Where to go from Porto for 4 days
 

My family and I (husband, father and mother-in-law) will be travelling to Porto this March/April where my mother-in-law is attending a conference. We will have 3 and 1/2 days in Porto and I will be planning this part later. After the conference, we will have 3 and 1/2 days (maybe 4 and 1/2) to travel elsewhere. We can venture north through Portugal and possibly northern Spain (flying out of Santiago, Bilbao or Vigo?) or loop around returning to Porto for our flight back. We like to see lots in a short amount of time, within reason, of course. For the 4 remaining nights, stay two nights in one place and one night in 2 places. Any suggestions? We like outdoor activities as well as historical sights. We like the quaint out of the way places that are special and a must see. I am just in the preliminary stages of planning and would like to plan out a basic route (especially to make sure the flights are doable).

Just as a note, 2 years ago we spent 10 days in Spain/Portugal. We arrived in Madrid, took the AVE to Seville (2 nights, visited Cordoba), drove to Lisbon though Serpa, Beja, Monsaraz and Evora (3-4 nights), spent 2-3 nights in Lisbon (visiting Sintra), and drove back to Madrid stopping in Merida. Sounds hectic, but it was a very enjoyable trip.

I haven't been to the area around Coimbra that I'm told is very good. However I enjoyed the time I've spent in North Portugal and Galicia enough to suggest that, unless climatic conditions indicate otherwise, there is masses for you there. I don't know whether you are counting a trip up the Douro as something in your Porto time or the extra time - and i don't think it matters as long as you do it - preferably by train even if you have a car. Use two branch lines, linking Amarante and Pesa do Regua by bus.
Guimaraes, Vila do Conde and the region inland from Viana do Castelo are all grear and I was most irked that transport vagaries on All Saints Day stopped me getting up to the national park from Melgaço.
If you want to see the far north of portugal and Galicia by public transport, timetables for the train make it better to stay on hte Spanish side - probably at the hotel opposite the station in Tui. Pontevedra is a great place and I am rare in not liking Santiago de Compostela. You could see these and return to Porto via Zamora, Salamanca and Ciudad Rodrigo - then across the border to Bragança [stay long enough for a good look at the Cidadela] and then bus. On hte other hand León has two marvels at least, the stained glass in hte cathedral and the Pantheon near the Basilica de Santo Sebastiano. That ought to be far too much but it's fun to choose.

You might be interested in my trip report:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34875899

Wow~ I would almost kill for 4 days around Oporto...go up to the Douro valley, see the wine country, then venture up to Viana do Costello...magnificant, just magnificant!!!!

After searching this forum and reading some tour books, here is the tentative itinerary I have come up with. I decided travelling into Spain would be trying to do too much and we should focus on Northern Portugal.

Day 1
-Depart US in the evening

Day 2
-Arrive Porto in the morning
-Check-in Pestana Porto Hotel
-Walk across Ponte Dom Luis I to Vila Nova de Gaia to tour port wine lodges (Taylor’s)

Day 3
Tour Porto
Possible Douro River cruise

Day 4
Day trip South
Choose between:
-Tomar - Knights Templar castle, Portugal’s oldest synagogue, market on Friday on riverbanks
-Coimbra - university (library, ceremonial hall), Mosterio de Santa Cruz
-Conimbriga - Roman ruins
-Bucaco - National Forest, Bucaco Palace (pousada), museum with Celtic artifacts
-Fatima - Basilica
-Batalha - abbey (Mosterio de Santa Maria da Vitoria or “Abbey of the Battle”)
-Alcobaca - Mosterio de Santa Maria, wine museum

Day 5
Drive northeast to Guimaraes - castle, old town - flea market Sat
Braga - Bom Jesus Sanctuary (baroque stairway)
Viana do Castelo - stay at Pousada

Day 6
-Viana do Castelo or daytrip north

Day 7
-Parque Nacional da Peneda-Geres (villages of Soajo and Lindoso, stone granaries, spa resort of Caldas do Geres)
-Drive south to Pinhao - Vintage House Hotel

Day 8
-scenic train from Tua to Mirandela, or to Pocinho and Vila Nova de Foz Coa (short taxi)

Day 9
-Vila Nova de Foz Coa (if not seen the previous day)
-Drive to Porto and stay at hotel near airport

Day 10
-Depart for US