Portugal, here we come!

[zoebartlett]

We''ve finally decided to go to Portugal for our honeymoon. Yay!! We had been going back and forth about numerous places but this was the one place we kept going back to. We haven''t actually made any reservations or plans yet but it feels so good to have it decided. We''re either going to divide our time between Sao Miguel (one of the Azores Islands) and the mainland (Lisbon and the Algarve areas possibly) or choose one or the other and focus on that.

 

[Independent Gal]

Oooooh! Ah! Portugal is one place I''ve never been! My parents have been, though, and they LOOOOVED it.

Hurray!

 

[zoebartlett]

Do you know where your parents went while in Portugal?

 

[Independent Gal]

I have absolutely no idea. I will ask my mom for you!

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks Indy!!

 

[neatfreak]

My parents went to Portugal many years ago on their honeymoon. They still talk about it very fondly and had a great time!

 

[akw94]

Zoe, that sounds amazing! I''m sure you''ll have a fantastic time!

 

[tdiddy]

I was in Lisbon last April for a week and also went up to Fatima. I also spent an evening on the coast closest to Lisbon - can''t remember what it was called but it was beautiful. We hosted a group of 80 physicians there for a meeting and everyone loved it and gave great feedback on it. Great choice!

 

[ChargerGrrl]

great choice, Zoe!

I visited Portugal three years ago as a side trip to Spain. Only spent about 4 nights in Lisbon. Also went to Sintra, and Fatima. LOVED Sintra!

If you havent already discovered it, http://www.tripadvisor.com/ is a WONDERFUL travel site. The folks on the forums are sooo helpful. I''ve planned many a vacation from the posts.

 

[zoebartlett]

I''ts funny, Portugal looks beautiful but it seems to be less of a tourist destination, at least for Americans. That may just be my perspective on it though. I really can''t decide if we should visit mainland Portugal or stay on Sao Miguel for the whole trip. We''d be leaving from Boston and apparently we can either fly into Lisbon or Sao Miguel. My great-grandpa''s family is from Sao Miguel, so I know that''s the main draw for us, but it would be great to see other parts of Portugal if we''re up for it. We''re probably going for about 10 days. We have a lot of reading ahead of us but it will be fun to plan. I''ll definitely check out trip advisor - thanks for the link ChargerGrrl!

I have a few questions though:


1. How did you decide where to go? There''s so much to see! I''ve heard great things about the Algarve (the southern most region).
2. I keep hearing about Sintra and about how beautiful it is. ChargerGrrl, would it be on your "must see" list if we make it to the mainland?
3. If we make it to the mainland, would Lisbon be a must see, and how much time should we think about devoting to it?


Thanks!!

 

[Independent Gal]

One advantage of Portugal over the more touristy parts of Europe is that it is reputed to be far less expensive. Hurray!

From someone who travels internationally a LOT I''ll give you some ideas to answer your questions.

First and foremost: there is always ten times as much "not to miss" as you will have time to see without constantly being in a rush. Remind yourself that Portugal will still be there. It''s not going anywhere, you don''t HAVE to see everything. Pick a few key thing and make sure you''re relaxed....

Consider a few days in the countryside. You get the feel of a place better, people are generally friendlier, and you can let down your guard more in terms of pickpockets, etc. The landscape of a country is as much part of its character as its "tourist attractions"!

Buy yourself a copy of the "Rough Guide" for Portugal. They always give suggested itineraries and "what not to miss" with pictures.

Unlike, say Fodor''s, they give you in depth balanced information on the country''s politics, culture, flora and fauna, etc. AND suggestions for films and novels and things for before you go to get a "feel" for the place.

They also give a balanced account of accomodation in every price range and what the "sites" are actually like. So, when something is a tourist trap, they say "This place is only vaguely cool, but jam PACKED with tourists." Or "This place is lame, don''t bother." or "Check out this fab place that the tourists seem not to have discovered (yet)"

They also give you extremely helpful information on how to get from A to B at the end of each regional section: e.g., the frequency of all the train plane ferry and buses and how long they take.

HUGE rough guide fan here.

And (unlike Lonely Planet) they have decent maps.

But guide books definitely help you plan if you don''t know where exactly you want to go!

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks so much Indy!!! We went to the bookstore yesterday and bought "Rick Steve''s Portugal, 2007" but I don''t think he mentions Sao Miguel or the other islands much, if at all. We''re definitely going to pick up a few more guide books and it''s great to hear a recommendation for the rough guides. I hate guide books that are one extreme or the other in terms of pictures. Either the photos are in black and white (dumb idea if you ask me, Fodor''s maybe?) or there''s no substance to the book and it''s mostly a photo book (DK books, specifically). I love books that are easy to read, books that give tips, and are honest about both positive and negative aspects to an area.