City Suggestion for Month Stay

Since you mention Spain, you may be considering the Algarve, which I would not do. Public transportation is pretty limited to trains and that time of the year will still be overrun with tourists partying. It’s not as easy to get to Spain as one would hope even though there is a bus.

Since we have tourists also, I hate to suggest Cascais but we do have all the specifiers you mention. Some of the other towns along the ‘linha’ between Lisbon and Cascais might fit the bill also. You might want to Google train line Lisbon to Cascais for all the towns. All have access to a beach, and being on the train line, have great access to all the transportation from Lisbon to other parts of the country and beyond. BTW, flying from Lisbon to other European countries is easy and inexpensive, if you want to take a mini trip during your trip.

You could also research smaller towns around Porto, Coimbra is very nice with easy access to the train. I’m not so certain about public transport around town. Evora will still be very hot so wouldn’t be my choice.

Thank you Kathryn! What about Porto or is it considered large?

Porto is not that large, but it is definitely much larger than Aix en Provence, actually about the size of Marseille once you count the suburbs (significantly less gritty, though). I still think it would be a great place to spend a month, especially in August when you can go to the beach if you want a chill day! But if you are after somewhere smaller, and loved Aix, then you will probably like Coimbra or Guimarães (Coimbra being easier for day trips).

Thanks again Balso! We did not love Marseilles. While the views were gorgeous and the little old historic neighborhood was charming, we decided we like smaller towns. 😊

I would consider Porto large, as it’s the second largest city in Portugal.

Hi!

When I as reading, Vila do Conde imediately appeared in my mind! It's a small town, with lots of places to walk, nice gardens, some old arquitheture (like the old Monastery and the aqueduct), nice beaches, a very decent promenade along the ocean passing Caxinas (a small fishing village) and ending at Póvoa do Varzim (a town with casino, etc). Besides that, Vila do Conde has very nice restaurants and pastry shops, a nice theatre, and an interesting open market on Fridays. It's almost plan, so easy to walk, And there are two metro stations, it's 30 minutes from Porto.

I spent some time in Porto in 2019. It's not that big, considering that it's the second largest city in the country. You don't have to visit the residential suburbs. It's strategically close to Braga, Douro Valley, and Coimbra. I think you will like it.