We, wife and I, are contemplating spending a month in Portugal next May. Our travel style is slow absorption to achieve maximum potential of being there. Prefer minimum of seven days per place. Seeking recommendations of destinations to stay upon your Portugal experiences. As needed we can rent a car, but love walking and using public transport.
No need for recommendations on accommodations at this time.
Example of our travel style.........
Recent trip to England was in May where we arrived at Heathrow, rented vehicle and drove to the village of Semley, located 20 miles west of Salisbury, and spent a week exploring the area. Then drove to Amberley, due south of London, and spent a week exploring the area. Dropped the car at Gatwick and spent final week in London.
Our interests are architecture, people, locally made crafts, local festivals and attending music events. We love to find local events sponsored by locals. Recent example was a Maypole fair held in a tiny village where the dancing children were the highlight of the experience.
Your experiences are appreciated.
Posted by
Austin, TX
2328 posts
I spent a few days in Lisbon and really loved it. Four days was not enough. Lisbon has great public transportation.
If possible allow time to visit both Sintra and Belem. If possible spend a whole day at each place.
I was on a cruise and we ported at Porto. I took an excursion to Braga and that was very beautiful and interesting. A couple on my cruise bought a beautiful tablecloth and napkins in Braga. And I mean beautiful.
All the places that I mentioned are very walkable. Very interesting. Beautiful architecture. Music. Crafts.
You will not be disappointed.
Posted by
Calgary, AB, Canada
567 posts
Lisbon or somewhere near there ( Cascais, or Sintra) should be one of your stops. May will be busy I think with tourists for both Lisbon and Sintra but with a week you will have plenty of time to enjoy. For this spot you wouldn't need a car ( or want one)
I really liked Evora, and think with a car I could find enough to enjoy for a week. There are several smaller towns and nice drives near there.
Douro or Porto? It seems you like quieter places, so Douro might be a nice choice, with a day trip in to Porto. I've not been north of Porto yet, but Guimares and Braga are sometimes mentioned and might fit your interests.
Finally, I am trying to think of a good spot near Coimbra, Nazare etc, but am not sure where would be the best fit. Hopefully others will chime in. Some people have mentioned Calda de Raina near Obidos, but I have not been. Obidos is another option. It is very touristy, but quiet and pretty in the evening, with lots of good restaurants and will often have festivals. My brother stayed there for 4 nights and found it a good base.
Posted by
127 posts
I suggest considering a stay in one of the communities to the west of central Lisbon, somewhere along the commuter train line that runs between the Cais do Sodre and Cascais. I can recommend any of the communities between Oreiras and Cascais. These are not rural villages, but rather small towns absorbed by the expansion of the Lisbon metro area. Although you will encounter some expats in these communities, these communities are only rarely visited by tourists. There are some interesting weekly markets in some communities, and various cultural events that get only local notice.
Posted by
Greenville, SC
2 posts
Brilliant idea of staying at a location/community close to the train stations. Do you know how to go about locating one? Our plan is to spend two week between Porto and Lisbon after our cruise. It would be wonderful to be able to stay at a location in between the two, for day trips, I think? We typically stay at Marriott's and am trying to track down a Marriott Home/Villa to use as a base camp. However, are we better off just staying in each downtown and then take the train for day trips from there?
Posted by
MD
647 posts
Hi Steven. If your goal is to get an overall feel for Portugal with roughly 4 different one week stays, I'd consider the general areas of Lisbon, Porto, somewhere in the Algarve and maybe Coimbra. From these spots, you can do day trips to lots of smaller towns, most by train or bus. Bolt and Uber are also an option, but from what I've read most people find driving in Portugal to be pretty easy. Lucky you to be spending a month in such an amazing country!
Posted by
Prince George, BC, Canada
444 posts
We're going for 6 weeks in Oct/November and this is our schedule. We are driving, so this may not fit with your plans. We like to get off the beaten track and enjoy life and destinations much like you. Lisbon 5n, Vila Nova de Milfontes 5n, Evora 10n, Castelo de Vide 5 n, Lamego 6n, Lisbon 4n. We also like to stay in one location for awhile and soak the area in. A person can't see everything and you can always come back!