8 days in Portugal- itinerary help

Hi stoneham
I have to say your itinerary would be too busy for me, and I think would lead to some long tiring days. You have 3 nights in Lisbon, and almost no time planned to see Lisbon itself, and it has a lot of charm. Sintra has enough to see and do for a full day, without going to Cascais.

In 8 days I would choose either Evora or Porto. I might choose Evora over Porto as it could be a bit warmer in October, but I think it depends on what your priorities are. I personally liked the Alentejo region and there is great wine tasting there as well as Douro. Bus and train from Evora to Coimbra would take a few hours of travel time . I do think if you go to Nazare that it makes more sense to overnight there and go straight to Coimbra, instead of returning to Lisbon, however I think trying to see Nazare, Fatima and Obidos with public transport in one day would mean more time on buses than in any of the towns.

At any rate, have a fabulous time!

I totally agree with the previous poster. It almost sounds as though you are trying to tick off boxes rather than enjoy Portugal. We spent 17 days in Portugal recently and didn't go all the places you are considering. Lisbon is lovely and could easily fill 3-4 days. There aren't huge attractions but the ambiance of the city is great. Day trips to Sintra and Cascais could easily fill two more days.

I really enjoyed Porto but we were there in late May and the weather was great. Not so sure how it will be in October. We did a day tour to the Douro valley with Cooltour Oporto that was great.

Obidos was a lovely day trip but Nazare is really just a beach town. We only passed through Coimbra so can't speak to it and I had no interest in Fatima. There are a couple of monasteries in central Portugal that are very much worth a visit - if you weren't so busy. Alcobaca and Batalha are amazing.

You might want to consider slowing down a bit and spending more time in a couple of places with day trips. Sleeping four or more place in eight days is way too hectic for me. You will spend more time changing locations than actually enjoying the country. I always have the dilemma of wanting to do more than is actually enjoyable but have learned that I can go back and see more things the next time....

I agree with the previous posts, you have a very, very full itinerary. We were just there in July, and we went to most of the places you have mentioned, but we were there for 16 days.

Fatima was a very large, empty square, I know why it's a 'must do' for most, but it was pretty disappointing, I must say. I agree with the previous post- Alcobaca and Batalha are terrific, and should (at least) be considered. Obidos was really fun, and combining that with Fatima makes sense. Unless you're heading to Navare to actually use the beach, it's not overly special- I think I would pass on that, especially if you decide to go the public transport route.

I would add days in Porto & Lisbon, by far our two favorite places. We loved both Evora & Coimbra, but I think our trip would have still felt 'complete' if we had missed either (or both). We had a car, so our trip up the Douro was at the end of our stay in Porto- definitely a highlight.

No matter what ends up on your list, it'll be a great trip!

My thoughts after two trips to Portugal.

We did not love Evora - neat town but kinda full of old people - if you go you must stay at Albergaria do Calvário. Best hotel ever. Without a car I would skip it - the best part of Evora was exploring the Alejento region. Another place we did not love is Coimbra - very cool but we didn't like it but it is convenient if you are traveling from Porto to Lisbon. I LOVE Porto - look at PortoSense to stay. Near Porto is Guimareas - I loved it there. Fun vibe, great squares with people outside dining. Very friendly and it really was hopping. The first time we went to Lisbon we stayed at the Sofitel and we had a little kid - I loved the city but wouldn't suggest much time in Belem. The next time we stayed in Barrio Alto at Orange 3 Guesthouse. Stay there!! Great neighborhood. Great people. I love Lisbon. Cascais - full of Brits. Sintra - touristy but a must see.

Thanks everyone for the replies. You've convinced me to slow down a bit and take some stuff out of the schedule. Now planning 3 nights in Porto- with side trip to Douro Valley, then 2 in Coimbra, then 3 in Lisbon- with side trips to Cascais and Sintra. Looking forward to it.

We are also going to Portugal the end of October!!! Your questions and the responses have been helpful. i will show this to my husband so that we can tighten our plans. we will be there for 3 weeks and have already visited the south coast..I loved Portugal!!

I am trying to contact Residencia Coimbra (in Coimbra), recommended by Rick, but the web page is not coming up. Anybody know what's up there?