Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I will be doing a trans atlantic cruise next April ending in Rome where I will spend a few days. If I fly home Tap Portugal I can gap the flight up to 5 nights. I have a choice of two cities, Lisbon or Porto. Lisbon will be a 1 day port stop on cruise, yes a mere taste, so undecided if I should take the gap in Lisbon or Porto.
While I've heard Porto is the "it" place to go, I've also heard you can pretty much do everything in 2-3 days. You will likely be able to keep yourself more occupied in Lisbon for 5 days than Porto.
There are two great day trips everyone takes from there - to Sintra and Cascais, that could feasibly be 2 days right there without exploring Lisbon itself.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,705 posts, read 58,031,425 times
Reputation: 46172
1st advice on Portugal is to read history / travel videos to understand what you might be interested in (Diverse and very historic)
5 days in Lisbon...I would get a rental car and head East to the frontier (I really liked the walled cities in the east of Portugal, good for 3 - 5 days), you can loop down through the Algarve Coast (and see a lot of UK and German retirees) as well as nice sites.
for Porto... I would consider a Douro Valley River Cruise (depending on what April is like there (not a lot of activity in Wine industry during April) - also points north along Portugal coast and into western Spain (up as far as Bilboa, which is a very interesting coastal region)
Guarda: the guardian. Walled, it is Portugal’s highest city. The towers of the city are still mostly intact, still guarding the frontier. Inside the city’s wall is the impressive Gothic Cathedral with an enormous stone altarpiece, created by the 16th century master mason João de Ruão. The old city spreads around the Cathedral, with a 16th century arcaded building surrounding the main square. Inside the battlements, a Jewish community once thrived. In Guarda’s Jewish Quarter, the symbols of the Jewish faith still grace the walls of the stone houses. The city is surrounded by traces of Jewish communities, and a new Portuguese Network of Jewish Quarters helps visitors learn more and explore:
Along Centro’s mountainous border with Spain run green and granite mountains with a unique landscape. Here, ancient Celt tribes flourished and revisited the Romans. Roman towns thrived, but after the fall of the empire, Moors and Christians, and later Spaniards and Portuguese all fought over these lands.
Today, dozens of fortified frontier villages share a past of the heroism, epic battles and the tale of Portugal’s struggle to become a nation. Each village has a fascinating tale of its own to tell. Thanks to these walled towns, Portugal boasts the longest-standing border in all of Europe. And while we will visit a few here – there are plenty more: places like Monsanto, Trancoso, Celorico da Beira, Linhares, Pinhel, Castelo Rodrigo, Penedono, Meda, Castelo Bom, and many others!
Newsletter – February 2015 | Walled villages and cities of Portugal
Posted in 01-02-2015
For centuries the interior of Centro Region has been Portugal’s western frontier with Spain. The high mountains form a natural frontier – and this line of ancient fortifications is as breathtaking and as impressive at the castles were when built almost 900 years ago.
Today, a line of walled villages and cities define this amazing region with every major town and village having some form of fortification. And, the idea of hiking, biking, or even driving between ancient towns is catching on. With new tours, inns, signage and museums, the visitor will find majestic Serras, 1,000 year old villages, some of the best cheese anywhere, but very few tourists.
The Interior area of Centro is the most mountainous part of the country, with the Serra de Estrela range reaching to almost 6,000 feet above sea level. This is where you will find Portugal’s only ski area, the famous Serra da Estrela cheese, the Cão da Serra dog breed, and a new Pousada. Hiking, hang gliding, and rock climbing are all found in and around the Serra da Estrela and Serra de Malcata natural parks. The line of castles, granite landscapes, and friendly folk make it a wonderful off-the-beaten-path adventure that is about as unique as it comes!
Don't even leave the airport. Change flights and fly down to Funchal, Madeira, for $150/RT and spend your days there off the coast of Africa. Might not be what you're looking for, but you should be aware of it as an option. But check dates for spring carnival, which could influence travel plans.
We’ve been to Portugal twice this year and loved both Porto and Lisbon....as well as the many small villages we visited. Porto is smaller but combined with day trips to the Douro wine region and Braga/Guimaraes would easily fill 5 days. On the other hand your cruise stop to Lisbon for one day will not allow you to see much of this great city. We spent 3.5 days there and would happily go back. There are also great day trips from Lisbon, including the obvious choice of Sintra. We loved Evora and Estoril/Cascais, both of which also make great day trips.
We found the Porto region to be must less crowded and touristic, if that makes a difference. Lisbon was very crowded in late June/earlyJuly but April may be different.
I happily spent 5 days in Lisbon without taking any side trips to nearby coastal areas & I still missed some interesting areas/experiences & am planning a return soon. I would suggest staying near a Metro station or tram line & get a Viva Viagem card good for transit on both, you can get this at the airport Metro station upon arrival, various fare types available. Also if over 65yo research what venues will give you free or discounted entrance. If you want to escape the city for a day both Sintra & Cascais are close by & easily accessed by rail.
Any pick won't be bad, as long as you venture out of Porto. I adore Lisbon, I love Portugal. Once spent three months travelling the country and developed a real taste for 'things' Portuguese.
There are some areas not so impressed with, but won't bother you with those. A day if far to short in a city with the offerings of Lisbon.
I would extend my time and 'get the flavour' then return home and save up for an extended stay in that glorious country. A longer stay could see Spain included.
Enjoy whatever decision you arrive at.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
