I am planning a month long solo tour of Portugal using public transportation (I don't drive). Rick's guidebook suggests starting in Lisbon, going south to the Algarve and then north to Evora, Nazare, Coimbra, Duoro Valley... then flying out of Porto. I plan to return to Lisbon before flying home. I'm wondering what you think of doing this trip sort of in reverse and leaving the Algarve for last (before returning to Lisbon). If so, how would that work? Is there a reason the guidebook suggests the Algarve for your second sto?. I think Rick describes Salema as a "vacation from your vacation" but I will have only been in the country for a few days. I suppose it could be a jet lag pillow. I usually follow Rick's itineraries to a T and I find they make sense in terms of some places working better after others. If that's the case here, I'll just follow his route, but I'm curious about what you think.
Posted by
Walnut Creek, CA
838 posts
Ricks Best of Portugal in 13 days trip for 2027 starts in Porto and travels south to the Algarve and then to Lisbon. This appears to be a change in direction from previous BOP tours.
https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/portugal/best-portugal-tour
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
8568 posts
All things being equal, it doesn’t matter. Time of year could be a determining factor since you’d probably want to visit certain places when it’s warmer.
Visit places you have an interest in visiting not because a guide book says you should visit a location.
Posted by
Cascais, Portugal
2039 posts
If you have read this forum in the past, you may know that many of us do not agree with RS high praise for Salema. If it isn’t summer when you come, it will be pretty much shut down. Even in summer, it is now built up with high rises and a lot of us who have visited in the last ten years were very disappointed.
Especially with no car, you will need to plan the Algarve very carefully because the trains and buses are limited. If I were to go to the Algarve without a car (which I would not do), I would stick with a larger town. Lagos is nice and large enough for many restaurants, etc. within walking distance.
I agree the time of the year would determine the order of visiting for me. The northern part of the country will usually be cooler and wetter in the spring, winter and fall.
Posted by
OP
San Francisco, California, USA
216 posts
All useful info... thanks everyone. That's interesting about the Rick Steves Portugal tour now going the opposite way. I am thinking of going either in May/June or September. They say the water is warmer in September. I would like to go for a swim here and there. Yes, I have read the posts here about Salema. And also about how tricky the Algarve is without wheels. Anyway, as far as time of year, it sounds like May-June might be better to go North first and let it get warmer for the Algarve, in June? In September, it might be okay for hitting the Algarve just after Lisbon, as Rick's book suggests. Does that make sense?
Posted by
Cascais, Portugal
2039 posts
Makes sense to me. And, yes, the conventional wisdom is that September is the best month for swimming in the sea anywhere in Portugal.
Posted by
OP
San Francisco, California, USA
216 posts
thank you kathrynj