupee/forums/a...m/789006232001

When are you planning to take this trip?

Talillama

July.

We are pacing ourselves but know there are some towns/cities that we can do in a day.

What are the best areas to stay in Lisbon or Porto?

amer_can

Don't know what your budget is but you might look into tjhe web site. www.pousadas pt or pestana group.pt . Sometimes they have great bargains and their hotels are outstanding. There is one in Lisbon (very nearby) Queluz..a new one in Porto and others in various parts of the country. We got a special a couple of years ago..5 nights and 6 days car for around 600-650Euros..As I said outstanding.

HappyTrvlr

Spent ten days in Lisbon, four in Porto. Perfect. We really enjoyed our visit to Guimares, birthplace of Portugal.We stayed at the in town Pousada. We went from Porto to Vigo and stayed in Baiona at the Parador, beautiful! We loved northern Portugal and Spain's Rias Biaxes,. An all time travel highlight for us was Santiago de Compostela. One of our favorite trips....

Talillama

Thanks everyone!

HappyTrvl- Since we only have 10 days, we have to really pick and choose how long we want to stay in each place.

Is it worth spending a night in Guimares or can it just be a day trip?

Same with Northern Spain. Which spots are sleep overs and which are day trips?

CarolJean

Good questions. Awaiting the answers. I'm planning also.

ribeirasacra

Talillama are those 10 days only for Portugal or for the whole trip, including Spain?

Talillama

10 days portugal AND spain

ribeirasacra

Have you thought about adding your days planned for Spain to Portugal. Then you can see more of Portugal with no rush and Spain will not be the blur you are trying to plan.

Talillama

CarolJean- Have you looked into Guimaraes any more? I have been doing a lot of research on how to get the most out of a day trip there. It's quite small and seems like a day is plenty of time. There is a lot online on Guimaraes 2012 but the website is not very informational.

This far I have on my list for G: Citania de Briteiros, Verde Inveja market/ Venter for Arts and Architecture and dinner at Historico. Of course visiting the largos, and other areas.

Egbert

It's the American way of European travel!

PamEwing

If you haven't already purchased your airline tickets yet, please, please, please, do yourself a favor and avoid Lisbon like the plague! It's filthy, smelly, and the only place that I and others members of my tour group felt unsafe during our trip two weeks ago. I would spend the time in Spain instead of Portugal. However, if you unfortunately already paid for the tickets, stay at hotel in Sintra or Cascais, not Lisbon. If you feel that you must see Lisbon, Belem is the only section of the city that I would even bother to spend any time in. The royal coaches museum is quite interesting, and there is a wonderful bakery just up the street from it. You can also walk past the presidential palace. Just half a day is more than enough in Lisbon, and then beat it out of there as fast as you can.

Talillama

While I appreciate those who helped, I am no longer going to be checking this forum.

Talillama

BTW Egbert, we are not American,and even if we were, you should not make such comments.

Robert2533

Apparently you and your group disagrees with Frank Bruni's excellent assessment of Lisbon published on Sunday in the New York Times, "How I Fell for Lisbon"

http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/05/27...ref=frankbruni

thursdaysd

incredible attitude towards Lisbon, one of my favorite cities. Still, the fewer tourists there the better for those of us who love it.

CathyM

Everyone has different opinions on places to visit. (I very much liked Lisbon). I personally think it's important when we express our opinions to try to allow others to make their own judgements and try not to make your opinion come across as a fact.

Talillama

Very well said CathyM.

Robert: Not sure why you think I don't want to go to Lisbon as obviously I began this forum saying that I AM going there. I read Bruni's article, was great. Anthony Bordain also has amazing things to say about it. I can't wait!

If anyone has any actual TIPS aka places to visit, where to eat, cool things to do, it would be much appreciated, as this is what this forum is for.

Please keep negativity about the cities I have chosen to visit to yourself, as I am visiting the cities and excited to.

Like I said, before, my itinerary is NOT changing. We will be in Lisbon, Porto, Santiago, La Caruna, Gijon or Bilbao and then end with San Sebastian.

I have Lisbon and Porto set for restaurants and sites but any fun not touristy things we can do? Where to find cool art galleries and shops perhaps?

I have a list of restaurants for spain, the problem is picking which ones! But suggestions welcome. Also looking for great local places in those cities for grabbing a late night drink somewhere relaxed yet very cool or beachside eats perhaps.

Thanks for those who have helped and I am hoping to get some solid responses regarding my QUESTIONS.