trip to portugal with parents...

We plan to make the trip in late Nov.

how is the weather then? Else an alternative is go visit in April/May if the weather is a LOT better then.

Hello!

If you want to enjoy good weather you'd rather come here in May, November is colder and it rains.
About your questions:
1. I don't know.
2. Yes, you can go by train or bus.
3. Yes and...yes. http://www.rodotejo.pt/pesquisa_servicos.php and www.cp.pt

I have had 2 Novembers here the first was great nice and sunny, the second was not as sunny but it wasn't rainy at all but then I used to live in England with lots of rain! You can get to Obidos from Lisbon by bus, It leaves the bus station at Campo Grande and cost approx €6.85 each.

Be aware (or check if it is still going on) the trip to Evora has to be done by bus, there are some long term reconsructions on the railway. But it goes smoothly. (experienced last May, very nice weather).
There's an earlier post about it.

My wife and I visited Portugal last September, perfect weather. For monthly temperature and precipitation information for practiclly anywhere in the world see http://www.weatherbase.com. In our travels, if we need to leave our luggage in a town with no standard left luggage facilities we stop at a hotel and ask what they would charge for us to leave our bags for a few hours; alternatively, breakfast or lunch at a restaurant and then ask very nicely whether we could leave our bags with them for a few hours. Note that in Coimbra that train station "B" is at the edge of town but that there is a connecting free train shuttle to station "A" in the town center. From Coimbra we took buses to Fatima (which has no train station), also to Nazare (via Alcobaca). For additional information and photos of our Portugal journey see the "Portugal" section of Our Travel Journals: htp://www.evcal.org .

Our website above contains a typo. The correct URL is http//www.evcal.org .

@6: small typo again but nevertheless I found and read (part of) your interesting trip journal, caldnj.
Is this the right URL

Hiya

I have no clue how active/energetic your parents are. But I think you're biting off an awful lot for them with this itinerary. I'm in my 60s and pretty active, but I find that the cobblestone streets and sidewalks that are such a delightful part of Portugal really tire my legs and hips out after a while. So I recommend very good walking shoes and time out for frequent breaks.

While its been years since I've been there, Obidos was a delight. Frankly, I wouldn't spend a cent or a second on visiting Fatima again. Like many Catholic centres, it has become as much a shrine to the tackiest of commercial enterprise as it is to spiritual connection. All concrete, huge vats of burning candles that require industrial fans to disperse the toxic smoke, mile after seeming mile of cheap trinkets. I'm sure you get the picture.

There are quite a number of day tours that you can arrange through your hotel, both in Lisbon and Porto. These might be a good way to visit many of the smaller towns near each large centre and to ensure that you get to see the best of the sights. They usually include lunch or dinner either at one of the venues on the itinerary or someplace nearby that is reliable. You may not get as individualized an itinerary this way, but you'll certainly be at the head of the line for entry into places that feel important to you.

Hi there,

I'd spend more time in Lisbon and would do a daytrip to Sintra. Evora is wonderful but I think it is too much for a day trip (just my opinion). You could probably do it, but I'd prefer an overnight. I have mostly only been to Lisbon and south so I can't comment on the northern part of your itinerary except that it seems like a lot to do in a short amount of time.

Fatma can be reached easily from Lisbon by bus. There is a train, I belive, but the train station is further from the town. I do agree with #8 about the over-the-top commercialization...