Heading to Portugal with my husband in a couple weeks, and I can't quite decide on an itinerary. It'll be his first time in Portugual, and I'm going to Lisbon for a girls trip before that but I won't be able to do much sightseeing before that, but I'll at least have the lay of the land.
We have 7 nights on the ground, fly in early (arrive Faro 8am) and depart 5pm 8 days later. We tried to do open jaw but Eurowings wanted double the cost of our return flights to Faro for one way! (That airline has seriously gone downhill)
I've got two sample itineraries, and would love from feedback. I booked (but haven't paid for) a rental already for the whole week but it seems like a waste of money parked in Lisbon. The only advantage is the ease of visiting Evora and perhaps other sites inbetween Lisbon and the Algarve. We definitely want minimum 3 nights seaside at the end - this is my only beachy trip until late September so it's gotta hold me over! We do want the car in the Algarve to drive to different towns and beaches, I'm pretty sure of that even if we don't love having car rentals.
Itinerary 1: Rental car the whole way
Day 1: Arrive Faro, pick up car, lunch in Faro then drive to Evora (2 1/2 hours). Overnight Evora.
Day 2: Drive to Lisbon, park car (possibly at airport?), sleep Lisbon. Sightsee on the way? (Suggestions?)
Day 3: Lisbon
Day 4: Lisbon
Day 5: Drive to Algarve, sightsee on the way? Suggestions? (looking at hotels in Avlor or Ferragudo, possibly Lagos or Tavira)
Day 6: Algarve
Day 7: Algarve
Day 8: Return car to Faro airport, depart Faro 17:00
Itinerary 2
Day 1: Arrive Faro, train to Lisbon, sleep Lisbon
Day 2: Lisbon
Day 3: Lisbon
Day 4: Train to Faro, pick up car, sleep Algarve
Day 5: Algarve
Day 6: Algarve
Day 7: Algarve
Day 8: Fly out
Opinions?