Hi All:
We are arriving in Lisbon, November 2 and will be leaving two weeks later, November 16th. We had originally planned on following Rick Steves' Best Two week trip by car but are now having some second thoughts after reading forums etc. We started with Lisbon for 4 nights, (side trip to Sintra) then drive down to Salema for two nights, then over to Evora for a night or two, back up to Nazare (visit Batalha, Fatima and Alcobaca), then up to Porto/Duoro Valley. My questions are:
1) Should we eliminate Salema? Will we be missing out?
2) Has anyone been to Tomar?
3) Maybe just do Lisbon (4 nights), Evora (2 nights), the sights around Nazare (stay where?) 2 or 3 nights, then the rest up in Porto/Duoro? (really want to do a river cruise and taste Port). We plan on getting a car in Lisbon and driving to all of these places, then dropping it off once we get to Porto and taking a train back to Lisbon to leave from there.
This is stressing me out!!! Help!!
Thanks in advance!
Posted by
Cascais, Portugal
1671 posts
If you must visit the Algarve, I would suggest not staying in Salema. I was very disappointed when I visited in February. There are other places in the western Algarve that are much better, IMO. Lagos was my favorite and I drove to many towns in the two weeks I was there.
That said, with two weeks, you might want to skip the Algarve as it will not really be beach weather. You can easily spend two weeks visiting the other places you mention. Lisbon can definitely fill more than 4 nights, especially if you want to day trip to Sintra (which you should). There are beaches in the Lisbon area and the coast in Cascais is lovely.
I also wasn't that impressed with Nazare. We stayed a week in Sao Martinho do Porto and really loved it. It's much smaller than Nazare but very central to visit the places you mention. You might find less expensive lodging outside of Nazare, also.
Porto is also very nice and it's easy to drive, take a tour or cruise up the Douro.
If you haven't book your flights, you might want to check into flying out of Porto. We flew into Porto and out of Lisbon last spring and it worked great without having to backtrack.
Posted by
119 posts
More information about your interests would be helpful.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
We have already bought our plane tickets in and out of Lisbon. So we were now thinking: 4 nights in Lisbon to start, pick up car and stay 2 nights in Evora, drive up to somewhere around Nazare (or surrounding area for a home base) and stay 2 or 3 nights to visit Tomar, Alcobaca, Batalha and Fatima, then up to Porto and see Duoro Valley. We like to see castles, medieval architecture, great views and cathedrals but would be happy with any or all of it. We will have to drop the car in Porto and take the train back to Lisbon since our flight leaves very early the last morning we are there.
How many days do you need to see Tomar and the surrounding towns I mentioned? One night or two? We will have a car. We should have another day in Lisbon at the end.
Thanks for any help.
Posted by
119 posts
Given your interests, your proposed intinerary is OK. Most of Lisbon was destroyed in an earth quake in 1755, so there is not much architecture left from before that time. Farther north in Portugal is better for old structures. Lisbon does have a large number of small museums that you may find interesting. Only a few museums are mentioned in the popular travel guides - I suggest an Internet search for museums in Lisbon.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
It isn't worth driving for miles to go to the Algarve in November. Stay further north.
I have been to Tomar. It's a pleasant traditional city.
I prefer Caldas da Rainha or Foz do Arelha to Nazare.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
Tomar has sights associated with the Knights Templar, as well as a fascinating museum of matchboxes (wait till you see the Nazi one!). I saw it as a day from Santarem, which is a lovely town. The highlight is supposed to be the Igreja da Graça with its rose window, but I loved the Igreja da Maravila even more - the most amazing azulejos I've seen.