Please explain - why skip Algarve? Comments on rest of trip welcome!

Many of the coastal towns on the Algarve are awash in British pubs and German sausage joints; I think that's the basis of a lot of the negative comments. It's an area popular for cheap package tourism. We have some folks knowledgeable about the Algarve (I'm not one of them) who can suggest what towns might be better options. (Lagos might be one of them, for all I know.)

Be careful about your timing. Two nights in Lagos is not going to give you three days down there. It will be one full day, part of the day you drive down from Lisbon (over 3 hours on the road with no allowance for any issues or time at the rental agency), and potentially some hours before you head off to Evora. But you only have one night in Evora, so I assume you'll want to get there reasonably early.

Looks like a wonderful trip! My wife and I spent 5 weeks in Pt just before covid. Spent a few days in Viana do Costello (about 20 mi south of Spain on the coast), then 5 days in Porto, 2 days in Coimbra, then to Lagos 5 days, and the rest in Lisbon. Coimbra is very under-rated in my opinion. National Museum Machado de Castro in Coimbra is wonderful! There are no works that you've ever heard of there, but it is 1st rate if you have any artistic sensibilities. Check out Tapas nas Costas, i couldn't believe the fine meal we had for 40euros with wine. One of the best botanical gardens anywhere is adjacent to the University and the Roman aqueduct, and free. Lagos was a highlight for us, since we are beach people. I would definitely go back there. The rock formations along the coast and little secluded alcove beaches where you had to go down may steps to the beach were splendid. Restaurants were excellent.
I encourage you to consider train transportation. Buy tickets online 30 days in advance and you get a significant discount, even more if over 62 yrs old. We went from Coimbra to Lagos for 40E, 1st class. Also, Portugal seemed to be very hilly everywhere, only vacation where I ever lost weight. Plus, beware of the slippery pavers used for sidewalks and plazas throughout Portugal. I would not recommend leather-soled shoes!

I recommend skipping the Algarve on such a short trip for several reasons. You will spend too much time driving. Even though the stated time isn’t that long, each time you move, it really takes up most of one of your days. The Algarve is not that representative of Portugal IMO. It will be too cold to do kayaking in March. We still get a fair amount of rain during the spring and you could drive all that way only to be rained out of most activities. If it rains in Lisbon, you can always do a museum. And, what the precious poster said.

To my count you have four one night stays. You could stay the entire first portion in the Lisbon area and not have to back track to drop your daughter. There are lovely beaches not that far from Lisbon.

Not going to the Algarve would give you time to see some of the things between Lisbon and Porto. Two nights in Coimbra is better than one as it would give you time to see Conimbriga outside of town.

I favor doing a tour into the Douro rather than driving. There are many that give you a taste of the area without the driver missing the views and the wine tasting.

I have been to Portugal twice and love that country. However, I never chose to visit the Algarve. Using TripAdvisor and other sources on what there is to see there, it seemed that the main pull to go there is the beaches.

We love on an island with beaches in the USA and only go to the beach when we have visitors. We are not beach people (we are in our mid-70s).

Having spend a good bit of time in the Lisbon area as well as Porto and the Douro River Valley, I can say that those areas are awesome.

The Douro River Valley is in my opinion the most scenic river valley in Europe.

If you go to Porto, stay at The In Patio Guesthouse BnB, it is THE BEST EVER. Book early, it only has five rooms.

Well, for one it will be quite cold and water sports won't really be nice. Two, it is a tacky area of ugly highrises and Northern Europeans - kind of like a bad Florida for the Brits and Dutch. I hated it. But that's just my opinion.

Well, many people discourage going to the Algarve area of Portugal because so many of us traveling have a limited amount of time. That’s the key word - “time.” (a) time of year, (b) timing within your trip, and (c) how much time you have. Also, the interests of the travelers plays a big role. I will say, with this trip you are planning, because it is in March and you have only 2 weeks, I would not venture to the Algarve. BUT, if the trip was in September and the travelers had 3 weeks for Portugal, it is a nice place to chill out and relax. Especially if there are teens in the group. Most of the teens I know, would love a respite from museums, churches and events and just be.

On my September 2015 trip, I visited 3 major cities in Spain prior to the Algarve. So, I was ready to relax on the beach with nothing much to do for 2-3 days. You must know that Portugal played a huge role in the exploration of the world and most of those sailers were trained in Lisbon and Sagres. Sagres-San Vincent Point or “the end of the world,” is an easy 1/2 day trip from the Algarve and worth it to understand the roles Henri the Navigator and his followers played in that exploration. Oh, and not to mention, the views from the cliffs. Stunning!

Poem at San Vincent point - Sagres:

Waters are calling me.
Seas are calling me.
All distances raise a bodily voice and call me,
and all seafaring ages felt out of the past are calling me.
(ode Maritima, Alvaro de Campos)

Timing is the key to the Algarve. Any way, that’s my 2 cents and I’m sticking with it.

Linda

Regarding your itinerary it seems perfect, Algarve is good if you have a car you should go and search spots like benagil and others, definitely great beachs and views.

Evora is good or one night, look to pass by the "Portuguese Stonehenge".

I would reduce it to 2 nights in Algarve, so you enjoy 1 other stop on the way to or back from Coimbra.

Porto 1 day to central city, another for Douro boat trip and i would use another to go to Coimbra ealier, and on the way pass by Aveiro, Nazare, Obidos and Fatima, its between Lisbon and Porto, and on the middle of the highway trip.