Originally Posted by
doctor15
I have around a week in Portugal close to Christmas time. So far I plan to spend a few days in Lisbon, but wasn't sure where else was worth visiting this time of year. From the information in this thread, it sounds like Porto isn't worth it. Should I consider heading down the coast to Algarve area? I'm interested in seeing some castles, and possibly some hiking if good parks exist.
Porto is worth it for a day or two, and you can do nice day trips from it to Viana do Castelo or Guimarães. There's a nice national park in Gerês, but expect there to be snow around Christmas time. It will definitely be colder in the north.
As far as Castles, there are some around Lisbon, and it's easier to get to them by car... Évora, Estremoz and the Setúbal peninsula come to mind.
I will probably head to Morocco either at the end of the trip, or a for a few days in the middle, if that impacts what you recommend. I will still have a total of 6-7 days in Portugal though, as the full trip will be 2 weeks.
How are you planning on getting there?