A week in Portugal- solo female questions

Rough Guide to Portugal a good place to start.

Have this and the equivalent LP guide, but we've found that the RG versions have been more use whilst planning the four visits/six weeks we've spent there since 2013.

Plenty of ideas of where to go and what to see or do all over the country. We've done two road trips by public transport to the south of Lisbon in 2013 and north of Lisbon in 2015. We've also had a week in Lisbon in July last year and in Tavira on the Algarve in March this year.

Porto good for wine lodges and exploring the Douro Valley.

Quite a few members of the cycling group my GF rides with have been over to do road biking in the last six months down in the Algarve and we've come across mass participation events in both Lisbon and Tavira.

Lisbon, Evora, Porto, Coimbra, Braga, Obidos are all historical and culture centres, as are Tavira, Sagres and Tomar. Good galleries in Lisbon and Belem (short tram ride from Lisbon). We're not foodies, but have eaten well at family owned, family run cafes or small restaurants all over Portugal (with the exception of one small place down a side street off the main square in Evora back in 2013).

Not done home stays in Portugal - we've used hostels in Porto, Aveiro and Lagos, guest houses in Lisbon, Sintra, Coimbra and Vianna do Castello plus hotels in Tavira and Evora. Pushed the boat out in Sagres (2013) and Tavira this year by staying in a Pousada - got good deals though for b&b and just ate out locally.

We've not hired a car in Portugal as public transport is quite good, but others on here have reccomended car hire as a way of seeing more out of the way places. One car company has however come in for a bit of flak on TT though...

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/europe-western-europe/topics/goldcar-my-review?page=1

Hope that this helps!

If you want a couple of smaller places to consider: Marvao and also Salema. The former is a hilltop town hard by the Spanish border, while the latter is on the Algarve. Good luck lindsay!
I am done. The end.

Thank you Zebec! I appreciate the suggestions.

Hi Mooseintransit - wow! Has this helped me get an idea of what to do and where to go. I was feeling a bit lost. If you had only a week which places would you make it your priority to see. Also, do you have a website you like to book guest houses or b&b's?

Thanks for the tip on the rough guid and car information. I really appreciate your considerate and in-depth response to my questions.

Sincerely,
Lindsay

Thanks!

The choice would be a hard one between Lisbon and Porto.

We've spent more time in Lisbon and have enjoyed exploring the area - Lisbon, Sintra, Cascais etc, but feel that we have unfinished business in exploring Porto and the Douro environs (Porto was hit by a big storm the day after we arrived - we were prepared for it, others in the hostel weren't).

Lisbon easy to explore on foot or using the Viva Viagem rechargeable travel card on Metro, local trains, trams, elevadours and most (but not all) buses. We buy ours at Lisbon airport Metro station and get into the city on the Metro rather than a cab. If we need more travel, we top up at a Metro or railway station.

We've booked most of accomodation in Portugal via www.booking.com - always book for first and last nights as fixed points now after busking a last night and finding that no rooms were available so we ended up sleeping in the airport...

Hope that this helps.

Well much has been said. And do accurate that I only point on that part that you talked about crashing in a Portuguese family house.

The only options that occur to me are not quite in family houses.

1st
It's my home where in the past (4~5 years ago when couchsurfing was a hosting service, not a weird date site) I've hosted a lot of people from all parts of the planet. It's a small house and now is not as cosy and comfortable as it used to be. But we can do our best. =)
And I'm not a conventional nor a family. But if you're interested on meeting some friendly locals, in their native's environment, my house doors are open and my friends and my partner dog are available too.
If meanwhile you made new friends, bring then. They are welcome too. =)
These international exchanges are very rewardable.

2nd
My mother's home, has two empty rooms. She's nice friendly and cool. She can prepare some local food for you.
Anyway she's not either a family too.

3rd
My best and oldest friend live 6 floors above me, he works 4 days in a mining field and rests 4 days in Lisbon.
He's not a family either and you might get just a empty house with two cats. But you have always the 1st floor neighbor and his friend near by. =)

I believe these options are a little out of your expectations. But it's the best I remember that I have to offer.
I haven't talk yet to my friend or my mother, but.... =).

Enjoy!

I am not sure why Salema has been recommended - it's now an over-developed resort, that lacks any history or character. You were going to struggle to find accommodation in the Algarve in August before the latest Turkish crisis, but this will now be impossible, I would imagine.

The Algarve is all about golf and the beaches, so if you want art, culture, history etc, stay further north. Lisbon is your best base. Make sure that you have a day trip to Evora, a World Heritage Site. Depending on how many days, you can also cover Cascais, Obidos, Tomar and Sintra from there.

Porto is more suitable if you have more time and want to spend time in the Douro valley at a slower pace, taking in the scenery rather than the towns and cities.

Thx for the update about Salema, Kent. We were there 28 yrs ago, so changes were bound to occur.
I am done. The end.

thanks for the info everyone! Would you suggest I try to book hotels/B&B's ahead of time or wait until close to the date? I am so conflicted, part of me wants to go to Algarve and see the beaches - but I'm most interested in culture, art, history and wine:)

How do you balance "going with the flow" of not planning, to a complete book itinerary? Also what would you say is a decent amount of time to spend in Portugal because when I was done, I was hoping to spend a week in the south east of france near switzerland.