Hi All, I am planning a trip to Portugal April into May for 12-13 days. I was thinking of staying in Lisbon for a few days and do a few day trips to surrounding areas. Then I was thinking of perhaps going to the Azores for a few hikes and then possibly to The Algarve (for more hikes and beaches? as most people I know that have been, say I should go there). I am mostly looking for history, hikes and the culture. Trying to make it cost efficient as well :) Any pointers or suggestions I would greatly appreciate it! There is so much to see and I fall down the rabbit hole when I start researching, wishing I had more time.
Thank you! :)
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6788 posts
First, start by being honest with yourself about EXACTLY how many days and nights you’ll really have. Not how long your trip is, how much time you have in Europe (they’re not the same - it typically takes about a day to get there, and another day to get back, but may be longer). Until you do that, any answers to your questions may be unhelpful. If you don’t have specific travel dates picked out yet, pick hypothetical (but honest/realistic) dates because that forces you to face reality.
When most people talk about having “12 - 13 days” their actual usable time works out to be about 9 to 11 full usable days. That’s pretty short for a trip to Europe but if that’s what you have to work with, start facing that now.
Remember: it takes time to go from A to B (probably more time than you think) and even if you’re super efficient, a good portion of every day is usually devoted to meeting your basic needs (food, shelter, wine and gelato, whatever). That all adds up. With 9 to 11 full usable days in Europe, I’d skip the side trip to the Azores - you don’t have many days to spend, and each time you move yourself you burn most of a day. Mainland Portugal has plenty to keep you busy and happy for more days than you have.
Start by making a list of all the specific places you hope to go, and prioritize them. Look for a logical routing that you can use to string them together.
Are you looking at April-May of 2024 - this year? If so, you need to get cracking (look at a calendar…).
Hope some of the above helps.
Posted by
Rhode Island, USA
472 posts
This website has all you need to know about hiking in the Azores:
https://trails.visitazores.com/en
The website will keep you occupied for many hours as you explore nine islands.
I will warn you that once you see what is available, you might choose to visit only the Azores. 😊
Posted by
1 posts
Hi. My husband and I will be going to Portugal for about 10 days. We will be in Lisbon for a couple of days and we are wondering where would be a great place to stay while in Lisbon area. Thank you for your help we really appreciate it.
Sally
Posted by
Paris
6909 posts
For "history, hikes and culture" the Algarve is not top-of-mind. If you have, let's say, 12 nights, spending 5 nights in the Lisbon area and 7 nights in the Azores, then perhaps using one of the transatlantic flights from the Azores to get home, would be a good combination. I have never been to the Azores, but they are definitely a hiker's paradise.