Rick steves portugal itinerary

Hi there! We are going to Portugal in mid-Sep

We are going to Portugal in September, trying to arrange a 12 night itinerary. We are flying into Lisbon, would like to visit Lagos then head north and end up in Porto. We are traveling by train or bus, no car. Any advice? Personally, I would skip the Algarve and focus on Lisbon and the nearby area as well as Porto and the Douro River Valley as well as what is in-between.

Rick steves portugal itinerary

My husband and I are taking our first trip to Portugal in mid October. I have reviewed RS guide and the trip reports on the Forum. I would like to get your feedback on the proposed itinerary. Are we spending the right amount of time in each town, is there anything that we are missing that we should either add or things that we should subtract. Some information about us and the specific dates. My husband and I are active 72 and 61 respectively , enjoy the history and culture of the places we travel. We love good food and wine, often taking food and wine tours on our vacations along with cooking classes. We prefer cities to beach towns. Given the fact we are traveling in October, we are planning to skip the Algarve and Nazare this visit. We are not going to drive on this trip, so we will be relying on trains and buses for transportation.

I'm very grateful for all the time you have spent telling me about the art and history in your city.

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The city of Porto about three hours north of Lisbon is well worth working into your Portugal itinerary. The cityscape is amazingly well-preserved. I like the way that something built in a fleeting-yet-elegant style or years ago can grow old and run-down over a generation or two of neglect and economic doldrums — and then be burnished with a modern love of heritage and affluence. Just walking the streets of Porto especially like I get to — with a great local guide at my side, to give everything meaning is a travel treat. Porto has its own very strong culture. The local gut-bomb is the Francesinha , a Portuguese multi-layer patty melt smothered in a special gravy. Sitting at the bar in a popular diner, I snapped a photo of two locals with Francesinhas , who appeared to not be totally enjoying the sandwiches they were choking down.

Rick steves portugal itinerary

For me, a downside of traveling alone is trying to enjoy fine dinners solo. I just wrapped up 12 wonderful days in Portugal — laughing, learning, and exploring with a great group of 25 new friends. Here are a few highlights from our time together:. The wine is so good in Portugal, it can be tough to stop at a couple of glasses.

Bias wrecker

I would do Lisboa and Coimbra and nothing else. It was so rainy and foggy, the colorful Pena Palace was muted. You could easily spend 6 nights in Lisbon without a day trip and never be bored. I am looking to go at the very end of August or the 1 of September. Driving gives you the freedom to go where you want, whenever you want. Speacking of tiles, I believe they can be considered art, too. Personally, i would skip Obidos altogether Overnight in Lagos. We are self-driving and expect to take 3 or 4 tours e. Find More Posts by bushwoman I'd choose to focus on Lisbon and Algarve region with day trips or Lisbon and Porto with day trips. Day 7 - Day trip to Sintra. Log in with user name:. If you like adventure, you can also kayak to the caves. You simply do not have time.

We have 8 full days , here is an initial itinerary, any suggestions or recommendations are appreciated.

Log in with social media: Log in with Facebook. We used the Get Your Guide website. The Monument to Discoveries is an iconic sculpture that sits on the Tagus river. If you enjoy learning about the history of an attraction then you may enjoy the Belem guided tour. View Public Profile. HelenaFatima, Yes, running! I was pleasantly surprised that almost everyone we encountered spoke English. Guincho is a lovely large beach with lots of walks along the dunes or along the beach itself. Jun 28th, , PM. So, this is what I am thinking.