Hello! We are flying into Porto and out of Lisbon the end of February through early March (10 full days). We are active and able to handle stairs and longer hikes when exploring. We're not into boating or wineries so much, but there's probably more than enough to take in without adding Spain our first time in Portugal. Can anyone recommend an itinerary for this time of year? We prefer public transportation but can rent a car if needed. Thank you so much.
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11579 posts
Porto, Douro River, Coimbra, Alcobaça, Obidos, Batalha, Evora, Lisbon, Sintra.
We rented a car and it gives you freedom to explore but we always rent cars when abroad. I would feel so held back without a car.
Posted by
OP
US
4 posts
Thank you!
Posted by
USA
134 posts
@trippity
Noticed you stating that you are not into wineries
What did you decide about Douro Valley in Feb end/Early March based on your research?
TIA
Posted by
OP
US
4 posts
@kennyd264
We decided against Douro Valley even though it looks beautiful. Coimbra and Nazare seem to align more with our interests during that time.
Posted by
OP
US
4 posts
A brief trip report!
3 Nights - Porto (explored different neighborhoods and some sites each day). Lovely.
2 Nights - Coimbra (via Flixbus: allowed a full day to see city). There were lots of hills! Amazing history.
3 Nights - Lisbon (explored the city and sites); 1 day was spent in Sintra via train. Gorgeous.
1 Night - Evora (via Flixbus: a half day exploring the city and left at noon the next day). We loved seeing the peacocks!
2 Nights - We spent the last two days seeing the rest of the city at a slow pace and flew back in the a.m.
There was a coastal event going on the entire trip (huge waves in Nazare), so we opted to stay in the cities. It was chilly, but we had some layers. We ended up using the train, bus, and walking. Bolts (their version of uber) were inexpensive. I'm glad we didn't have a car, especially in the cities during our first time there. We preferred to stay in hotels just outside of the city center except for the end of the Porto and Lisbon stays, as we like quieter options.
SIM Card - There was a Vodafone store at the Porto airport where we could buy a Traveller's SIM card for about 20E which was perfect for our needs. There was a Bank ATM on the 3rd floor of arrivals. We were trying to avoid the Euronet one. The Flixbus was great and extremely punctual. I recommend tennis shoes or very reliable footwear for those hills --- they are steep.
I feel like this was a great time to go, even though it was colder than we expected. There were way less people, the pastries still tasted great, and the views were wonderful.