Dolphinyong

I'm planning to visit Portugal with my girlfriend in February=)

We plan to stay at Porto for 3nights and Lisbon for 3nights. I know that it's easy to take a bus or train from Porto and Lisbon to some other nice cities around. From the online sources, Sintra is highly recommended, is it so? How about some cities or nice beaches around Porto? Or we should only stick ourselves in Porto?
By the way, I read some reviews saying that the Portugal beaches are nice in February, how true is it? Sorry for my ignorance, but coming from Prague where the temperature is around zero in February, beaches don't seem to be a nice idea for 'cooling' ourselves down.

Thanks a lot before-hand.
Regards,
Dolphinyong

Scrooge McDuck

You don't do anything wrong with Porto or Lisbon. Just make sure that you go to Porto before you go to Lisbon. Sintra is a days trip from Lisbon. Go there by train and consider buying a bus ticket for getting up the "hill". The distance is quite easily underestimated. However, it is not much of a fun in case it rains.

For the beaches, I would expect rather cold water in February. Even in summer, the water does not get that worm.

3 days in each city are easily spent. I would not squeeze anything else in. BTW, don't miss to go to Belem if you are in Lisbon.

Dolphinyong

Thanks a lot for your information. Btw,why Porto should be visited before Lisbon?

Palal

Well, last February we had a week of +25�C beach weather, but it really varies year to year. Even now, water is not warm... a lukewarm +19�C. It'll be around +15�C ... +17�C in February.
As far as splitting up the trip, personally I think 3 nights in Porto is a bit too much, unless you do day trips to Guimar�es and/or Braga.

Porto needs a day for sightseeing, a day for wine tasting and a couple of nights to enjoy the riviera and a seafood dinner in Matosinhos. Porto is more to the north of Lisbon, and it will be colder up there than down here. If you do a day trip to Guimar�es (1 hr on a commuter train), you're covered. Personally, I would skip Braga.

As far as Lisbon goes, 2 full days of sightseeing, 1/2-1 day to see Sintra.

You also need some time in Lisbon and Porto to sightsee.

There's also Coimbra in-between the two, which is worth maybe half a day, and there are small towns closer to Lisbon, which are also worth visiting: �bidos, Nazar�, Alcoba�a, Batalha, and a few others. These are best reached by car in a day trip from Lisbon. Just be aware, petrol prices are high and all highways are tolled.

Scrooge McDuck

Both are very scenic. However, Lisbon is by far much more scenic than Porto. If you go to Porto first, then you can enjoy Porto and enjoy an even more scenic city afterwords. However, if you go to Lisbon first, then scenic Porto is some kind of a step backwards ...

jaymar01

Best advice ever on Flyertalk. Porto has a very nice riverfront. But, after visiting Lisbon, it's "Lisbon-lite".

Dolphinyong

Thanks a lot,guys

Is there any nice beaches near to Porto? In case we have some extra time,that would be the place to hang out.

keisari

If you decide to rent a car, stop by Coimbra.
You can stop for lunch or spend more time if you like.

consider also a stop in Fatima; even if you are not Catholic, it is still an amazing place.

stut

Moving to our newish Spain/Portugal/Gibraltar forum, for further input. Please continue to follow the thread over there.

stut
Co-Moderator
Europe Forum

Forrest Bump

Coming from Cabo da Roca (don't miss it) towards Lisboa, there's a line of amazing beaches. You may want to relax at Guincho. And nearby there are other options.
Water is not suitable for a dip in february (unless you're aussie ) but the sand and the view will make your day.

If you have enough time, pay a visit also at the Palacio Nacional de Queluz, a quick trip out of central Lisboa.
With the gardens is a breathtaking place.

Portugal is a truly great choice, a place I wonder is not assaulted by hordes of tourists.

Palal

In the past three years that I've been here the numbers have been increasing.

IAN-UK

Hi Dolphinyong - and thanks for all your valuable help in the Asia forum. I'm pleased you are getting sensible suggestions regarding Portugal here.

Lisbon is a delightful city, Porto much less so. I assume your entry/exit points are already set, but you might think of allocating your days in Portugal differently. One or possibly two nights in Porto, if you must. A trip up the Douro valley by train would be interesting, and it makes a low-cost diversion from a rather grim city - http://www.linhadodouro.net/ is in Portuguese only, I think, but you are smart enough to find more information on the internet.

The only things I can think to do in Porto is see the river front and visit a Port wine lodge. Don't worry, i'm horribly biased, I have family there.

Lisbon should keep you well occupied for a few days. There are many online resources to help you plan your visit, and which highlight the many attractions of the city.

Sintra's now a dormitory suburb of Lisbon, served well by commuter trains. The old centre and palaces are worth a visit. Otherwise the train out to the seaside resort and Lisbon suburb of Cascais is a budget choice for an excursion to the coast, and you could combine it with a visit to Sintra.

If you fancy a longer day out from the city, perhaps by car, Obidos is a delight, not too far from the coast, and it has a hotel (pousada) in its castle.

Just forget about the beach in February! At least for swimming. It's an Atlantic coast and the water is COLD COLD COLD.

Dolphinyong

Hi, IAN-UK, thanks a lot for your information=)

As suggested by most of you, I would shorten my plan in Porto while giving ourselves more time in Lisbon=)

We don't plan to swim by the beach actually, just wanna hang out (romatically, perhaps?) at some beautiful beaches. Any recommendation?

By the way, I'm in dilemma whether to choose Lisbon Marriott or AC Lisbon for our stay in Lisbon. I would get more benefits in Lisbon Marriott but the location seems to be a complaint by most travellers. Can some experts give us some advice? Thanks a lot before-hand=)

Regards,

Dolphinyong=)

Scrooge McDuck

I don't know either of it. The location of the Marriott is not the easiest one. The AC is located better.

The last time I was in Lisbon, I stayed in the Inspiria Santa Marta Hotel. It is rather good located close to the Av. Liberdade, close to the subway and bus stations, easy to reach from the airport (the first stop after Marques de Pombal) and is very quietly located. Besides, most attractions can be reached on foot.

Palal

The AC is in a good location, while the Marriott is a bit far away from everything in a more residential part of town.

I agree. Two nights - tops.

In Porto, Matosinhos is a good place to visit to see a sunset and have a nice seafood dinner.

If the weather does not permit sunbathing, I would also add Cascais to your itinerary. A nice walk along the delta in the afternoon hours can be very nice. If you wanted to and you start early in the day, you could take the train out to see the historic center of Sintra, then take a bus to Cabo da Roca, take the next bus (they come every hour) to Cascais, and watch the sunset and have dinner there. You would then take a train back to Lisbon from Cascais. You have to start your Sintra trip quite early.