Four days between Lisbon and Coimbra

Carole - For your 4 open nights, how about some of the other towns near Lisbon aside from Nazare. Cascais, Estoril, and Sesimbra are good options.

Also, One of the most important pilgrimage destinations in the Catholic world, the Santuário de Fátima (Sanctuary of Fátima) is a devotional shrine that attracts thousands. The basilica is breathtaking. It's in the city of Fátima. From Coimbra, perhaps you can make a stop on your way toward lisbon.

https://www.visitportugal.com/en/content/santuario-de-nossa-senhora-de-fatima

I understand your frustration with Quinta das Rosas, but I'd wait and give them another try after the holidays, or maybe even later.

5 nights in Evora seems excessive. I’d spend a maximum of 3 nights, then consider driving north and follow the Duoro Valley from Pinhão to Porto. In Evora I stayed at the quaint Pensao Policarpo - free parking, good breakfast, easy to get anywhere on foot, wonderful host. In Evora make sure to have dinner at Botequim da Mouraria - only about 12 seats at a counter, doesn’t accept reservations, arrive 15-30 minutes before opening to get a seat, worth the wait!

If you feel adventurous, spend a night at Casa da Cisterna Rua da Cadeia no 7 in the small, disused town of Castelo Rodrigo. A beautiful B&B. The highlight is to have the female owner take you on an evening tour to see the petroglyphs in the nearby COA National Park - one of the most interesting and satisfying things I’ve done on many trips to Europe. If you go to Porto, I’d recommend Hotel B&B Porto Centro. A bit on the modern side with parking available and convenient for touring the city. Nearby Ristorante Abadia, filled with locals, was excellent!

EDIT: B&B is now MOOV Porto Centro.

I stayed for 3N in Tomar for day trips to Batalha (and Alcobaca, also great), as well as Obidos (go early or late and allow no more than 2-3 hours) and Nazare (for me it was a waste of time - wish I'd chosen almost any other seaside town). I very much enjoyed being in Tomar.

Like Philip, I think 5N in Evora is really a lot. What day trips are you planning? I didn't find more than 1 day was needed to see Evora itself, and driving in and out of the center was time-consuming and challenging.

Where does Coimbra fit into your plan? Is that one of your day trips? I also like Philip's idea of going as far as the Douro Valley before looping back to Lisbon.

Be sure to get a toll reader with the car and have GPS! Even my Garmin gave me some bad directions. I ended up using a combination of Garmin, Google maps, and finally a paper map - which I wish I'd had from the start.

I will echo the other posters about 5 nights in Evora. Though, I don’t think 3 is excessive. Be sure to do the Megalith tour in Evora. You could spend the extra days driving to wineries and Monsaraz, if you already have accommodations.
I also agree that Nazaré is not the best place to spend your time on the Silver Coast. I like São Martinho do Porto better and it’s still central to visit the other places mentioned. Tomar is also very nice if you aren’t set on a beach town. Closer to Lisbon is Ericeira, which is on the sea. But, it wouldn’t be as close to the other attractions in the area.

Thanks for so much input! The things near Evora that interested me are: Elvas, Marida, Castelo de Vide, the megaliths, Monsaraz. Cork and eucalyptus groves...seems like a lot to keep one busy in addition to the town itself. That said, I thought Nazare looked central for day trips, but I am not heart set on staying in a beach town. So now thinking Evora to Tomar for 2 N, and then work our way back to Lisbon. Maybe even stay in Sintra for a night or two before the airport. I will leave Porto and the Duoro for a different trip, perhaps incorporating that side of Spain too.

So...recommendations for accomodations in Tomar! and Sintra!!

I spent a night in Evora, didn't visit the megaliths but I did go to a cork factory a few kms out of town that was very informative with . You will pass acres and acres of cork groves as you drive through the area. From there, I detoured for a stop in Monsaraz on the way to Elvas where I spent 2 nights. I also had time for a short stop in Sao Pedro do Corval and a longer stop in Vila Vicosa. Of course, it's all subjective, but I liked Elvas very much, Evora was just so-so. On my full day in Elvas, I went to Castelo de Vide and Marvão, though you could do that on your way from Elvas to Tomar. I did not include Merida in my itinerary. It looks like a good day trip from Elvas, but too long a drive for a day trip from Evora. Driving times are about 50% more in the Alentejo than what GPS or Google maps calculates. The roads are mostly narrow, 2-lane roads without shoulders and the terrain is often hilly. Locals mostly drive at the posted limits, but that is very difficult for someone who is unfamiliar with the roads.

Sintra is a terrible place to have a car. If you are going to include it, drop the car in Lisbon and take the train or Uber. It's about the same distance from the airport or Lisbon city center, so you have the option of visiting before you rent the car or at the end of your trip. Allow plenty of time to drive from Tomar to Lisbon. The morning traffic is miserable entering the city (probably better driving to the airport but maybe some heavy traffic that way too). If you go at the end of your trip, you'll need 2 nights there, since it will take you the best part of a morning to get there and you'll probably need to leave early on your last day to get to the airport. Sintra is one of the prettiest towns I saw in Portugal.

In Tomar I stayed in a kitchenette unit (studio) at Tomar Story Guest House and I liked it a lot. No elevators, and no parking, but there was free parking on nearby streets (got lucky sometimes) and a large public lot a block or so away. The breakfast was extra and didn't look great, but with a kitchen I didn't need it.

Thanks Chani for your always helpful advice. I am now thinking we will turn in the car at LIS before heading to Sintra. I booked a hotel (Sintra Bliss Hotel) that I see is near a free parking lot, but perhaps ditching the car is a better idea?

I agree with Chani - don’t take a car to Sintra. Public transport to and from Lisbon is easy and cheap and a car is a big headache in Sintra. FYI - avoid Monday in Sintra as it’s even more crowded than normal.

I see that your hotel is very near the train station. Note that means a 10 minute or so walk to the historic center - and the "pretty part" of town. I don't know your budget.Friends stayed at the Tivoli Sintra Hotel, right across from the National Palace. I stayed just down the hill at Casa Pendoa in a studio for €54/night.

If you drop the car at LIS, you can take the metro (easy) to Oriente, then train to Sintra, then walk or taxi to your hotel. If you are near the train station, walk. If you end up staying in the center, take a taxi. Even if all you have is a wheeled carry on, the walk is about 15 minutes and mostly cobbled sidewalks. Uber is a lot more convenient and for 2 people, probably not much more costly. Even if you stay near the train station, going through Oriente is a big pain and can be confusing. I took Uber from Sintra to Oriente and it was a little over €30 as I recall, in normal traffic conditions. To the airport would have been about the same time/distance/price.

As usual, Chani, I appreciate your very detailed and practical advice. I now see that it would be better to stay in the "town center" so I changed my reservation to the Sintra Boutique Hotel...gets great reviews. I also have been convinced to ditch the car and Uber to Sintra. Either way, I know there will be more to see and do than I can possibly accomplish, but the effort is fun.

Hi
If you are into old historic - just south of Coimbra are the roman ruins of Conimbriga.
http://conimbriga.gov.pt/index.html