Please sign in to post.

Lisbon-Salema- Porto Trip. July

Posted by on

Hello everyone, thank you in advance for any advice or tips and information. My name is Brian and i had was wondering what would be the best way to get to Porto from Salema?

Im taking a somewhat lightning trip to Portugal July 8th-16. As Portugal is open I'm using a travel voucher i had for a trip planed a year in advance to Another country in Europe which no longer possible, so its kind of a last minute change. Ive been to Portugal before and loved it. I only visited Lisbon and Sintra that time and saw quite a lot of those cities.

I have Ricks most recent Portugal book and I'm noticing Salema via Faro to Porto is rather complex, and it seems like flying on TAP via lisbon is the only relatively quick method. I arrive the 9th to Lisbon from LAX was planning to stay the 9th and 10th, leave early for Salema on the 11th and stay in salema until the 13th then go early to Porto stay there until the 15th. Ideally id leave late the 15th to catch my early flight home from Lisbon but still have some time in Porto.

Im aware that things are going to be quite different due to COVID. That said does anyone have any advice? Id really not like to drive a car. Am i trying to do to much? Should i skip Porto? Bothe the Algarve and Porto look spectacular!

And advice would be appreciated

Thanks!

Posted by
6113 posts

Portugal currently has one of the highest Covid rates per head of population (higher than the U.K. on this basis) with Lisbon being the hotspot. Social distancing measures continue and some Lisbon shopping centres remain closed due to the uptick in cases there. Portugal is only just opening up and the land border with Spain remains shut. If I was travelling in Portugal at present, I would hire a car and avoid public transport.

It sounds like you have less than 6 full days in the country, excluding your arrival day. Even in non Covid times, I wouldn’t attempt to cover both Porto and the Algarve in so short a period, as you are going to lose a day in transit, whichever way you travel.

Why the overrated Salema? It’s been ruined by over development and has poor transport links, so you need a car. If you want beach time, which is all there is to do in a Salema, then stay further north on the Silver Coast, which is easier from Lisbon.

With your time frame, I would stick to the area between Lisbon and Porto.

Posted by
34 posts

Thanks for the reply, I'm going of of Rick Steves Portugal book- he states his favorite destination in the Algarve is Salema. His books have never steered me wrong, before. He does mention some other areas in the Algarve are over rated, but ranks the Algarve as “Must see” vs Porto as “try to see” if you can. Im arriving the 9th around 3pm - im flying business class and anticipate being well rested. And leave on the 16th early. I know its a very tight trip, but its all i can manage and i desperately need to get away from the USA. As to COVID concerns- i have none, I've been doing everything I'm supposed to hygiene wise and social distancing, but honestly the risk of COVID is of minimal concern for me, but hiring a car sounds like a good idea!

Im not too familiar with the silver coast; i haven't read all of Ricks book yet, id be open to that. As it stands now i may just spend all of my time in the Algarve, as Porto being on the opposite end of the country just may not be doable, sadly. Thanks for the reply

Posted by
54 posts

Did you hear any of what Jennifer said?
We live in a different world than what Rock wrote in last year's guide book.

Posted by
27111 posts

You might use the Search function here to see what other posters have said about Salema. I haven't been there myself, but I remember comments to the effect that over-development has spoiled the town. In general, the area is known more for golf courses, British pubs and German sausage joints than for Portuguese character.

Posted by
34 posts

Thanks for the reply. If I'm able to go i think ill go to Nazare instead. As mentioned before i was going of of Ricks book. As to the poster for Connecticut- I'm not letting COVID ruin travel forever. If Portugals government opens up then I'm going. Its not my job to enforce health policies

Posted by
27111 posts

Search for Nazare here, too.

Rick is not necessarily as quick as some of us think he should be to tone down recommendations for places that were charming back doors 20 years ago but are now full of tourist-trinket shops. It's one thing to go to those places on a day-trip to appreciate the historic architecture (if any remains) or go to the beach; it's another thing entirely to base in such a place for multiple days. At least it is to me.

There are folks on this forum who can suggest less-touristy alternatives. In fact, they already have in some earlier threads.

Posted by
345 posts

Julie Dawn Fox is an expat travel blogger living and writing in Portugal who is often mentioned on this forum. She provides some updates that might be helpful to the OP and interesting to others on how things have been reopening to tourism in June. She also has useful posts from more normal times on numbers of beaches, towns, and regions not covered by RS. The general website is juliedawnfox.com

Posted by
34 posts

Cool thanks for the advice and info about the Expat. Im leaning to going to the central coast of portugal then to Porto and scrap the Algarve for another trip. Of course this is all assuming Portugal stays open for my planned trip. As it stands now i may not be able to go not because of Portugal but because I'm transiting on Lufthansa via Frankfurt and Germany’s reopening appears to be in limbo, much more than Portugal which is open now.

Its a shame the Algarve has been overdone; some of the pictures of the area look spectacular.

This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity.