Greetings! We are taking the RS Heart of Portugal tour in May. We plan to add a few days on each end of the trip - Lisbon and Porto. Does anyone know if there are things not included on this tour that we should see in those cities? Any wonderful places to stay before or after the tour? Many thanks for your always thoughtful recommendations!
Posted by
Folsom
2738 posts
We arrived a few days early and enjoyed the tour hotel. Unfortunately my daughter badly turned an ankle coming off the plane so we were somewhat limited. We took a tour to Sintra and Cascais using Your Friend in Lisbon. They were great and given our circumstances the hotel pickup, the transportation in a Mercedes van, the guides help maneuvering a wheelchair was invaluable. We had a lovely seaside lunch and having the guide really helped us enjoy Sintra. The next day we took a culinary tour through Culinary Backstreets, also a treat. Visited small, off the tourist beaten track places, ate delicious seafood and tasted coffee at the only roaster in the city. We visited the Tile Museum which my wife thought was great but I found a bit boring. In Porto we took an Uber to the Taylor Fladgate bodega where we had a fabulous lunch and port tasting. Porto is a bit gritty but, in hindsight, we probably could have spent another day. But we did back to back RS tours so we needed to get to London.
Posted by
WA State
3961 posts
First of all, great tour choice! We took this tour in 2016. We arrived 2 days early and took a small guided day tour to Sintra, Cascais and Cabo Roca. We visited the UNESCO-listed Pena National Palace. Traveling along the beautiful Atlantic coast you will enjoy Europe's westernmost point. This was a great prelude to the tour! We extended our time after Porto. We flew to Madrid x 4 nights, day trip to Toledo, train to Barcelona x 4 nights. You can also take a look on the RS Portugal Tour site for attractions not included on the tour. We have found this very helpful. Enjoy the tour!
Posted by
Cascais, Portugal
1826 posts
I don’t know what’s included in the tour but can give you some ideas of off the tourist track things.
From Cais do Sodre, take the ferry to Calcilhas across the Tejo river. When you exit the ferry, turn right and walk along the river. After about 10 minutes, you will see two restaurants right on the river side. Eat in either one and enjoy the views back across to Lisbon. It’s not known by a lot of tourists and is lovely. Ponte Final is one of the restaurants but I can’t remember the other one.
Take a taxi or tuk-tuk to the Graça miradouro. It’s the highest point in Lisbon with amazing views.
Take the Elevador de Gloria up to the Alcântara miradouro. Views from the opposite side of town.
The Millinium bank on Rua Augusta has a free tour of a Roman site under the streets. It’s very interesting, especially if you have never visited Rome.
And, lastly, visit Cascais on a good weather day and have a drink at the Hotel Albatroz. The views are wonderful. But, only visit Cascais if you promise to not tell the RS people. We aren’t on his radar and want to keep it that way!
Posted by
Denver, CO USA
502 posts
"Ponte Final is one of the restaurants but I can’t remember the other one."
Atira-te ao Rio
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g189158-d697214-Reviews-Atira_te_ao_Rio-Lisbon_Lisbon_District_Central_Portugal.html
Posted by
OP
California
18 posts
Many thanks to you all! What great suggestions!!
Posted by
WA, USA
330 posts
Hello,
I took the RS Portugal trip a few years ago. Really a fantastic adventure.
I traveled with my sister in law and we arrived in Lisbon 4 days before the tour started. We wanted to get over any jet lag.
In Lisbon: we explored the town a little. Went to the Tile Museum and São Vicente de Fora Monastery. I actually loved the monastery more. They close at 5 pm and they won’t let you in after 4 pm. Had to go there the following morning, but it was totally worth it for me.
Did the day trip to Sintra. Wished we had stayed there for 1/2 nights.
On our last free day, (this is in the RS Portugal Book) we took a ferry (then a bus ride) across to the Christ Statue and then a taxi ride to another ferry station. That ferry took us to Belem. We did go to the Discoveries Monument which you’ll go to with the RS tour. But, we went up the tower’s elevator for an amazing view. Don’t forget to look down. And see the map from above, really neat.
During the RS tour in Lisbon, there was half a day of free time. I had wanted to see the little fishing village of Cascais. I took public transportation to the train station where I boarded a quick little train to Cascais. Walked around the town, walked the boardwalk to Estoril, then boarded a train back to Lisbon. Made it back to meet my sister in law and a few new friends at a nice restaurant.
I used this site: https://www.golisbon.com/.
If you need anything else, you can send me a personal message (PM).
Have a wonderful adventure!
Posted by
Carmel, CA, USA
2456 posts
Tabbies, I took the RS Portugal tour in May 2017. Great tour, great season to visit Portugal. Before the tour, I went directly from the Lisbon airport to Sintra for 2 nights, and loved it. Lots of sites to visit, good restaurants and bakeries, nice town, friendly people. I would have enjoyed an additional day and night. Then I took the train into Lisbon and spent 4 nights at a B & B before the tour. Took a food/culture tour, went to the excellent Tile Museum, the Fado Museum, the Queluz Palace, and poked around various neighborhoods. After the tour I spent 4 additional nights in an apartment in Porto, and took day trips to Guimaraes, to Santiago de Compostela, and to the rural area Tras-os-Montes, either on my own or with a day tour by van. Lots to see and experience in friendly Portugal, enjoy!