Starting to plan
 

We are just starting to plan a trip to Portugal for late May/early June. Thinking of flying into Porto for 4 nights and then training to Lisbon for 4 more nights with day trips or outings from each city. Would like to spend a couple of nights at a beach resort at the end of the trip. Perhaps 2 nights in the Algarve region before going back to Lisbon to fly home. Any and all suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance!

Algarve is a big detour from other places - consider going instead to a seaside resort between Porto and Lisbon - Nazarre is a neat old seaside town and Figuera da Foz is another popular one- Algarve is largely modern seaside strips though some cities like Lagos and Tavira have charm and nice beaches but for 2 days it would take about a day down and back from Lisbon. And Cascais right near Lisbon is also a premier seaside resort.

Porto has neat day trips - Guimares - a former royal city - and Braga are two charmers short train rides away.

Lisbon could easily occupy all 4 days but a day trip to nearby Sintra is easy - two neat castles and another royal town.

Book trains Porto-Lisbon far in advance at www.cp.pt - Portuguese Railways site for discounted tickets - general info trains and where to go with them BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com.

I was invited to lecture in Porto last year.

A very charming city, but as I recall the area for tourists is relatively small, maybe two miles square at most. There's the famous bridge and some neighborhoods along the Duoro. Lisbon has much more to see and do. Both cities are beautiful, but I might spend 3x as much time in Lisbon as in Porto. I took the train from Porto to Lisbon and flew home from Lisbon.

Didn't have a chance to see any other parts of Portugal.

Portugual is wonderful. Not expensive, lots of beautiful things to see, very good food, laid back atmosphere but not sleepy, etc. Have a great tme!

Chris

Yes IMO also Porto itself is about a good day - tour a Port wine cave and visit the exquisite churches - not to say that there can't bfy days there but with limited time...

Thank you. As I said we are just starting to plan and have not set an itinerary yet. I have promised my husband 2 or 3 days of relaxation, either between Porto and Lisbon or at the end of the trip, of course then we would have to go backvto Lisbon to go home. Wondering if we can fly home from Faro. Off th the airline site again.