Portugal – Planning For A Two Week Adventure And The Flight to Lisbon
Booking our flights was the important first step
After creating a skeleton itinerary of places and activities in Portugal, getting our flights was the first most important and expensive purchase. This trip we decided to go business class since the trip to Europe is an “overnight” flight. We want to be rested and make the most of the first couple of days in Portugal.
Creating our Itinerary: After researching the Internet, travel books and talking to friends, we have decided to visit Porto first for three days. Then Lisbon for three days. After that, four days on the southern coast of Portugal visiting the Algarve region. There we are looking forward to some of the most beautiful hikes in all of Europe. We will finish our trip with two days in Sintra before flying back to the US from Lisbon. In between major cities we will stop along the way in Obidos, Cambria, Nazare and other interesting small towns and villages, as well as numerous wineries near Lisbon and Porto. Since we really like to immerse ourselves in local culture and cuisine, we are avoiding a lot of the tourist attractions as you will see in our tentative itinerary below.
Getting ready for Portugal
A travel book has proven to be essential. Provides details just not available in one place on the Internet. It is nice to have a convenient portable source of information that does not require a data connection. It gave us a lot of good ideas for walking tours in Porto and Lisbon. Thus far, we have not scheduled any guided tours.
After locking in our flights and deciding on destinations, Lauri booked our hotel stays.
We booked our hotels in Alfamma district in downtown Lisbon, Ribeira district in downtown Porto, Pine Cliffs Resort in the Algarve and Sintra many months in advance. To have lots of time for active exploring we limited the amount of jumping around between hotels. Pictured is our hotel in Sintra: The Sintra Boutique Hotel.
More important pre-trip planning activities:
Final Thoughts from Mark & Lauri as we board our flights at Dulles and prepare for our overnight flight to Lisbon, Portugal:
Lauri: Mark and I have not had a lot of alone time together in a long time. This is a dream come true to do this together.
Mark: Looking forward to an adventure in a country to which we haven’t been. I am a little anxious doing this as a couple without a group or guides. On the other hand, can’t imagine doing this with anyone else other than the love of my life. Stepping up to Business Class over coach for a trans-Atlantic flight is similar to your first kiss on a date. Going back to holding hands doesn’t cut it anymore!
Initial Plan for a 13 Day – 12 Night Itinerary
It will be interesting to see if I am remotely close to putting together an itinerary that works!
Day 1 – First day in Porto and night at Icon Duplo Ribeira Hotel
Day 2 – Second day in Porto and night at Icon Duplo Ribeira Hotel
Day 3 -Third day in Porto and night at Icon Duplo Ribeira Hotel
Day 4 – Porto to Lisbon. First day in Lisbon and night at Memmo Alfamma Hotel
Day 5 – Lisbon. Second day in Lisbon and night at Memmo Alfama Hotel
Day 6 – Lisbon. Third day in Lisbon and night at Memmo Alfama Hotel
Day 7 – Lisbon to Algarve. First day in Algarve and night at Pine Cliffs Resort
Day 8 – Algarve Region. Second day in Algarve and night at Pine Cliffs Resort
Day 9 – Algarve Region. Third day in Algarve and night at Pine Cliffs Resort
Day 10 – Algarve Region. Third day in Algarve and night at Pine Cliffs Resort
Day 11 – Drive Algarve to Sintra. First day in Sintra and night at Sintra Boutique Hotel
Day 12 – Sintra. Second day in Sintra and night at Sintra Boutique Hotel
Day 13 – Sintra. Second day in Sintra and night at Sintra Boutique Hotel
