Portugal or Czech Republic - thoughts on best option for quick 6 night trip 11/28-12/5 2021

My first trip to Prague was after Thanksgiving and I nearly froze to death. However, I did have Charles Bridge to myself.
I don’t know what PT is like that time of year but I would skip visiting the Algarve. You could easily stay in Lisbon your entire visit and sleep in the Alfama district and take Rick Steves self-guided walking tours so you don’t miss seeing anything. You can then add day trips to Sintra and Évora.

We’ve been to Prague in November and loved it! It wasn’t crowded and the hearty food was appreciated. Lights, architecture and decorations stood out in the crisp evenings. This year the Christmas markets will hopefully start on November 27 if that is something that interests you. It will make the square extra festive.

We haven’t been to Portugal yet.

Prague in November is likely to be much colder and wetter. I would recommend Prague if you wanted museum time, otherwise Portugal would get my vote - it’s a good length of trip to see the charming Lisbon plus take a day trip to Cascais. Great food and wine and good value.

I wouldn’t bet on Christmas markets happening this year, so another vote for Lisbon.

Portugal would be a much better choice on November.

This is a tough call. CZ is more compact (the sites are located relatively close to each other) and can be done in 7 days. However, sites in Portugal are a bit more spread out. If you decide to visit Portugal, then focus on either the north or the south.

Weather wise, it's going to be colder in Prague. However, as mentioned above, this may be an advantage in that there will be far fewer tourists.

Greetings: You didn't mention weather, so I'm not sure why folks are bringing that up. I celebrated my birthday in Prague in August 2021 and loved it. I wanted to go to Vienna and Budapest, but with COVID restrictions, I didn't want to take the chance. Prague is a beautiful city, but I think it's a 3 or 4 day at most. I found the price of food and alcohol very good. I enjoyed Prague so much, the hotel and the people that I'm going back for New Year eve. I will also visit Vienna, Budapest and probably Munich.

My birthday trip in August 2019 was to Paris, Madrid, Lisbon and Porto. I loved both Lisbon and Porto. Lisbon for the people and tours outside of the city. I also like that it's walkable. It's a big city, which Prague is not. I loved the food and wine in Porto. And the Duoro Valley is incredible. Prague is more about the beer. Based on what you wrote, I would recommend Porto and depending on how long your trip is, take the train to Lisbon. Not sure about shopping, as I don't shop while on vacation.

Whatever country you decide, you won't be disappointed. Just go outside of the city center, the tourist area and mingle with the locals. A restaurant Manager in Madrid gave me a restaurant to visit in Lisbon that was owned by a friend. They were expecting me when I stopped in and I ate and drank way too much and way too long. In Prague, I met 2 expats who introduced me to restaurants outside of the city center and gave me a block of Wisconsin cheese.

The population of Prague is about 2-1/2 times the population of Lisbon. Which one feels the largest will depend on the location of the particular sights you want to see. I remember Lisbon as being hillier than Prague, but both have a lot of attractive architecture to enjoy.

Czechia is only about 15% smaller than Portugal. I don't think it's any easier to "see" Czechia than to "see" Portugal on a short trip. It's just that most of us are a bit more familiar with Portugal, so we start out knowing about Porto and the Algarve. Until we read a guide book or watch Rick's videos, we may not be aware of places like Olomouc or Cesky Krumlov.

I've never felt there was a shortage of things to buy in any major European city. As affluent capitals, Prague and Lisbon both have great shopping.

Apples and oranges. In November, weather in Prague is usually not so great. At least Portugal, and Lisbon in particular, will be closer to 60 F. Your time frame is perfect for seeing Lisbon and throwing in a day trip to Sintra, although be aware that the microclimate of Sintra means all bets are off weather-wise. Check before you head out there. We didn't. In August, albeit a totally different time of year, we had glorious weather in Lisbon and an hour later is was 20 degrees colder, rainy, and so foggy you couldn't see 3 feet in front of you. All that said, Prague is wonderful, too. But, I'd be prepared to spend more time indoors for sure.

Portugal wins hands down. I can't imaging spending good money to fly to Central or Northern Europe to freeze in the late Fall or Winter. I lived in Augsburg, Germany for four years and found those long cold seasons a bit depressing. In late December it gets dark around 4:30pm.

Have you considered the vaccination rate that Portugal has achieved (in the high 80's); and, unfortunately, the Czech Republic is less than 60%. I've returned from Portugal and Spain a month ago and would not have felt comfortable in any other countries. Just my opinion ,,,