Matt_from_England

Wine seems to be a constant on this thread: I've mentioned a few labels previously and I've been checking prices today for you.

J.P Tinto 1.79 euros
Nico Tinto 1.35
Porca da Murça 1.88
Terra Franca 1.99
Borba 2.89

All the above are reasonable to good bog standard table wines.

One to consider taking back to lay up:

Periquita 3.48
Periquita Classico 13.95
Porca da Murça Reserva (2002) 6.79

All reds of course. For me I'd rather take a couple of Porca da Murca reservas over 1 Periquita classico but then I find it hard to lay anything down for more than a day or two! Perhaps the classico is best left in a dark dusty cellar for a few years...

And for those of you who like "To Drink Pink" Mateus Rose comes in two sizes:

.75 litre 2.99
1.50 litres 6.49

Why I say cheaper to buy 2 smaller bottles.

Matt

Barb65

Hey All

I had to get a new email JUST so I could become a Fodorite and join this thread. That is how great you all are.

Thanks to Matt and Sher for answering my personal emails and now I can address everyone.

Thanks lobo_mau for all the food and wine info. We do like to eat and drink our way through a vacation.

I am about settled on itinerary details although this is so time consuming! But I love reading all your posts and have gotten so many great suggestions. And it is still over 2 months to our trip. Looks like a lot of posters to this thread will be in Portugal about the same time! Shall we wear special hats or something?!

A couple questions:

Is June 10 a holiday? I have seen it listed some places but not others. Will things be closed? This working around Mondays and holidays is the toughest part of planning the trip.

We will have a car but just plan to park it while in Lisbon. So I have looked mostly at hotels with parking. Do you think they have their own or use public lots? What should we expect to pay above the hotel cost? One hotel, The Turim, gave me the impression it would be about 20 Euros a day. Seem right?

Again thanks for keeping this going and giving us all such wonderful information, links, etc.

Barbara

Sher

Hi Barbara. Welcome.
I just wanted to give you this website that namanka passed on to me. I thought of you when I read about it because there is parking under the building but he doesn't say how much.
The owner wrote to me very promptly. The cost is going to be about $120 per night. It is more apartment than we need, but it is in a great location.

Also, if I already told you this please forgive me, but we looked into the VIP EDen and they have parking and it is 8E a day. I have no first hand experience of either place. You are so brave to drive into Lisbon.

Please let us know what you decide.

Also, since you just really joined us, trip reports are mandatory.

Sherry

Matt_from_England

Sherry, Americans aren't brave when driving in Portugal and Lisbon, it's the same side of the road. Imagine me when I came over in 97, driving up the wrong side of the road, wrong way on roundabouts, entering and exiting car parks etc. Couldn't afford a tank - that's why I drive a Land Rover!

And Barbara, as I've said - glad to have you onboard.

Matt

Sher

Matt. When we went to Ireland two years ago and I was driving I don't know how many times my husband said to me "you are going to take that mirror right off of the car!!!
I didn't have a problem with the rest of Portugal, but I really am timid with the thoughts of Lisbon.

Barb65

Thanks Sher I did look at that when it was first posted. It looks perfect but unfortunately it was unavailbale the days we will be in Lisbon. I will take another look at the Eden. I thought at first it was in maybe a noisy area. Plus it is more expensive when we are there over a weekend in June.

By the way - I did finally hear from Secret Places. They could not really help on what I wanted but I hope you have heard from them.

We have driven in Paris, Milan, Vienna, etc. but chickened out in Britain last year - we did trains everywhere. We are too old for learning to drive on the left and figured it would just be too stressful for a fun vacation.

I am prepared for the worse driving in Portugal however!

Barbara

lobo_mau

Hi Barb, welcome as a full right member.
10th June is a national holiday. You won't notice much difference except maybe supermarkets and pharmacies have reduced service. I believe that restaurants, malls and most business is runing as usual. Check museums.
13th June is a holiday in Lisbon and some areas, but not a nationwide holiday.
Sher, I believe VIP Eden doesn't have it's own parking. I think they use Restauradores parking (maybe with some agreement or reserved places for hotel's guests).

Sher

Barbara. I don't think you will have a problem with the driving in Portugal.
I am not saying in the cities, but on the open road.
I contacted Secret Places for a couple of places for this trip, but decided on others instead. But Lisbon, I am having a hard time making up my mind. I am really yearning for some really expensive hotels, but my common sense says to go more budget. I could spend the extra money on nice dinners and wine and shopping.
That apartment is open when we will be there, but it is really more apartment than we need. And we could find something in the same area for a lot less for our time period.

namaka

Barbara-what days are you going to be in Lisbon? I will be there at the apartment that Sher told you about from the 19th through the 30th of June. I also know of a couple of others that I was considering; If you tell me your dates and how many people and budget, I could pass along the others?

lobo_mau

I don't want to make anybody's minds, since I haven't ever seen a inside of a hotel room in Lisbon and I don't wish to comment on decorations, sizes and so on. But it has always been a surprise to me why doesn't Hotel Ibis Saldanha deserve more attention. It belongs to the Accor chain, it's new, the area where it quite central (not Baixa/Chiado, I know), has good transports and a room for 2 is 59 euros. Shopping and business centre Atrium Saldanha is the next block. There are plenty buses, the metro station Saldanha is 50 steps away. It's easier to navigate outside of Lisbon than Baixa/Chiado for people with a car. Avis rent a car has a pick/drop point 100 steps away. The ground floor of Atrium Saldanha has a piano with live music everydays from 6 to 8 pm. Around the piano there are snack bars, salad bars, pizza bars, coffee shops, pita shoarma restaurant, international press, etc, making it ideal for a relaxing period before going to the hotel. A light meal may cost about 10 euros. The piano listening is free. Please note that there is another Ibis Hotel that I don't recommend, since it's location is less convenient.

Marianna

Barbara, we were in Portugal last year and drove everywhere without a problem. Driving in Italy is far worse!

We drove in Lisbon, Cascais, Sintra, all along the coast in that area and further north. Then we drove down to the Algarve and drove everywhere we wanted to go. Never a problem. Highways are well marked and roads there were better than here in Boston! In little towns, there will be narrow roads but those were not an issue either.

Have fun! We loved Portugal!

Sher

lobo_mau. The Ibis probably does not get more consideration from people here because it is a chain hotel with nondescript rooms a bus or metro ride from the central part of old Lisbon.
This is my guess as to why it is not given more consideration.
For very little more, one can stay off Rossio or Rua Augusta.
I could be wrong, but this could be a reason.

lobo_mau

Thanks Sher, I got the idea. However I found worthwhile to bring to the thread the reference of an unexpensive and decent hotel, that may be useful for budget travelers.
I bring to you something that will make your travels to Portugal much more fun. http://www.oddcast.com/home/demos/tt...hp?frame1=talk
It's a text to speech, is free, doesn't require any installation and it's perfect. The version in Portuguese (European) is so good that I believe it's difficult to distinguish between the machine and a human.
Don't forget that the diacritical accents are an integral part of Portuguese Language and "Amalia" only reads the words correctly if they are present.
Insert in the box "joão" (don't forget the tiled a), "lobo mau", "bom dia" and many other portuguese words you may think of. Have a funny morning

Matt_from_England

I am using post 293 to propose that the honour of the 300th post goes to Sher who has been a regular "face" in this thread. What say you?

Matt

Sher

Thanks Matt. I am sure people are getting really tired of seeing my name come up with my endless questions.

But I just ordered three more guide books. Yippee.

lobo_mau

Matt, I had the same suggestion do to. You have antecipated...
Did anyone inserted the text "João" in the TTS engine I've suggested? I guess the outcome is different from what you expected. "João" is a difficult word, but "Amália" says it perfectly

Sher

Now do not laugh. But I do not know how to put that special mark over the a.

lobo_mau

Just copy (from this site or any other) and paste (into the box).
João and many other words ending by ão, like cão (dog), pão (bread), etc, have an ending sound that is specific to Portuguses language and doesn't exist in any other.
I understand it's difficult for no native speakers, but the girl "Amalia" in the TTS engine says it with great perfection

Sarasara

I just discovered this thread and have been spending most of my day reading it and going to the links. Wow! what alot of great information. My family and I will be in Portugal for 2 1/2 weeks in late June early July. We will spend 8 days in Salema in the Algarve then drive to Evora, Mansaraz, Sintra then Lisbon. We have 3 children ages 8, 11 and 15. How about ideas for fun with kids in Lisbon? My husband and I love museums, architecture and good wine but my kids tire of these quickly.(the museums and architecture. They don't drink wine.) I am still exploring your recommendations on places to stay but may have more questions on that later if that is o.k. thanks for this great thread.

Sher

I think it should be Matt.