Need Opinions About My Itinerary

Santiago de Compostela has a large historic district as well as the cathedral. I'm guessing your plan to drive (otherwise, I'm not sure it's a viable day-trip unless some sort of bus tour is offered). Be sure you advise your car-rental company that you're making the little detour into Spain, and research parking options in SdeC ahead of time. As a I recall, much of the city is pedestrianized.

I wouldn't try to include the Algarve on this trip.

I think you’ll be disappointed in Nazare. It is a beach town with mediocre restaurants and little else. Yes you can watch surfers-that’s good for an hour. Consider visiting Coimbra, spending an extra day on Evora or more time in Porto instead.

There is no need to inform your rental car company that you will enter Spain in the car,
Your itinerary is a good one butcIceould do Sintracad a day trip from Lisbon, giving this wonderful city more time: have lunch in Nazareth, stay in Coimbra.

Tske a day from someplace in your itinerary and spend st leafy one night in Santiago de Compostela. Try to stay st the Parador on the Plaza..

Yo’ve had two recommendations for Coimbra. I concur and add that since you “love ruins,” you can easily visit the Roman archaeological site of Conimbriga from there.

Just a couple of comments. Personally I think Evora justs takes one long day starting at 9am. The city is small & compact. I had an extra night while there and booked a train out the next morning using that extra night in Porto. Speaking of Porto plenty of surfers on two beaches north of Porto ( October). Took the 500 bus along the Atlantic. Santiago de Compostela Cathedral is beautiful. The scaffolding is down and the outside is wonderful. Plan for extra time, security to get in, lines to hug St. James behind the alter, shorter line to go beneath the alter for a prayer at St. James remains. You can buy a ticket to get on the roof of the cathedral, a highlight of mine, even if the tour was in Spanish. Masses that have the botofumerio (sp?) swinging are not posted and vary but usually the Pilgrims mass at noon on Sunday.

Enjoy your travels!

I agree with the poster that wrote you would be disappointed in Nazare. The monster waves occur in the winter - not the time you will be there. I also would vote for Coimbra as a stop instead.
Your two nights in Evora will give you time to do the Megalith tour - which is my favorite thing in that area - so I would keep your two nights there.
And, you are correct (IMO) to skip the Algarve this time around. There are much more interesting things to see which are more authentic.

Thank you everyone for your good advice.
I decided to give up my hotel room in Nazare and book 2 night in Leiria. Leiria is very close to quite a few places I want to see, including Batalha Monastery, Alcobaca, Tomar and Fatima. We will probably checkout Nazare and Obidos on the way to Leiria. Coimbra will be our stop from Leiria to Porto. We will take a Megalithica Tour of the really, ancient ruins, too. I have RS book on Portugal.

I know that the Portuguese people know English but I purchased a set of Pimsleur's, "European Portuguese." So far, so good.
I am reading an excellent book entitled, "How Portugal Forged the First Global Empire," by Roger Crowley. I remember loving the tales of the Portuguese explorers in grade school class and now I am learning even more.

Finally, I am re-thinking going to Spain to see Santiago de Compostela and visiting a few nearby, local cities/towns. I will keep my Portugal vacation in Portugal.

Thank you all for your good advice.

We love Portugal, never had a problem with the language.

I don't see spending more than a day trip from Lisbon to Evora.
Also, you can do the same with Sintra. Identify what you want to see before your plan.

We last did Portugal in May and I think the water is still cold, not sure about surfing. We didn't see anyone doing that, but if your are there in June, it might be warmer.

Porto is great. We did a 7 night river cruise on the Douro and it was wonderful. Also, stayed in Porto for two more nights (we did another day in Porto on the tour that included the cruise). We did a day trip to Santiago that was wonderful.

If you don't want to take a cruise up the Douro (you could do a one day short cruise), take the train that runs down the valley right next to the river.

The In Patio Guesthouse is a wonderful B&B in a great location. It only has five rooms, so book early.

Please check out The Portuguese by Barry Hatton. A great read before you go, or during your journey.

Your itinerary generally looks very good. My wife and I took a very similar trip in 2008. We enjoyed Nazare quite a lot, but did not hang around town. We arrived late afternoon, then the next day did a day trip to Obidos. Visited Alcobaqa on the way to Tomar where we spent a night (another great stop). We did not spend a lot of time in Nazare but it was a fine stop. Good call to spend a couple of nights in SIntra, too many visit only on a day trip.