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8 nights in Portugal Itinerary

Posted by (Los Angeles) on

Hi all,

I'm working on Week 1 of a 5-week trip. Week 1 will be spent with our three 20-something-year-old kids. We like to spend our time on historical walking tours, outdoor cafes, wine bars, an art museum or two, architecture, castle ruins, churches -- and perhaps a hike if something is close and convenient.

My thought:
Saturday afternoon: Arrive Lisbon
Spend 5 nights in Lisbon (take day trip to Sintra)
Thursday morning: Take train to Porto
Spend 3 nights in Porto
Sunday morning: Kids fly back to U.S./ Hubby and I fly to Madrid for Part 2

How does this sound?

Thanks in advance!

Posted by
1676 posts

I applaud you for keeping it simple and not rushing madly to several places in such a short time. Sounds like a good plan to me.

FYI - there are many opportunities for hiking in the Sintra hills, if you can fit it in.

Posted by
1613 posts

I agree with kathrynj's comments. We spent 5 nights in Lisbon which included a day trip to Sintra, and it was perfect. While I admit it would be nice to spend a night or two in Sintra, we didn't have the time. We were also at the end of a 3-week trip (spending a bit over 2 weeks with our daughter and her family in France) so we wanted to keep the Lisbon/Sintra trip simple and easy. Didn't want to pack and unpack and rush around.

For art museums, I highly recommend the Gulbenkian, a private collection. We also enjoyed the Coach Museum. The day we spent visiting Castelo De Sao Jorge and wandering through the Alfama was one of the best days of our trip. And we really liked the Mosteiro De Sao Vicente De Fora with its gorgeous blue and white tiles. Be sure to go to the rooftop terrace for stunning views of Lisbon and the river. And there are plenty of outdoor cafes at the Miradouros (viewpoints)!

Posted by
954 posts

Kathryn, would love any tips on a hike. Thinking it would be a different day than our visit to see a couple palaces, right?

KMK, you know me! I am such a fan of Aix, Provence and area. Difficult to go anywhere else 🤣

Posted by
1613 posts

CaliMom, Yes, I know who you are as soon as you mentioned Aix!!! :-)

When is your trip to Portugal and Spain?

Posted by
954 posts

We are aiming for August and September 2023, but we shall see. Every time I think we have a clear window, something comes up!

Posted by
1676 posts

If you Google ‘hikes Sintra’, a number of sites pop up. You can hike around Peña Palace and the moorish castle. And, if you go to Montserrat, its a bit of a hike from the gate to the palace if you take the longer route. This is lovely with water features along the way. Btw - Montserrat and Quinta de Reguleira are my favorites in Sintra.

Posted by
1097 posts

Montserrat and Quinta de Reguleira are also my favorites :)

If time is not an issue, then walking to Pena Palace via the Vila Sassetti path is really nice; great views and very peaceful.

https://www.parquesdesintra.pt/en/experiences/walking-route-vila-sassetti/

I've read that there is a path between Montserrat and Convent of the Capuchos but not as well marked. Something I was going to look into for a future trip.

https://juliedawnfox.com/hikes-sintra-cascais-natural-park/

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