We will be driving from Lisbon to Porto in February and will have 3 days (2 nights) to do it.
What sights/towns to visit on the way? Where would you stay the nights? I'm thinking of staying 2 nights in Coimbra. Can use the time to either explorer Coimbra itself or day trip to Tomar to visit the Convent of Christ and others.
Yes to staying in Coimbra.
Also agree you should stay in Coimbra. Nearby (we took an Uber or taxi) are the Roman ruins of Conímbriga. Worth seeing.
We enjoyed both Coimbra and Tomar. Either would work, but I have no idea what they are like in February. Coimbra is larger so may have more to do that time of year.
On the way I plan to visit Obidos, Batalha, Convent of Christ and the Roman Ruins that's mentioned above as time allows.
I thought about splitting the stay: one night in Obidos or Tomar and one night in Coimbra. That'll eliminate any backtracking. But these towns are so close together, and as mentioned, in winter there may not be as much to do in the smaller towns, I figure may as well stay in Coimbra, with a plan like this:
Day 1 - Leave Lisbon, visit Obidos and Batalha (skip Batalha if no time), continue driving to Coimbra; walk around Coimbra in the evening, stay in Coimbra
Day 2 - Back track to Tomar, visit the Convento and visit Roman Ruins; walk around Coimbra in the evening, stay in Coimbra
Day 3 - Drive to and tour Aveiro; stop by Castle of Santa Maria da Feira; Arrive in Porto by night
Óbidos can be seen in a couple hours as the main draw are its walls. There’s one primary street through town and it doesn’t take long to walk along. There is a castle, but it’s a hotel and best seen from the exterior.
Just my opinion, but if you’ve seen ruins of other Roman cities, Conimbriga is much the same. We stopped at it because we drove right past it, but I was less than impressed.
We enjoyed the monastery at Batalha, but enjoyed the Convent of Christ more. If there’s only time for one, my vote is for the Convent of Christ.
Edited: when we stayed in Tomar, on one day we visited Batalha and Fátima. On another day we drove to Almourol castle. My guess is the gentleman running the boat to the castle may not be operating it in February.
As stated above, Obidos can be seen in a few short hours. Tomar is larger but can be seen in a 1/2 hour after visiting the Convent.
We visited Obidos, Alcobaca Monastery in one morning, then stayed in Tomar. But you could easily see the Convent and drive back to Coimbra.
I’m pleased you have decided to stay in Coimbra and if you don’t go to Conimbriga to see the ruined Roman city, there is an underground Roman town right in the heart of Coimbra. It is part of the Machado de Castro museum. While exploring and if you want to alleviate some uphill walking, there is an elevator and funicular that will bring you closer to the University. It is right next to the covered farmers/ fish market.
I enjoyed seeing the Roman city of Conimbriga but I don’t think you should take the time with only two nights in Coimbra. Also, it seems like you are just using the town as a place to stay. Do some more research on Coimbra because it has quite a lot to offer. It’s a college town so you will see many young people.
@ Linda - Thanks for your advice. Coimbra sounds great. I love uphill walking and Portugal has a lot of it, i'm looking forward to it.
