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Touring Portugal and Salamanca - Reporting Back

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Earlier I posted questions about an itinerary at: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/portugal/touring-portugal-then-salamanca-why-change-itinerary-order

The post was closed due to inactivity but for those interested I'm reporting back. Below was our rough itinerary. If I could have afforded to take more days off, padding in a few more days would have been nice, but it was pretty reasonable in terms of all the things we saw and no days were too onerous driving. If you do drive make sure you get an electronic toll pass where charges are automatically added to your credit card. Many of the toll roads did not even have the option to use a tollbooth. You can see photos of my trip at: http://www.danielginsberg.com/Travel/Portugal-Spain-2017/

THURSDAY, 9/14/17
Arrive in Lisbon airport.
FRIDAY, 9/15/17
Trolly to Belém, tour monastery, tower, National Coach Museum. Lunch in Belém. Tour Museum of Ancient Art.
SATURDAY, 9/16/17
Day in Lisbon including São Jorge Castle.
SUNDAY, 9/17/17
Side trip to Sintra by train.
MONDAY, 9/18/17
Pick up car and drive to Lagos.
TUESDAY, 9/19/17
Day around Lagos, dinner at Michelin star Bon Bon Restaurant in Carvoeiro.
WEDNESDAY, 9/20/17
Drive to Evora.
THURSDAY, 9/21/17
Morning in Evora. Afternoon to Nazaré via Obidos.
FRIDAY, 9/22/17
Day in Nazaré.
SATURDAY, 9/23/17
Drive to Coimbra with stops in Alcobaca, Batalha, Fatima.
SUNDAY, 9/24/17
Day in Coimbra.
MONDAY, 9/25/17
Drive to Salamanca (Spain).
TUESDAY, 9/26/17
Drive to Douro Valley. Rio Douro Hotel & Spa.
WEDNESDAY, 9/27/17
Drive to Porto. Drop off car.
THURSDAY, 9/28/17
Day in Porto.
FRIDAY , 9/29/17
Day in Porto.
SATURDAY, 9/30/17
Fly home.

Posted by
13891 posts

Wow, what wonderful pictures! I love your eye for architectural detail. Favorites? Blue heron, birds with the sundog, windows and tiles, lol, cathedral shots - particularly of the details.

I couldn't help myself - hope you don't mind if I looked at Paris (and Beaune) as well!!

Thanks for posting.

Posted by
199 posts

Your photos are stunning. Thank you for sharing them. We're going to many of the same areas the first of April. I enjoyed seeing the perspective in which you set up your shots. One question: you had a couple of close-ups of local folks. Do you ask permission before you shoot? I love those kind of shots but I'm never bold enough to take them. I don't want to offend anybody...

Posted by
18 posts

How was the drive from Lisbon to Lagos?

We were gonna take the train at first thought.

Posted by
489 posts

hey, thanks for the heads up on the tolls... did you get the transponder from the rental agency? We'll be driving for 10 days in Portugal... Do they also work in Spain and France?

Posted by
4 posts

Thanks for the photo comments. Most of the time I don't ask permission to take photos as I usually prefer candid photos and I'm generally taking photos in public places. At least in the US that presumes permission at least legally, and I don't post photos that I think would embarrass anyone. Using a telephoto helps, as does focusing on something to the side of the person so they don't think you're taking a photo of them, while you check your focus and exposure settings, them make a quick pivot!

The drive from Lisbon to Lagos was fairly easy. We took the toll road which I heard was faster. We stopped at a restaurant recommended by the mother of the woman at the reception desk from the Lisbon hotel we stayed at. It was popular with the locals, but they spoke no English. I could probably come up with the name if interested.

We obtained the transponder from the car rental. There were no tolls in the part of Spain we drove in, so I'm not sure where else it worked besides Portugal.

Posted by
199 posts

Thanks for the information. It is appreciated.

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