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Need itinerary suggestions

My 15 year old daughter and I are planning our first trip to Portugal and are looking for some recommendations. We both love history, exploring the local "scene", hiking and natural beauty. We will be visiting in mid April and have 9 days (including the day of arrival and departure). Right now we are considering staying 4 nights in Lisbon and 1 to 2 in Sintra, we are looking for suggestions for the other 2 - 3 nights. We are on a budget, planning to use public transportation, and would also love recommendations for charming but inexpensive places to stay that are centrally located and preferable close to a train station. Thanks so much for your help!!

Posted by
395 posts

Lisboa - 4 nights
Sintra - 2
Lisboa - 3 (day trip to Cascais)

Buy Viva Viagem cards (https://www.metrolisboa.pt/en/buy/viva-viagem-card/) for getting around in Lisboa. Huge savings.

Don't stay near train station as taxis are cheap (Metro is even cheaper). And the neighborhoods around the train stations are not tourist friendly.
Stay in the Bairro Alto in an AirBnB.

Posted by
6733 posts

You have 7 days, not 9. Stop pretending that you're going to get anything at all out of the day you fly home, or much out of the day you arrive after a redeye with no sleep and 36 hours of travel exhaustion. It's a harsh truth to realize that your trip may be 9 days, but you only get to use 7 of them, but don't feel bad, all inexperienced travelers engage in this willful self-deception when they start their planning (until the number of days and the places don't all line up and you start to realize that you have too many places and not enough days...it's best to come to grips with that now, rather than on a bus or train in a foreign country).

Not to beat a dead horse, but...with 7 days, you already have 6 of them allocated (4 in Lisbon, 1 or 2 in Sintra). So you're not really looking for suggestions for 2-3 more days or nights...I think you have one, maybe two left.

If you really want to add a third location, I'd 1) do Sintra as a day trip from Lisbon (it's easy as a day trip), and 2) peel off one day from Lisbon. Remember that you will consume most of a day each time you pick yourself up and change locations.

You should check the Risk Steves guide for answers to your specific questions.

Posted by
6113 posts

In practice, you have 7 days, which to me would be a visit to Lisbon with a day trip to Sintra and 2 nights in Evora.

Mid April means school Easter holidays, so places will be busy and more expensive.

Posted by
5687 posts

This last May, I had night nights in Portugal. I flew into Lisbon (4 nights), took the train north to Coimbra (2 nights), and then on to Porto (3 nights) and flew out of Porto home. I took trains and buses to get around.

I day tripped to Sintra, Tomar, and Nazare. I loved Nazare and Tomar especially (wish I had spent a night in Nazare and one fewer in Coimbra). Sintra's little town is very pleasant - but the tourist attractions are overwhelmed with tourists, probably even in April (a friend of mine was just in Sintra last week and described local buses too full to pick her up on the way up the hill to the castles). I wouldn't do a night in Sintra with only 7-8 nights, personally. (With more time, I would.) I'd do at least 4 nights in Lisbon and maybe 2 in Porto, if you can get an open jaw flight out of there like I did (fly into Lisbon, out of Porto or vice versa); maybe 5 nights in Lisbon with a day trip to Sintra. You could stop for half a day in Coimbra if you want - very untouristy compared to everywhere else so a nice departure. You could explore the old university at the top of the hill of the town.

Posted by
477 posts

Hi Joyseeker

I'd suggest adding Coimbra or Evora for your other destination. They are both accessible by train. Both are smaller towns but still with a lot to see. Evora is a walled town, and I believe is a Unesco site. Coimbra also has the university where the students wear the long black robes and at that time of year may be taking their year end pictures which is neat to see.

You mention you are on a budget. There are definitely some very nice hostels in Portugal if that is what you had in mind. We found in Lisbon it was more reasonable to rent a place ( I used VRBO) than hotels. The one we stayed in had a 5 night minimum though, so that may influence your itinerary. However you might want to consider Sintra as a day-trip, as I recall accommodations being a bit more. If you do stay there consider walking to the next town Sao Pedro for dinner where we had a great meal at a great price. Sintra is very beautiful and if you like hiking there is a nice walk heading up to the moorish castle and then on to the Pena palace.

A lot of people will also mention Cascais as a day-trip from Lisbon. There is a nice walk along the seaside there.

Posted by
362 posts

I traveled twice this fall to Portugal, leaving Sintra for the end of my second trip. I loved it. Hotels are cheaper in Sintra, about half of what I paid in Lisbon. I stayed at Sintra Bliss, booked directly on the hotel web page & it included breakfast. Upon checking in around 1pm walked into town, bought tickets at the TI for Pena Palace, Moor Castle, National Palace. Walked to Quinta da Regaleira (need to buy tickets on site), the gardens are just as stunning as the house, then back to the National Palace with no lines at all. The next morning pay $10 for a taxi so you arrive 30 minutes before the gates open & get in the already have tickets line. As soon as you get in go to the gift shop to buy the 3e shuttle tickets to get to the palace. Again first in & you’re ahead of all the day trippers. After about 90minutes in the palace I spent about 3 hours walking around the beautiful park. After a quick bite for lunch I walked over to the Moor Castle, about a 15 minute walk then spent another 75 minutes walking on the medieval wall. I walked back to town on the Vila Sassetti path, which was all downhill. There are other footpaths in the area, ask at the TI. Sintra is well worth staying two nights, maybe more. Never used any bus.
I enjoyed Lisbon but I prefer Porto (personal choice). In Lisbon I stayed atHotel Mundial & Turim Marquês, it was close to 2 metro lines, super convenient. I alway did the metro day pass as it is cheaper. The machines are in English & easy to figure out. If you’re at the airport there is a person to help you buy from the machine or a person at the booth. I really enjoyed Belém, spent two days there, not rushing through everything. Side day trip to Cascais. The walking tour of Lisbon was very helpful getting the layout of the city. I bought my train tickets almost 30 days ahead to Porto & they were maybe 20e. Fatima was a nice two night stay for me, again hotels much cheaper than Lisbon. You mention hiking. There is a Camino Fatima walk from Lisbon to Fatima, some stages on the same as the Camino Portuguese to Santiago de Compostela that is well marked and goes right through Cascais. If on a budget maybe check hostels as they are much different than youth hostels many having private rooms, my friends 40+ stayed at Good Morning Hostel & had a great experience there. Evora is interesting for a night, 12e to get there, Moov Hotel about 62/night & Tomar another interesting smaller city. Use Rome2rio for time between locations & Comboios Portugal (CP) for trains. It may be just as fast to get to Porto on a “fast” train as to Tomar on a regional stopping train. Fatima is better by bus. I love Portugal, the people are gracious, mosaic sidewalks, ceramic tile inside & on the buildings all wonderful. Enjoy

Posted by
7595 posts

You can see Lisbon pretty well in three full days. Sintra is great, but you could do it in one full day. Consider visiting Obidos, Batalha Cathedral (Monastery) Evora and Cascais.

Porto is wonderful, you probably don't have time to go there this time. Suggest taking a week long river cruise.

Posted by
2 posts

Thanks so much for all the great recommendations, it is so helpful for planning to hear the experiences of fellow travelers. This travel forum is such a wonderful resource!

For David in Seattle: you are right that travel and jet lag can sure take a chunk out of your vacation days. As a fellow Washingtonian (South of Seattle) I thought you might want to know about my experience with a blue light therapy box to reduce jet lag. I use a Philiips goLITE BLU Energy to help with the long dark winters in our area and I have found it also works very well to reduce jag lag on my frequent trips to the East Coast to visit family. I have never used it on travel across the pond but am planning on using it on my upcoming trip to Portugal. If you're interested check out this link (which also contains an additional link to the "Jet Lag Optimizer" which helps set up a plan for your specific destination): https://www.lumie.com/blogs/quick-guides/6302492-beat-jet-lag-with-light-therapy

Happy Traveling!