Traveling 2 Full Weeks - NEED ITINERARY HELP

If the boys like aquariums, the one in Lisbon is the best one I've ever been to.

Thanks for the suggestion! Always love a good aquarium. But I think these guys will probably skip an aquarium. We have one of the best aquariums where we live. Really looking more for our overall itinerary - which cities, when and how long we should stay.

If you want surfing and kite boarding, it’s the wrong time of year for the Algarve, unless they are complete beginners. The surf is better around Nazare and Peniche or Foz do Arelho on the west coast.

Two weeks is a good time to see Lisbon up to Porto. You won’t find anything in the Algarve that you can’t find further north. Evora is a good overnight stop from Lisbon. Cascais and Sintra can be seen as day trips, but would be better with at least one night in each location. Obidos is worth a couple of hours en route north.

If it has to be the Algarve, I would suggest that there would be more of interest in Lagos for teenagers than in the over developed Salema. Salema is popular with families with young children and has boring rows of beach beds and umbrellas. If you want more interesting beaches, head to Zavial or Carrapateira. There is surfing for beginners around Zavial but often in May, they have to head up the west coast.

Sagres and Cape St Vincent are blustery windswept places, where you will need warm clothing, even in the height of summer.

The pretty towns between Lisbon and Porto such as Tomar, Alcobaca and Batalha have good walks. Most of these could be day trips from Foz.

As usual, I agree with Jennifer about Salema and the Algarve for a two week trip. There are many great beaches between Lisbon and Porto, as she mentioned. Nazaré is not the best choice IMO. Peniche, Ericeira and Foz would be better. FYI - if you plan to see Cascais, we have a very nice beach outside of town - Guincho. There is significant surfing on this large beach. The Sintra hills also include some great hiking.

You don’t mention if you will have a car. The Algarve and the Silver Coast area are not great without one as the public transport is slow and infrequent. Driving outside of the Lisbon and Porto areas is easy with great highways/toll roads.

Douro is pretty much about the wine!

Evora is a lovely town but might be a bit too tame for teenage boys. But, Tomar, Alcobaça and Batalha would be interesting to teenagers. With a car, all could be done as day trips but Tomar would also be a good overnight. Coimbra might be of interest if the boys are planning college. The university there is one of the oldest in Portugal and the library is spectacular.

Be aware that the water in May will be extremely cold for surfing or anything else!

I would suggest something like the following:
4-5 nights in Lisbon with day trips to Sintra, Cascais and Belem ( or your last night in Sintra)
Pick up rental car on last day and drive to Lagos, stay 3-4 nights
drive back though Alentejo- consider 2 nights in Evora
Pick up friend in Lisbon. Either drop car and take train to Coimbra for 1 night and Porto for 3, train back to Lisbon; or you could keep car, drive to Porto for 3 nights, return to Obidos for your last night and drive to airport from Obidos.

I have left out Nazare. You could do it instead of Evora, but it would be backtracking to Lisbon and I personally thought Evora was more interesting and pretty. Plus you will have had several days by the ocean.

Alternatively, you could drop the Algarve and focus your beach time on Nazare and that coast. There are some pretty beach areas around there.

That is biting off a lot to chew on for two weeks.

I have been to Portugal twice and love that country. Didn't do the Algarve, since going to the beach in Europe doesn't appeal to me since I live near the beach in SE Georgia.

You didn't plan for any time to visit the amazing Douro River valley. You can take the train (rails run along the north side of the river) to Regua and Pinhao. Stay one night in one of those towns and visit some vineyards.

Also, you didn't mention visiting Evora on a day trip from Lisbon. Evora is an ancient Roman town and worth a visit.

Thanks geovagriffith for your advice. Yes, we are not planning to do Duoro as it is mostly wine country. This is a senior trip for 3 very adventurous, and outdoorsy boys. So their interests will vary a bit on what most adults would like to see. Once they leave Portugal they will leave us and will go rock climbing in Spain. If it was my husband and I we would be planning a different type of trip and would love to add the Duoro region.