2 weeks in Portugal - north & south?

My husband and I are traveling with our 1 year old in Portugal for 2 weeks in September. We want to visit Porto/Douro area in the north but we also really want to spend some time on a beautiful beach where we can swim (ie. not too rough or cold). Is the Algarve the best place to find beaches good for swimming in September? Or are there similar beach options near Lisbon or Porto? We are planning to rent a car so can be flexible but will have a 1 year old with us. We are thinking of an itinerary that looks something like this:

Fly into Lisbon - stay 4 nights (include a day trip to Sintra)
2 days in Porto
2 days in Douro hillside
4 days in Algarve (or other beach)
1 day back near Lisbon (possibly stay in Palmela or Sintra or another place that will be a quick drive to the airport)
Fly out of Lisbon

Would love any thoughts/advice.

Thanks!

There are beaches near Lisbon itself from downtown Lisbon all along out to Cascais, Cascais is about 45 minutes from Lisbon centre. Have a look on Google maps/ Google earth. Porto to Algarve is a 5 plus hour drive so thet would mean only 3 days in Algarve really - personally I'd drop the Algarve and spend more time at say Cascais as its near Lisbon and also spend more time around Porto.

Are the beaches at/near Cascais nice and good for swimming? I'd prefer the shorter drive.

Thank you!

Yes they are not surf beaches, i.e. not big waves, think for someone with a 1 year old they would be perfect. Nice sand, warm water, sunny, great promenade near by. We were they last time in October could still swim and not many people, not sure what crowds would be like in September I'd say the worse would be over by then re crowds.

Thanks!

A couple of pics of Cascais and beach taken in July 2015 here...

https://wisepacking.me/2016/05/26/one-year-the-answers/

Quite a few ramblings about Portugal on there too - a week in Lisbon, roadtrips plus practical tips.

Pocket Rough Guide Lisbon was very useful for last July - better than LP IMHO.

Includes info on Lisbon, Cascais, Estoril, Belem and Sintra.

We use trains, buses, trams, Metro or other local transport in Portugal rather than hiring cars.

Hope that this helps!

I agree that the Algarve part of your plan can be dropped. The beaches in the Cascais area are nice, and you will spend less time traveling around.

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You don't have time for the Algarve unless you want to spend most of the time in the car.

Another beach possibility is in Foz do Arelha, an hour north of Lisbon. There is a large lagoon there, which is safe for children. It's shallow, so it's warmer too.

The sea in Portugal tends to be cold, as it's the Atlantic, not the Med. The only exception is between Tavira and the Spanish border on the Algarve, which feels warmer.

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