My husband and I are going on a five week trip to Portugal and Spain this October/November. We're arriving in Portugal driving in from Bilbao. We are staying in Porto for four nights and basically have six additional days in Portugal until we meet up with friends near Cadiz. We've been to Lisbon before and will probably skip the Algarve due to it will be late fall when we are there. We will have a car and I am asking for suggestions of other places in Portugal that we should visit. Our travel interests are history, culture, art, food and wine.
Posted by
Calgary, AB, Canada
567 posts
Are you keeping the car? If so what about Evora and the Alentejo region? It is on your way to Cadiz I think. There is also Coimbra and Tomar. on the way.
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15794 posts
Look through the Portugal forum around December 2018. One of our folks, Carolyn wrote a trip report about her time, especially in the eastern part of the country, in November 2018. One thing she noted was the beautiful fall colors in the Douro Valley.
I used Tomar as a base (with car) to visit the beautiful monasteries at Batalha and Alcobaca, plus Obidos (not especially impressed) and Nazare (wish I'd skipped it). I had a full day in Coimbra and enjoyed it thoroughly.
Since you are going to Cadiz, Evora and Elvas make sense. You can take a megalith tour (or DIY). I went to a cork factory near Evora and learned a great deal about a major industry.
I think your problem will be narrowing it down from all the great places. BTW food and wine are good everywhere!
Posted by
11608 posts
Places we enjoyed staying in addition to Lisbon and Porto in Portugal: Coimbra, Guimares, Evora. Did not enjoy staying in Obidos although the Pousada there was lovely.
Since you are driving from Bilbao( we did the reverse) we enjoyed staying in Spain:Santiago de Compostela, Baiona, O Grove, Leon, Ribadesilla, Comillas.
Posted by
Utah
455 posts
I'm the trip report author that Chani mentioned.
One of my favorite places we visited was Piodao, an out of the way schist village in the mountains. Very charming even in the rain. Nearby is Foz d Egua with a picturesque double rock bridge. I also loved the Alentejo. In the central region the Batalha monastery and Tomar's Convent of Christ were beautiful. We also visited Conimbriga which has nice mosaics and a rock quarry with a trail of dinosaur tracks in Ourem.
The variety in Portugal is amazing. If you go to Coimbra be sure to catch a Fado performance as referenced in the RS guide.
Posted by
Carmel, CA, USA
2456 posts
Have you been to Sintra? I spent a couple of days there in 2017 and loved it. Many people take a rushed day trip there from Lisbon, but it is a lovely town with various worthwhile sites there, and I think Sintra merits more time. Also, after Porto you could spend a couple of enjoyable days up the Douro River, traveling by car, boat, train, bus or guided tour. Lots of options up that way.
Posted by
9 posts
We spend 3 weeks in Portugal in April.. Our ‘COUP de Coeur’ what We loved most was our trip in the Douro valley to a small town called Aricera. It’s a small town up on the hills that has an awesome view of the valley. You could stay two nights and visit some wineries. we stayed at a small Inn with breakfast included and for an additional cost supper also. it was magic.. A 400 year old establishment. check it out.. Outros Tempos. I