u/TransportationNo5027

Hi everyone! My wife and I (flying in from Hong Kong) are planning a 2-week trip in September. We are starting with a brief 4-night stint in Spain (3 nights in Barcelona with a day trip to Costa Brava, then 1 night in Madrid), before taking a quick intercity flight to Porto on September 17.

The main event of our trip is a 9-day journey down the Portuguese coast to Lisbon, and we'd love some local feedback on our routing, pacing, and logistics. All of our main transport and hotels are already booked.

Here is our draft itinerary:
Day 1 (Sept 17): Arrival in Porto
Logistics: Land at Porto (OPO) around 15:15 on a Business flight from Madrid.
Stay: Hotel Casa dos Loios by Shiadu (near Rua das Flores).
Activity: Evening at leisure to explore the neighborhood and find a nice dinner.
Day 2 (Sept 18): Fully Open Day in Porto
Activity: Walking around the old town, exploring the Douro riverfront, and enjoying local food.
Day 3 (Sept 19): Porto ➔ Aveiro ➔ Coimbra
Logistics: Pick up our rental SUV (Nissan Qashqai or similar) from SIXT Porto Boavista at 09:00.
Road Trip Begins: Drive to Aveiro for a quick stop to see the colorful canals/boats, then head to Coimbra.
Activity: Timed entry to the Biblioteca Joanina (University of Coimbra) at 16:20 (already booked).
Stay: Casa dos Aromas (Coimbra). We’ve requested SUV parking from the host.
Day 4 (Sept 20): Coimbra ➔ Nazaré ➔ Óbidos ➔ Baleal
Road Trip Route: Leave Coimbra in the morning, stop at the Nazaré Lighthouse to see the massive waves/cliff views, walk Nazaré Beach, and explore the medieval town of Óbidos.
Target: Settle into our hotel in Baleal by 18:30–19:00 so we can relax and watch the sunset from our sea-view terrace (sunset should be around 19:45–20:00).
Stay: Silver Coast Beach Residence (Baleal).
Day 5 (Sept 21): Baleal ➔ Mafra ➔ Lisbon (Car Return)
Logistics: Drive from Baleal to Mafra for a 09:30 AM timed entry at Mafra National Palace (tickets secured).
Car Return: Drive to Lisbon and return our SIXT rental at Lisbon Picoas by 16:00.
Stay: Convent Square Lisbon, Vignette Collection (IHG). Note: The hotel is on a pedestrian-only street, which is why we want to drop off the car first!
Days 6 & 7 (Sept 22 – 23): Exploring Lisbon
Activity: Relaxed sightseeing in Lisbon. Planning to pick up 24-Hour Lisboa Cards for free transport and museum entry.
Day 8 (Sept 24): Sintra Day Tour
Activity: We booked a full-day Sintra & surrounding area tour departing from Rossio Station at 08:00. It includes Quinta da Regaleira and Pena Park (exteriors).
Day 9 (Sept 25): Flight back to BCN
Logistics: Catch a Vueling/Iberia shuttle flight from LIS to BCN at 14:00.

A few specific questions for you seasoned travelers:

Aveiro & Coimbra Timing (Day 3): If we pick up our rental car at 09:00 in Porto, is a brief stop in Aveiro realistic before our strict 16:20 timed entry at the Joanina Library in Coimbra?

Sunday Parking & Driving (Day 4): We will be driving an SUV. How is parking near Nazaré Beach and Óbidos on a Sunday afternoon? Any specific parking lots you recommend to avoid tight medieval alleys?

Baleal Sunset: Our hotel is in Baleal. If we want to be checked in and settled on the terrace by 18:30–19:00, what time should we aim to leave Óbidos? Is the drive straightforward?

Pena Palace Interiors vs. Exteriors: Our day tour includes Pena Park exteriors. Do you think it’s worth trying to purchase separate timed entry tickets for the interiors of Pena Palace, or is the exterior facade and the park the best part?

Via Verde & Tolls: Our SIXT rental includes a Via Verde transponder. Is there anything else we need to register online for tolls as foreign drivers, or does the transponder cover everything automatically?

Thanks in advance for any tips, restaurant recommendations, or warnings about our pacing!