tedgale

I'm looking for fellow travelers' advice and recommendations for an upcoming trip.

A few words about us: Older married couple, interested in architecture, history, art and food (like most folks here). I like countryside, villages and small towns and strongly prefer to avoid cities, especially as we'll have a car for much of this trip.

We LIKE driving. The first days of every trip tend to be quite kinetic. We generally manage to slow down later in the trip.

We're very interested in your food/ restaurant recommendations. Though our taste in food is catholic, we avoid red meat. I am teetotal -- I mention this as vineyards and wine tasting are a non-starter for us.

This is our second trip to Portugal. Though we originally intended to confine ourselves to one country, we've opted for a detour through Spain's Extremadura region, since it's so close and there is so much of interest to see. We also tagged on 3 nights in Barcelona at the end.

Here's our current plan, on which all comments and suggestions are welcome.

Day 1, arrive Lisbon airport around 11 AM, pick up car.

Drive (probably via Evora, where we stayed last April) to Vila Vicosa.
Booking: 2 nights at Solar dos Mascarenhas

Day 2, Renew our acquaintance with Vila Vicosa, then do a day trip through Alentejo towns -- Beja, Monsaraz, Marvao. Alternatively, drive a northern loop through Portalegre, perhaps even as far as Monsanto.

Day 3, Drive (via Elvas) to Trujillo, Extremadura, Spain. I know we "should" see Merida but I've seen an awful lot of Roman ruins lately (most recently in October -- Ostia Antica and in Puglia). Your views?

End the day in Trujillo: See what we can see of the town in the hours remaining.

We are booked for 2 nights at the Finca Santa Marta, about 15 minutes outside the town. Dinner at the Finca, unless there is a must-try restaurant you can suggest.

Day 4 is primarily for visiting Guadalupe, plus whatever else we can accommodate: either the monastery at Yuste or more time in Trujillo (perhaps we can wander there at nightfall, before dining at the Parador of Trujillo).

I regret that we seem to have no time for a visit to the Parque Monfrague.

Day 5 (a Sunday), Drive to Caceres, park the car and spend the day in the city. One night at a city hotel -- probably the Casa Don Fernando.

Day 6, Drive to Salamanca. If the cherry blossoms are late enough this year (this will be April 13), we could take a small detour through the Valle del Juste. Alternatively, I would be interested in spending a few hours in Plasencia -- Do you recommend?

Two nights in Salamanca, at a place in or near the Old Town that remains to be booked. We're seesawing between a flat and an hotel.

Day 7, Visit Salamanca: I am aware of the big sights but welcome specific recommendations, beyond the cathedral and the Plaza Mayor.

Day 8, Drive back to Portugal and head for the Douro region. We could either take a northern route, passing via Zamora and close to Braganza. This would bring us past Villareal, where we might visit the Mateus estate.

Or we could drive west to Viseu (stopping at Almeida?), then drive north past Lamego to the Douro.

At this point our plans get a bit vague. Provisionally, I've planned to spend 2 nights around Regua on the Douro. Last year we stayed 2 nights at the Quinta da Pacheca outside Regua. This time I think we may stay at a new, very small (3 room) B & B above Regua.

On Day 9, we won't be doing any vineyard visits. But I just loved the countryside when we were there last April; I'd happily take the train from Regua or Pinhao to Pocinho again. Or wander by car, if the weather is fine.

That leaves Days 10 and 11 unallocated. We could spend an extra day in the Douro, then one night somewhere en route to Lisbon. Or we could allocate 2 nights to a spot from which we'd drive to Lisbon on Day 12.

I'd like to visit Coimbra, though it's a rather large city for us to navigate. I'd dearly love to return to Tomar, to the Convento de Cristo.

On Day 12, drive to Lisbon, dropping the car at Lisbon airport and heading into the city in the afternoon. We have booked a flat near the Baixa-Chiado metro (just off the Largo do Carmo) for nights 12, 13 and 14.

On Day 15, shortly after noon, we fly to Barcelona for 3 nights. We've booked a great flat just off the Passeig de Gracia. On our 2 full days in the city, we will close some of the gaps we left last time: We've been to Barcelona only once before (October, 2012) and our 3-4 days that time were far from enough.

I welcome any recommendations for Barcelona, of course, but I feel pretty well stocked with ideas. It's the Extremadura and Alentejo portions of the trip where I feel least assured of my bearings.

Your thoughts?

kja

"Salamanca -- I am aware of the big sights but welcome specific recommendations, beyond the cathedral and the Plaza Mayor"

Too many to list! I had two full days in Salamanca and could easily have used more. I thought the sites there well covered by the Rough Guide.

Bedar

My favorite spot in Salamanca is the Casa de las Conchas. Have a look.

sandralist

I don't think you would have any difficulty navigating Coimbra if you stayed in a hotel at the edge of the historic center. Even you if you "splurged" for a taxi from the hotel -- which most likely wouldn't be necessary -- to the heart of town, taxis in Portugal are as cheap as everything else in Portugal.

This is no dobut needless to say but a visit the Convento do Carmo around the corner from your flat in Lisbon can be highly rewarding. I also eat extremely happily and cheaply at a no-name restaurant with red-checked tablecloths at 35 Calcada Carmo. Steamed octopus, clam soup and grilled mackerel were just wonderful, plus fried potatoes etc.

sandralist

This is the restaurant I mean at 35 Calcada do Carmo

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran..._Portugal.html

yestravel

We stayed in a small town outside Coimbra and visited for the day with our car. We had no trouble at all. We parked in one of the public lots and walked into the old town. Spent a lovely day meandering about. Leaving was just as easy as our entry.

We spent a night in Marvao and the next day spent some time in Castelo de Vide which we thought a very nice small town worth a wonder through. We loved driving around Alentjo and ran across some delightful sights along the way.

I absolutely adored the Duruo Valley and could spend days there just enjoying the gorgeous scenery. Villa Real was just ok I thought.

Not sure if you eat pork, but if you do, don't miss it in the Mealhada area close to Coimbra. I'm not much of a pork eater, but the pork here was to die for - both the leitão assado da bairrada, suckling pig, which they serve with homemade potato chips and the black pork is devine.

tedgale

Reassuring words about Coimbra. I will start researching that option.

I was aware of the Mealhada area and its suckling pig but we really prefer to avoid red meat. This was a challenge on our previous visit to Portugal. Lots of bacalhau in our future, I guess....

Any other views on whether we are shortchanging Salamanca?

sandralist

I hope you were able to sample on your last trip the wonderful no-porlk alheira sausages

http://catavino.net/alheira-portuguese-sausage/

Also in Lisbon, should you tire of ocean fare, the roasted chicken joint Bom Jardim is simply a delight

http://www.lisbonlux.com/lisbon-rest...bonjardim.html

But all that wonderful food of the sea, fresh as well as bacalhau, was my favorite.

tedgale

I've heard of Bom Jardin -- it was recommended by Low Country Islander in her trip report of a couple of years ago.

Last year, we restricted ourselves to restaurants within 10 or 15 minutes walk from our flat near the Sao Roque church. We did not lack for good meals. This time we should try to venture a bit further.

Alheira sausage looks interesting. We will look for the non-mammal varieties -- vegetarian, poultry and game bird.

HappyTrvlr

In Coimbra, across the river from the main part of town,we stayed at Quinta de las Lagrimas.The love story of King Pedro and his beloved Ines took place in part here. Lovely hotel with excellent dining room. Pedestrian bridge across the river to area with university.

bilboburgler

Not sure if dried or smoked ham falls into the red meat problem. But if acceptable try it as a starter. While you may be teetotal your other half should try it with a little fino sherry or a green wine in the evening after driving.

sandralist

Bom Jardim is about a 8 minute walk from where you are staying. The Calcada do Carmo that I mentioned earlier is a 3 minute walk.

A 15 minute stroll from where you are staying is the waterfront around Cais do Sodre. If you are in the mood for someplace a bit upscale there is Ibo, a Mozambique seafood restaurant with outdoor terrace -- a bit pricier than many restaurants by Lisbon cheap standards but pleasant.

tedgale

sandralist: That sounds like our sort of place. As you say, Lisbon restaurants are reasonable compared to what we're used to paying in my hometown of Ottawa, Canada -- or here in the US, where our Cdn. loonie buys a fraction of what it did last year.

Robert2533

Mérida is one of the finest collection of Roman Archaeological sites in western Europe (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/664). Not something you should miss if you are going to be anywhere in the area. If you where there in July-Aug, you could attend the Festival International de Teatro Clásico de Mérida (http://www.festivaldemerida.es).

The best restaurant in Cáceres, or anywhere in the area, is Atrio (http://restauranteatrio.com). Reservations are required (well in advance). Besides its outstanding cuisine and white glove service, it has one of the largest and finest selections of wines of any restaurant I've ever been to.

While in Guadalupe, you might want to have lunch at the Parador.

In Salamanca, you might be interested in spending the night at the Hacienda Zorita Wine Hotel. Christopher Columbus stayed here, why not you? http://www.the-haciendas.com

Yes, Plasencia is worth a stop, but is often overlooked.

I would head for Zamora and Bragança and then head south from there. Be sure to stop and see the “Princess Tower” in Bragança.

Be sure to stop and see the Royal Convent of Santa Clara in Tordesillas (a jewel of mudéjar art, called the “Alhambra of Castile”) and the Colegiata de Santa María la Mayor, with its glorious polychrome Romanesque portal.

AnselmAdorne

Ted, greetings from the small village of Monchique. After 16 days of Goldilocks weather, It's cold and damp this evening, so we have the wood stove going. We are halfway through our four weeks in Portugal, and are enjoying every minute of it.

Of all of our dining in Lisbon, three places stand out:

Leopold, Rua de São Cristóvão, 27, in Mouraria. The chef, a refugee from high end kitchens, is cooking with only sous vide technique. We dropped by on a food tour and sampled a puréed banana and butter dessert, topped with crumbled carob and a shaved, salty cheese. It was sublime. Had we had another day in the city, we would have returned. They do not have a web site, but they're on Facebook.

A Marisqueira do Lis, Avenida Almirante Reis 27B, just north of the Intendente metro stop. Don't go for the ambiance, unless you want to watch a soccer game on the TV over the bar. But the seafood — almost exclusively shellfish — is fresh and pure. I particularly enjoyed the goose barnacles.

Belcanto, Largo de São Carlos, 10, just a couple of blocks from our flat in Chiado. We had lunch there, a dining experience unlike any other in my life. Sadly, in a city where a Euro (or one of our dollars) goes a long way, the prices were stratospheric. But I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Are you and R interested in either cooking classes or a food tour?

tedgale

Very helpful suggestions -- thank you.

I'm now looking at simplifying our accommodation plans: Instead of
2 nights Salamanca
2 nights Douro and
2 nights elsewhere, before heading to Lisbon

...I'm thinking we might stay a 3rd night in Salamanca, then spend 3 nights at the Pousada in Viseu, as a central location for day trips to neighbouring sights (the Douro, Coimbra or Serra da Estrela).

But is 3 nights in Salamanca an overly generous allocation, given how comparatively tight our timing is? Views, anyone?

kja

"is 3 nights in Salamanca an overly generous allocation, given how comparatively tight our timing is?"

I've already noted that I thought Salamanca worth 2 full days. Whether YOU would think so depends on your interests! You might want to identify the things you most want to see there, note their opening/closing times, and mark them on a calendar. See how things fit together.

For me, highlights of Salamanca included (in no particular order) the Plaza Mayor, Old and New Cathedrals, Museum of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, the University, the Casa de las Conchas (exterior only, I believe), the Roman Bridge and views therefrom, the Convento de las Duenas and the Convento de San Estaban (I found the contrasts between these two in the capitols absolutely fascinating!), and just roaming around.

Hope that helps!

Gypsy8

I want to bump this back up as this trip is very similar to what we are planning in October! But, we would rather stay at a base for 3 nights and do day trips, so like your last post and are interested in replies!
Also, looking forward to your TR if you submit one!

Gypsy8

tedgale - which airline are you using to of from Lisbon to Barcelona? Ryan air seems to be the best fare by far.

Robert2533

"Ryan air seems to be the best fare by far" Not if you're carrying luggage and want to check in online or use a credit card without paying additional fees. Once you add up all of the "extras", almost any airline is less expensive.