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January Weekend Break

i have had snow in Athens in Jan. It is a lovely city - i used to travel to a University there a couple of times per year for about 6 years. My choice would be Oct/Nov or March/April. Avoid the summer - way too busy and way too hot
 
roman said:
It might not be the best solution in this case but I thought it was wonderful.
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It's never not wonderful. We still throw the idea around, but you have to be aware that it can be icy if you are trying to avoid a colder clmate.

How about Lisbon? Short taxi-ride from airport to old-town?
 
bor said:
It's never not wonderful. We still throw the idea around, but you have to be aware that it can be icy if you are trying to avoid a colder clmate.

How about Lisbon? Short taxi-ride from airport to old-town?
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I've never been to Portugal but hear that both Lisbon and Porto are great.
 
bor said:
How about Lisbon?
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roman said:
Lisbon and Porto are great.
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we have been to both - IMO, Porto is a nicer place, more to see. Lisbon is ok, Porto is great.

My mate Nathan and i have this debate, and it seems people who prefer Madrid over Barca, prefer Lisbon over Porto - and vice versa. We prefer Barca over Madrid - tis where our flat is, so we might be biased. We also have a massive preference for Porto over Lisbon.

We have a planned 15 day trip back to Portugal in 2023 (Porto-Coimbra-Tavira) sometime (next summer is taken up with mooching around the Isles of Scilly).
 
gintonic said:
we have been to both - IMO, Porto is a nicer place, more to see. Lisbon is ok, Porto is great.

My mate Nathan and i have this debate, and it seems people who prefer Madrid over Barca, prefer Lisbon over Porto - and vice versa. We prefer Barca over Madrid - tis where our flat is, so we might be biased. We also have a massive preference for Porto over Lisbon.

We have a planned 15 day trip back to Portugal in 2023 (Porto-Coimbra-Tavira) sometime (next summer is taken up with mooching around the Isles of Scilly).
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Interesting, I liked Madrid but I'm definitely a Barcelona guy in your scenario, though never again at the height of summer- the last time I went in mid July I gave up doing anything in the heat and instead took the bus to the beach every day and cooled off in the sea with the water up to my chin! Wonderful place though.

Anyway, thanks for the tip, Porto for me.
 
roman said:
though never again at the height of summer- the last time I went in mid July I gave up doing anything in the hea
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Easter in Barca is lovely - we used to go late Nov and Easter. Now only go every other year or so.
 
Anthony Bourdain did a great episode(s) in Lisbon (Parts Unknown and earlier) if you can find it on Netflix or Amazon. Would love to take the wife there - we loved Barcelona (esp Old Town).

Found the Porto episode on youtube:
 
Lisbon one was 2012 and the Porto one in 2017. The food scene in both cities has moved on significantly since both were filmed. Although the Porto ones are still going. The seasfood place is amazing. I was less enamoured by the tripe though. Francesinha is excellent if you like a soggy sandwich. And cataplana is excellent as well.

Some places closed and newer ones in their place
 
Just back from a couple of days in Cordoba. Delightful, and in Nov it was high teens in the day. Superb food.

We preferred Lisbon to Porto, it had a real "faded grandeur", almost like an old South American city. Porto was lovely for port tasting (obvs), restaurants and the bridge, but felt a bit limited after than. Prefer Madrid to Barca too.

And I'm with the 'Venice in January' crowd. Been in the summer and Jan too, and totally loved the out of season feel. Load up some tri-X in a rangefinder and get lost in all the alleys.

What about Rome? Doesn't get much more picturesque and great coffee and food is a given.
 
philsparks said:
but felt a bit limited after than.
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get on a train - loads of day trips, go on the Douro - get up the Douro on a boat to somewhere like Pinhao. We've been back 6 times, and still find something different to do for 3-4 days.

Lisbon is best for Fado if thats your thing. Of cpurse in Lisbon you can get to Belem and Sintra which are nice day trips
 
gintonic said:
i have had snow in Athens in Jan. It is a lovely city - i used to travel to a University there a couple of times per year for about 6 years. My choice would be Oct/Nov or March/April. Avoid the summer - way too busy and way too hot
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I've had 2-3 inches of snow in central Athens in January (maybe the same week you were there, 2013 IIRC) but it's pretty rare and there is a much better chance that you get to enjoy "Alkyonides*", a spell of unusually warm and fine weather in early January.

(*As in "halcyon")
 
Just to update this thread, we have just returned from Porto, left Thursday morning from Stanstead and returned yesterday evening. We loved the place, nice people, great food and plenty to do. 18 degrees and unbroken sunshine helped. We ended up doing less than we had planned, we both needed a rest and took everything at an easy pace. We'll definitely go back at some point.

Cheers BB
 
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