am starting to plan a trip for 3 adults and 2 teenagers to Portugal. We are planning to go in late July or August. Thinking we would like to park ourselves in one or two areas, rent a big house, and travel from there. Since it is summer, we hear the beaches are beautiful, so we are thinking the house should be around one of them. We woul dlike to be in or close to a town where there are restaurants, shops, things to do, for us and the kids...without having to drive very far.

Would also like to look into areas where we can visit many of the pottery studios.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

You can check out the area around Cascais, Estoril and Sintra, on the coast east of Lisbon, or Setubal, south of Lisbon on the Rio Sado.

I sugest the region of Algarve (Monte Gordo, Tavira, Albufeira, Vilamoura).

I am traveling to Lisbon in June. Originally it was going to be myself,my husband and our 2 two. It also was supposed to be a couple of my sisters and their kids. Well, it looks like it'll just be the four of us. Why am I telling you this? Because I have been corresponding with a very nice lady from the UK that owns a home just outside of Cascais. It is very reasonable and I will now not be staying there due to the cancellations of the rest of the family. Please look her up. Try the Owner's Direct Website. The property is P1052.

And look at the "Things to do in and around Lisbon" thread.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...hText=portugal

Matt