Question for those who have traveled to Portugal
 

My husband and I are planning to go to Portugal next summer with our 2 daughters and sons-law. We will spend several days in Lisbon and then proceed to a cooking school (in Cascais) for 6 days. We would like to add on a bit more time. Would you go to Porto or the Nazare area or someplace else? The younger folks (in their late 40s) are more limited in time then we are and we may stay on longer. They would probably prefer to stay for only about 2 weeks, thus we are trying to narrow it down.

Porto is a good visit (easy to access from Lisbon by train)

Porto

Those are radically different choices -- although I will admit I did not go to Nazare when I was in Portugal so I can't compare on that basis. If you really would prefer a beach destination and are urban-allergic then perhaps Nazare makes sense for your preferences but Porto is fascinating. There are beach vistas quite near Porto with well regarded hotels and restaurants but which have fairly easy access to the heart of Porto for sightseeing. Maybe that is something to look into.

Porto is one of my very most favorite cities I have visited in Europe - an old-world atmosphere that has disappeared largely from modern European metropolises.

I stayed in Nazare too and loved it - not your typical beach resort town but an authentic old seaside city - still has an active fishing industry and folks sell fish they fry on small fires in its ancient lanes to the public.

Spend time in both perhaps.

Nazare is close to Alcbaca and Batalha - with their great monasteries - easy drive or bus rides.

From Porto I loved day trips to Braga and Guimares - the latter a place of national Portuguese patrimony where kings and queens once held court I think.

Also easy day trip up the Duoro River - don't miss touring the Port Wine Houses on the river in old Porto.

Porto - a gem.

One daughter had said she wanted to be near the beach and then her husband chimed in with he didn't want to go to a foreign country and spend time on the beach. I'm with him! The cooking school is near the beach so we'll get some of those views too. Is there anything in particular in Porto you would recommend not missing?

Thanks PalenQ. I think I was posting the same time as you were.

Hubby thinks Obidis sounds interesting. Anyone visited there?

Please note that Cascais is little more than an hour by train from Lisbon. And while you are there so not forget the storybook town of Sintra.

Some other towns we like are Coimbra, Braga, Amarante and Viana do Castelo.

In the complete opposite direction is Evora.

Ifnot now, when:

I differ from the majority of Fodorites who simply flatly do not like, Obidoosh, or would cut the vist time to an hour.. We found it a most welcoming walled town, very colorful, friendly and a good base for other places including Nazare' which I highly recommend...but be sure to take the funicular or drive to upper town (Sitio)to watch the Nazare' women hard at work, in full local costume, selling their varied products to the visitors. We stayed at the Estalagem do Convento, right by the wall, and found it to be very comfortable. It's a Bob "the navigator" favorite, too. Using the proper town's pronunciation will please many of the locals.

also visit Sintra from Lisbon.

I like all the towns IMDonehere lists. I thought Obidos a cute little town, but an afternoon there was only that would suit me.

I love Porto! I was there a couple of years ago as a one day stop during a cruise and loved it so I went back this summer for 3 days. I liked it more than Lisbon which is the only other Portuguese city I've visited.

Bookmarking

For the daughter who wants the beach and the father who wants some real payoff for the travel investment check out Foz do Douro at the edge of Porto.

I'm in the "prefer Lisbon" camp (and planning to go back again in November), but I wouldn't skip Porto. I'd just stop off in Coimbra (and take a look at Conimbriga) on the way.

Thanks for your suggestions. Lots of food for thought (and planning) here.