Repeat a city OR tackle a new country?

Hi Desiree. Since you have a week and a half, you can go a fair distance from Ireland without worrying about time. If I were you, I would definitely go to Portugal! I'm always curious about places that people don't talk about very often.

That is typically my annual struggle. DO I repeat a town/city/country or do something different. So for the past 6 years, I have done a different place each year. But for the 1st time in my travels, my last vacation exhausted me, physically but more so mentally. Maybe because it was in Italy. But really, I spent about 3/4 of a year planning it. Then going in the early winter to avoid crowds, we got alot of rain and colder weather, which really isn't a buzz kill for me but makes it hard when you have to hold umbrella, guidebook, camera all at the same time. Most of Italy was pretty vacant except for Rome, which was hellish and chaotic because everybody and their brother was out the same time we were. But I realized that I am changing a bit. I am older, my body slowly becoming more out of shape, and my tolerance levels are waning. I thought to myself, maybe next years trip won't have to take so much energy and mental stress. The only way I can think of doing that is to repeat a region that I have been too. What does the boyfriend want to do? I myself want to do Portugal and when I mention it to my Portuguese descent boyfriend (Azorian actually) he isn't interested due to him thinking that other than fishing villages, there won't be that cultural punch that he gets when he goes elsewhere. I am sure there is more culture than what he thinks. But if you have lots of energy and are up for an adventure, I would say do something different.

What about Italy? Rome and Venice. Unless you have been there.....

Yes, Portugal! We love it (have been there six times, but we're of Portuguese descent) and in addition to Lisbon and Sintra (short train ride to visit castles) there are many other interesting towns to visit. You can check out www.discoverportugal2day.com for ideas. We've been there several times and are always discovering small towns with interesting castles, churches, regional dishes, etc., and always have a great time. Continental Portugal is not just fishing villages and most likely the Azores is not that anymore either. Hope you go and have a great time.

I loved Portugal, especially Porto and the Duoro Valley region. Speaking personally, on my last trip in September this year, I got the biggest thrill and enjoyment of visiting places I hadn't been to before. My
third trip to Paris the only place I had been to before, and a city that I had really loved, didn't do it' for me this time around.

Thank you everyone for the replies! I agree, I think it may be best to try somewhere new and unexplored Portugal! I sometimes have the dilemma between a city I already love and something brand new! Because like some of you mentioned above, exploring a new place can be amazing and yet soo demanding because you just want to see and do everything! But I will be returning to Ireland for work and we do have an office in Paris, so I suppose I can always come back. Perhaps it may be best to tackle Portugal and have my boyfriend and I explore a completely new country together :) When I was backpacking through Spain I remember it was not easy to get to Lisbon on the Eurorail and from what I keep reading, it looks like many travelers rent a car. Those of you who have been to Lisbon Did you take buses or rent a car? I would love to learn more! I am going to buy a new travel guide on Portugal today!

Within the city of Lisbon you do not want a car. Difficult parking, traffic, etc. Public transportation is great. You can buy a pass for one or more days which is good for metro, funicular, Elevedor Santa Justa, electric car, bus and makes boarding easy. Check the RS guide - one hotel he recommends is Hotel Florescente where we also have stayed. It's on a pedestrian street within walking distance to lots of sights and easy access to public transportation. If you have time to visit other towns then a car for that time period makes sense. Driving is easy as the highways are fairly new and in good shape and there are some neat towns within a couple of hours drive of Lisbon. Another thing; if you decide to fly into Porto instead of Lisbon there are lots of great things to see and do there, as well. Judy from Australia: are you by any chance one of the group of three Australians we met in the University of Coimbra Library in September?

No. Only University I have been into in Europe, was in Salamanca. Would love to have met you though!!

My wife and I were in Portugal in 2008 for two weeks. I would recommend four full days in Lisbon and two nights in Sintra (essential to do an overnight, very magical). Driving in Portugal is not bad (although statistically the fatality rate is high). Evora and Nazare are also just great. On a ten day trip I would skip Porto, which we also liked but not so much that I would advise you to cut short your stay in the other places mentioned. That said, Ireland is also a fantastic place to spend ten days or so. (We were there in 2002). Dublin is not the highlight though, for that you would need to get out into the smaller towns and the countryside.

I was in Portugal a year ago and loved it! You can plan a HUGELY ROMANTIC trip, by renting a car one-way between Oporto and Lisbon (no car in either city!). This itinerary can be done either way, with the # of nights that you want. Except for Lisbon, one or two nights at each would be fine. March is a good month to get good deals at some of these "splurgier" hotels ;-) I was enchanted by the Douro Valley, so check out the Hotel Aquapura in Lamego: http://www.aquapurahotels.com/portugal/hotel-1.aspx or, a few minutes closeby, the more reasonably priced Quinta da Pacheca: http://www.wonderfulland.com/pacheca/index_en.htm http://www.booking.com/hotel/pt/the-wine-house.en.html Stop for a meal and a visit, or even a night (although skipable if pressed for time), at the Palace Hotel of Bussaco: http://www.almeidahotels.com/nm_quemsomos.php?id=12&menu1=3 Handy to Coimbra and Roman ruins, stay at the Pousada Santa Cristina, in Condeixa a Nova: http://www.pousadas.pt/historic-hotels-portugal/en/pousadas/center-hotels/pousada-de-condeixa-a-nova/sta-cristina/pages/home.aspx Or drive right through to Evora from Lamego. Evora is well worth the detour, IMO! Here are two strong recommendations, the Pousada dos Loios or the Hotel Mar de Ar AQUEDUTO (whose restaurant is one of the best in all of Portugal, with Chef António Nobre). http://www.pousadas.pt/historic-hotels-portugal/en/pousadas/alentejo-hotels/pousada-de-evora/convento-dos-loios/pages/home.aspx
http://www.mardearhotels.com/hotel.htm Sintra is at least worth one night, and I can't recommend the Hotel Tivoli Palacio de Seteais highly enough! http://www.tivolihotels.com/Default.aspx?ID=5478 BTW- for others who read this, this is a perfect Engagement or Honeymoon trip!

I had the extreme good luck of trying out all of these places, either for a meal, a stay, or both!! If you can splurge only twice, make it at either place in Lamego and at the Seteais in Sintra! As far as Oporto and Lisbon go, just choose location & value. 2 nights max in Oporto and 2 nights min in Lisbon. My 2 cents :-) Good luck!

I would definitely go for a new adventure! Just spent a week on the southern coast of Portugal this past May and loved it. Need to go back to see more, however the South coast was definitely not quaint fishing villages, but really more modern hotels for beach lovers. Drove without any problems... gave us freedom to see what we wanted.

Wow! Thank you everyone for all these great responses! This all sounds so amazing. I'm going to start looking up all these wonderful places you all mentioned. Thanks again so much, means a lot to me :)