Trip to Portugal, need recommendations

BrentC

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I'm going to Portugal in June. 12 days on the mainland and 12 in the Azores. I have got the Azores covered but need some recommendations for the mainland. We are using Lisbon and Porto as our two hubs, 6 days each. My main interest is in wildlife. We have decided that at least 2 full days on the mainland will be dedicated to my wildlife photography. I know that there are a few National Parks very close to both Porto and Lisbon that we can do day trips. I am hoping some of you who have been to Portugal or live there can recommend the best areas. I figure up to a 1 1/2 hour distance from either city would be my limit but would extend that for something special.

As for non-wildlife recommendations I am open for anything whether it be for view, architecture, picturesque town, etc.
 
Oooooooh! Okay, I won't answer yet because I am on my phone and I refuse to type more than a sentence or two on this tiny %&#>%;'% < keyboard, but what I will say now is that recommendations...I haz them. :D
 
....As for non-wildlife recommendations I am open for anything whether it be for view, architecture, picturesque town, etc.
It's Portugal - you'll have to work hard NOT to find architecture & picturesque towns!!!!
 
....As for non-wildlife recommendations I am open for anything whether it be for view, architecture, picturesque town, etc.
It's Portugal - you'll have to work hard NOT to find architecture & picturesque towns!!!!


You are absolutely right. Just trying to find the best of the best, the must sees.
 
Okay, here we go ;)

So, I'm Portuguese-American, 1st generation, and I did live in Portugal as an adult. I lived in Braga, which is where my mother grew up (in a little town on the outskirts) and I still have family there.

This means that yes, I am partial to Braga, which is probably about a 30-45 minute drive on the new fancy highway that now connects it to Porto. (I say 'new and fancy' but they've been there for a while. Just a big contrast from the first time I went as a child ;) ) So it is TOTALLY doable as a day trip from Porto!

Braga is technically the 3rd largest city in Portugal, but it's a lot smaller than Porto so it's very manageable. One thing to note if you go there is that there is no parking in the center, but it's very walkable, so I would find parking and then just walk. (If you do decide to go, I can suggest areas for parking and then walking to the old town, but I'll refrain for the moment.)

Things to see in Braga: Well, there is a saying in Portugal. "Lisbon shows off, Coimbra studies, Porto works, and Braga prays" so you'll see a lot of churches in Braga, even more than you'll see elsewhere in the country. There are a LOT of churches. For me, there are two "must-see" churches and one more "see if you can" church. The first is the Sé de Braga (a Sé is basically the main cathedral of any given town.) Another saying is "as old as the Sé de Braga". It's old - almost a thousand years old. That's in the old town and will be on any map of Braga.

The second is outside the city a bit and you'll have to drive. It's called Bom Jesus. The church and the grounds are beautiful in and of themselves, but because you are on a hill above the city, you also get a great view of the area. I don't have my pictures available on my Chromebook or I would post them, but look up images on Google. If you park at the bottom, you can walk the stairways up to the cathedral (there are, iirc, 576...I used to walk there on Sundays and do the stairs for exercise, so I had plenty of opportunity to count them ;) ) Or, you can take the old, still-functioning funicular, built at the end of the 19th century. Or, you can just park up at the top.

The third, "maybe if you aren't all churched out" is Sameiro - a bit farther out than Bom Jesus so it would require the car, and not as elaborate as Bom Jesus, but it gives a really fantastic vantage point and views. It's also where my parents were married, so I'm partial to it ;)

I can talk endlessly about Porto and Braga and the north. It is the only place that feels as much like home as New York does.

So, must-sees in Porto: every tourist guide will tell you to go to the Ribeiro on the waterfront, and they're right. Good restaurants, beautiful view. Not that big, though, so it won't take much time to explore, but it might end up being your go-to for dinner.

It's also right at the base of the famous Ponte de Dom Luis II (Dom Luis bridge). You can walk across this bridge to what is technically not Porto anymore, but Vila Nova de Gaia, which is where all the port houses are. Just go across the bridge, turn left, and you'll see one port house after the other. There are plenty of opportunies for tours and tastings. Or, what I really recommend, on the Porto side of the Douro river, there is a place called the Solar do Vinho do Porto. A "solar" isn't really a museum, per se, but rather a sort of...okay, I don't know how to describe it. It's basically a restaurant where you can get a small nibble and order from a massive menu of Port wine to taste. But it's in a more secluded area on the hill over the river, and it's just a beautiful, calm, relaxing time to sit on a terrace and overlook the river valley. And the Port wine is yummy delish :)

Also, one of my personal favorites, is the São Bento train station. You'll see excellent examples of the traditional blue tiles known as azulejos. It's beautiful.

I can't speak as much about Lisbon - I've been there a few times but don't know it as well.

I've rambled on far too long and I've just scratched the surface, so seriously, let me know what else you would like to know or if I've already given you too much :D
 
Oh, and I'll totally give you tips on the language, too, if you want.
 
Ah, there were some pics I have on Facebook.

Bom Jesus (from the bottom of the second half of the stairs)
14906865_10154171076049007_3320228661082927819_n.jpg



From the promenade looking towards the center of Braga. The umbrellas on the bottom left of the frame are from the outdoor cafe in the main plaza (or A Praça da República). There is a great old building and a beautiful fountain in the middle of the fountain.

14992048_10154171076779007_9093143802165770153_n.jpg



Off the main plaza down one of the streets is the Jardim de Santa Barbara. (Sorry, small picture). The stree-level business of the buiding you see in the right is the Pastelaria Lusitana, where my parents used to go on dates. A pastelaria is a pastry shop/cafe. Oh lord, and I haven't even started to talk about the pastries :D

14980733_10154171076784007_7644960605211167217_n.jpg
 
I thought it was farther from Lisbon, but apparently it's only an hour or so, but there's a little medieval walled town called Obidos that could be worth a visit. Obidos was sort of "given" to one of the queens - I want to say Queen Isabel, but I can't remember what King gave it to her.

But because of this royal history, it's been very well-preserved. It's gorgous - fantastic for color photos. Whitewash buildings with bright flowers and borders. However, this also means it's kind of touristy, especially in the summer (June won't be too bad. August is terrible. Just never even go to Europe at all in August!) If you don't mind some crowds, it could make for some very interesting pictures.

Of course I have a cat picture from there ;) (scanned from a print, so not the greatest quality)


Day 152 - Obidos Cat from print
by limrodrigues, on Flickr
 
Thank you so much @limr for your time and recommendations. Much appreciated.

My wife is Portuguese as well. She grew up on Terceira in the Azores. So I got the language covered, or at least she does. Although she has been back many times she has never been to the mainland.

Braga looks lovely and we will add it to our list of places to visit. Obidos is very interesting as well. I know the wife will love the churches and I have a thing for castles.

You gave us a few things to look into and if we have any questions about northern Portugal I'll send them your way.

Once again thanks.
 

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