Hi, I'm finalizing my DIY itinerary for Portugal. Any feedback appreciated.
Renting a car from Lisbon after visiting the city.
Early October
Group of 3, I'm in charge of planning the trip.
3 nights Lisbon, including day trip to Sintra
2 nights Nazare, stop in Obidos
1 night Douro Valley, stop in Coimbra on way
2 nights Porto
it's going to be rushed, but 8 days is better than no days. 3 nights in Lisbon is only 2 full days so plan carefully so you see what you hope to see. Sintra was also a daytrip for us and our favourite day in the 5 we spent in Lisbon. I much preferred the Moorish Castle to Pena Palace. I can't comment on Nazare Douro Valley or Coimbra, but we loved Obidos and spent about 3 hours there. You may get a lot of comments that it is touristy; and it is if you stay on the main street, but if you wander one block in either direction or walk the walls you may lose all of the tourists. All 4 of us on our trip agreed that we enjoyed Porto more than Lisbon. Our favourite day was spent across the river exploring the town.
We are recently back from Portugal, but of these, only did Lisbon. We enjoyed the Castle on our first night, arriving 2 hours before sunset. We did book the tickets ahead as many suggested.
For getting a taste of the city (all you have time for), we enjoyed strolling through Alfama, taking the streetcar to the area near Praca do Comercio, strolling to the TimeOut Market, and talking a bolt to Belem. We skipped the main sites there and did the QUAKE museum--cool if you like interactives and history.
We also spent time wandering the Baxia and Chiado neighborhoods as well as doing the Santa Justa Elevator and then walking down through the Chiado side. We did not have time for Sintra but still felt we got a taste of Lisbon and a desire to return.
I'm thinking of flipping the number of nights.
3 - Porto
2 - Lisbon
I don't like to go against Rick, been helpful for 20yrs traveling Europe.
On the Portugal FB group, most people prefer Porto over Lisbon.
In reviewing your other posts, are you planning to return to Lisbon on your last day? If so, you have said that you are debating flipping your number of nights in Porto. Can I make a suggestion? When you land in Lisbon, take the train that day to Porto. Take 3 nights there, one to get over jet lag, this will give you 2 full days. Pick up car in Porto, and tour Douro, then have your 2 nights in Nazare. Leave early for Lisbon to get most of a full day in Lisbon and drop your car there. It is still really tight, to see Lisbon this way, particularly if you are daytripping to Sintra as well. But it might be doable if you have a late flight out of Lisbon.
