Lisbon Travel Answers

What you can do: - Once in Lisbon: Apart from the city, you can visit Sintra, Cascais and Cabo da Roca - After it, you can take a train to Porto, and on the way, I recommend Coimbra (1 day would be enough) - Once in Porto, apart from the city itself, I also recommend 2 day trips: Braga and Guiimaraes and even Vila Real (this place, by bus), but tou can leave it, with the first cities mentioned,m is enough - From Porto, you can take a plane to Madrid (www.ryanair.com) Whatever you do, yopu'll enjoy Portugal for sure

The two places you shouldn't miss are Lisbon and Porto. In Lisbon the best “day trips” day you can have are to Sintra and Cascais (40 minutes by train). In Porto you can reach Guimarães (this year is capital of culture) or Braga (lots of churches). In what concerns to historic site, you have Coimbra and Évora, both reachable by train and worth seeing. To visit beaches the best site is obviously Algarve, it is a bit far, but in an Alpha pendular or Intercidades is reachable in a couple of hours. In Algarve the best connection you will find are to Faro (nothing to see), Albufeira (some nice beaches), Lagos (nice village with beautiful beaches) and Tavira (beautiful village and (for me) the best beaches, but they are hard to go to unless you have a car). Even it’s a bit up and down, these are the main attraction in Portugal, and since we are a little country you wouldn’t be too many hours in a train 

you have good advice alreadyn ,for cities to visit as they are all good size cities the train is good. the choices in Spain are far and between lots of territory there. Maybe from Lisbon try Madrid and Seville,two nice contrasts. you can see tips by posters like us typing those names cities into destinations above right. Hope it helps your planning

A surprising option when I went to Porto the first time was Air Berlin - I flew from BCN to Porto - the fare was excellent, and service was good - one stopover in Palma if I recall, and no hassle with luggage. Not sure if others have posted TAP, and Iberia, as well as Vueling all offer good options. TAP and Iberia don't usually hassle you for luggage (and when I say 'hassle for luggage' I mean scrutinize your carry on, as I seldom check in). If you do go to Porto, yes, Guimaraes and Braga are good options - but at least two nights in the Pinhao wine region are a must! My husband loved this area so much he wants to go back. Very easy to get there - just hop on a train. If you turn right to sit down on the train, sit on the right side - the views of the Douro the last 2/3 to 3/4 of the way to Pinhao are most enjoyable. Basically there are two hotel options right off the train station - one a little more upper scale, the other one budget. I have not stayed at the budget place, but I've seen the restaurant and the cleaning people, and it looks like a perfectly fine place as well. I have some Hotel suggestions and photos in the Pinhao page. Oh, when in the cp.pt site, you will only find Pinhao if you hit the upper right tab that says Time tables (something like horarios in portuguese) - but there's an English option for the site. Enjoy! ps. I'm taking my husband to Sintra this year ... actually pretty much around the time you're there. We all met in Cascais for a VT meet - but it will be my third time in Sintra. Could someone care to post the bus in Sintra .. was it #34 that takes you to all the main places?

With almost two weeks you plan to set aside for Portugal, there's enough here you can do to see as much of the country especially if you decide to rent a car If I were you I'd use the first week based in Lisbon and do day trips from here to cover places/areas within a 2-4 hr radius e.g. Coimbra, Tomar, Obidos, Leiria, Batalha just to name a few in the direction up north If you decide on Porto it may be necessary to make this your base for the second week or You could spend it in the Alentejo region and base yourself in Evora the beautiful Roman City wherein around here are incredible villages/towns within easy reach e.g. Monsaraz, Arraiolos, Borba, Vila Vicosa, Castelo de Vide and the sky-touching village of Marvao. From here you can go down to the Algarve for a night or two on your way to Southern Spain since this would be as you mentioned the direction you want to finally end up at

One more question: Is there a convenient way to get from Madrid to Porto, spend a few days there,then work my way down to Lisbon and maybe Evora and cut back into the south of Spain, near Seville. Would consider going to Gibraltar if it is feasible and then take the train back to Madrid on the 23rd of May.

Madrid-Porto?, very easy: www.ryanair.com

I have looked at various train, bus, plane schedules. How far in advance would you recommend booking the transportation. And as for hotels, May 6-24 is it possible to book only a day or so in advance or is that a busy period in Portugal. Not exactly sure where or when I will be in the Algarve area. Thank you, everyone for your tips.

I RECOMMEND YOU BOOK NOW;MAY HAS SEVERAL HOLIDAYS .

Comparatively May in Portugal isn't as busy as during peak summer season especially as it concerns the northern part. The Algarve however could in May be in full swing already as far as human traffic is concerned concentrated mainly on the coastal resorts. I've been in Portugal- Lisbon primarily - in May and even in June and never had any problem finding accommodation per budget and taste. Tho must admit I've been staying at my favorite pension in Lisbon for years now, still I hardly call/message them for any reservation at any time. That said, you should be fine finding a room but if you want to be on the safe side, go book one by all means which you can always change/cancel at a day's notice. Email if you need more info...good luck