ROADTRIP 2013: 9 days around Portugal - TIPS & TRICKS??

Hello everyone!

My name is NicOLA, and together with three other friends we have just booked a flight to Portugal this summer.
Departing on 21/08 at 6 am for landing in Porto (Ryanair flight), and will be back at home after nine days on 30/08 from Lisbon.

The idea is to rent a car for 4 people and travel around the most beautiful places of Portugal in nine days, sleeping in hostels/B&Bs/small hotels, eat in the most typical taverns or restaurants (not the mangers for tourists) even at the cost of making some road, eat typical food (I do not spend money to mc'donald duty), looking for a sea that is crystal clear and a few cultural attractions (including surely at least a few hours at Fatima).

Obviously I do not write here under the pretense that someone would organize the trip, but I would love to have some input / suggestions / advice of those who have had this experience with all the things that are liked and what not; also if you have some advice for rental or accommodation to avoid ... let me know!

Many thanks to all those who want to give their input!

(and sorry for my english) =)

You should definitely drive through the Baleal area. It's on the way down to Lisbon. It's a nice village right on the coast with amazing beaches, dunes and cliffs. There are good waves if you want to try surfing. I'd suggest you to stay in Captain's Log House here, a smaller and very cool hostel with a fantastic and friendly team that can tell you where to go for very good local food and what to do in the area. If you want to try surfing, Drop Surf Center (just down the street from Captain's Log House) is the one and only place to go, Nelson - the teacher, is very very good!! Outside there is a beautiful island called Berlengas - Go here and try Stand Up Paddeling in caves and around the island, Drop Surf Center can help you with that too.
Very close to Baleal you have Obidos, a medieval village with a fort and cozy small streets, here they make the very typical, local and delicious Ginja drink. Its a strong cherry-wine like drink that you drink out of chocolate cups and then you eat the chocolate. I love it!

Hope you will have an amazing trip! Portugal is a great country with fantastic people!!

You might also wish to leave Portugal for 2-4 days and see Basque country...pretty.

Having the beautiful Basque country a 10 hour drive from Portugal, I´d like to recommend the Western Algarve in the south. Not to name with the overcrowded Algarve part between Lagos and the Spanish coast.
Try Aljezur. Unspoiled, natural. Some of the best beaches in Europe, cliffs, and the sweet potato ( a famous dish coming in many different varieties, even as cakes)

It´s a beautiful spot, less touristy. Aljezur has a hostel ( http://amazighostel.com ) which is one of the best in Portugal. More information can be found on a site called Algarvissimo, http://algarvissimo.com (only for the Western Algarve region.
Have a great trip, all Portugal is beautiful & welcoming.

Hello there

I'm a tour guide but I'm not selling my tours here, only trying to help with some info.

With 9 days you can see and experience many nice things in Portugal.

I usually advise something like 7 days: 2-Porto; 1-Guimarães; 1-Fátima/Óbidos; 2-Lisbon; 1-Sintra/Cascais (please check: http://www.walkinginportugal.blogspot.pt/2013/06/visiting-portugal-where-to-go-what-to.html)

After you decide where to spend your days will be quite easy to search for restaurants, hotels, etc etc
and you can always send me an email and ask for some tips about places, I will be happy to send you some info.

Enjoy Portugal
David

I live in Porto and I totally support #4 plan.

In 9 days you can either manage to see lots of different places or enjoy best time in each of them.

Spend the 21st and 22nd in Porto and stroll around the city and Gaia on the other side of the river and if you're lucky you may also have a chance to try the Atlantic Ocean here - very cold though :P

Go to Guimarães on a day trip on the 23rd by urban train - you can take it from São Bento train station in the center of the city and you get there in about 1h15 for €3 per person one way - no discounts available.

As you're taking a car (which, just in case, I think is a great decision to stroll around the country) head to Óbidos on the 24th and you may also take a tour to Nazaré - a very pretty small town with awesome views of the Atlantic.

Head to Lisbon on the 25th, spend one day and a half or two there and head to Sintra (definitely worth a trip with lots of beautiful places to see and about 20-30 minutes from Lisboa by car) on the 27th.

Until the 30th you may have time to try the South but as your flight leaves from Lisbon on the 30th I don't know if it's worth it or not. However, as you're travelling by car and you do not depend on schedules, I think you may try it although it can be quite crowded on same places like #1 said. If you do it, try Lagos, Portimão, Albufeira and/or Vilamoura - all of them have beautiful beaches as all are on the South of Portuagl and especially Albufeira and Vilamoura are full of young people to party during Summer.

Feel free to ask for any more advices! :)

Jorge