Portugal
Foreword
A long time ago I travelled thru this country ..... just before revolution.
I enjoyed it very much and I vowed to come back in different stages.
6 days in Lisbon - December 2017
You may watch my playlist on Youtube.
You may watch my photos album on Google.
Flights
I don't like low-cost flights, so I chose Portuguese airlaine TAP from Lyon to Lisbon.
1h delay before taking off during the 2 ways.
Last day spoiled : leaving hotel at 11h a.m. local (12h Fr) and arriving in Grenoble at 9h p.m.
Hotel
I found a good deal, by Verychic, in Lux Lisboa Park hotel 4* with the following services included :
Free breakfasts.
Free transfert airport to hotel and back.
Wine tasting in terrace (white, red and green) with cheeses and cooked pork meats.
One 25min massage relax & D-stress in spa / person and stay.
Free access to Infintiy Pool and fitness.
A welcome glass at The Infinity Terrace.
Very modern hotel, staff very helpful. Close to botanic garden.
Very good food. Various meals at breakfast buffet.
Spacious room with flat lcd wall tv. Amazing bathroom : multi-sprinklers showers but washbasin is in the middle of the room without mirror in front of it. How to hand-shave ? It's a disadvantage (fortunately I have a beard)
Visits
5 days aren't enough to visit Lisbon and surroundings.
→ On Saturday, first hiking from Marques de Pombal square, following da Libertade avenue, then ascensor da Gloria street, I got back through Dom Pedro V street where we could find out many handicraft shops.
→ On Sunday, I made a 115km tour in a vintage VW convertible beetle with driver :
Lisbon by beetle.
Very interesting tour but fast, passing thru Sintra, Pena palace, Colares, Cabo da Roca, Cascais, Belem, ....
→ On Monday, visiting Belem and its gorgeous monuments and above all a 3h sailing ship cruise over Tage waiting sunset.
→ On Tuesday, bus towards Campo Ourique, tramway 28 terminus to get to San Jorge castel. Then down to Praça do Comércio and visiting Baixa and Alfama areas.
Back to Campo Ourique taking tramway 28 from Martin Moniz terminus, then bus to Campolide and hiking to the hotel.
→ On Wednesday, a 14km (yes fourteen said my Garmin connected watch) hiking in Lisbon starting from hotel to Bairro Alto, Chiado, Baixa, Alfama, ascensor da Lavra and back by da Libertade avenue and Marques de Pombal square.
→ On Thursday, back to Lisbon airport.
A week in Porto (March 2019)
You may watch my photos album on Google.
You may watch my playlist on Youtube.
I found out a bargain by vente privée with flights included (MisterFly).
Flights
There is a direct flight Transavia Lyon-Porto in the morning. 2h flight, so because of jet lag, I can enjoy the afternoon.
Reading comments in forums, I noticed that Transavia's reputation isn't very good. No trouble encountered.
The plane (a B737 200) was packed.
I enjoyed very much Porto airport.
Hotel
Hotel 4* ABC Porto Boavista.
It stands just at Casa da Musica metro station.
Very clean and modern. Breakfasts (included) are various and copious. King size bed, nice bathroom and a fridge.
Wifi, fiber type, is free and fast.
Leaving hotel, turning left, 30m further you 'll find out a tiny typical cheap restaurant. A Spar minimarket (opened on Sunday) follows this restaurant.
Visits
One week is wide enough to visiting the historic center on foot, in bus, in tramway and boat.
Sao bento metro station is a good place to beginning a walk.
Then I advise to buy a 2 days ticket with yellow bus.
You 'll get 2 routes from Av dos Aliados : historical center, gran tour, Douro ride and visiting Calem vaults with 2 Porto wine glasses.
3 tramway lines: 1, 18, 22. Tickets are expensive. It's better to buy a 2 trips ticket but you ought to know you must buy another ticket when you 'll get down.
I took the 22 line from Batalha Gundais terminus, getting down at Carma to take line 18 for a round trip passing by the tram museum terminus.
(watch my Youtube playlist)
Don't miss to visiting the beautiful church das carmelitas and do carmo beside.
Something funny, the tinyer house in Porto stands between these 2 churches because a very old law said they could not have a party wall.
For lunch, you can go to typical restaurants but take the day menu with the excellent vegetables soup.
Try the Douro edge and avoid Ribeira area, better going West after Calem side along a narrow way.
The boss of a little restaurant I went 2 times offers me a glass of wine. As a result, I drank a glass of wine Porto first and a red one ending.
The weather was fine so I enjoyed my trip very much. The historical center is very clean, people are very nice but it's strange to see modern buildings close to ancient ones.