Portugal is a compact country: Lisbon to Porto is about 300 kilometres, Lisbon to the Algarve just over two and a half hours on the motorway. In one or two weeks you can see a lot, but don't rush: inland villages and long meals are part of the trip. Here are some tried and tested itineraries.
One week: Lisbon, Sintra and Porto
The classic first trip, doable without a car, by train.
- Days 1-3: Lisbon, with Alfama, the Baixa, Chiado, Bairro Alto and Belém; an evening of fado.
- Day 4: a trip to Sintra, with the Pena and Regaleira palaces, and sunset at Cabo da Roca or Cascais.
- Days 5-7: train to Porto (about three hours), with the Ribeira, the lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia, São Bento station and a day in the Douro valley by train or boat (see the Douro valley).
Ten days: the coast and the centre
With a hire car you can add the great monuments of the centre.
- Days 1-3: Lisbon and Sintra.
- Day 4: Óbidos and Nazaré.
- Day 5: the monasteries of Alcobaça and Batalha, then Tomar or Fátima.
- Day 6: Coimbra, the university city, and the Roman ruins of Conímbriga.
- Day 7: Aveiro and the striped houses of Costa Nova.
- Days 8-10: Porto and the Douro valley, with a night at Pinhão among the vineyards.
Two weeks: the full tour
Add the south and the Alentejo to the ten-day route, starting from Porto and heading down to Lisbon, or the other way round.
- Days 11-12: Évora, with the Roman temple and the Chapel of Bones, and the villages of Monsaraz and Estremoz.
- Days 13-14: the Algarve, with Lagos, Ponta da Piedade, Praia da Marinha, Tavira or Sagres. Fly home from Faro, which has an international airport.
With more time, follow the wild Alentejo coast through Comporta, Vila Nova de Milfontes and Aljezur before reaching the Algarve.
The north: Minho, Douro and Trás-os-Montes (7-10 days)
From Porto: Guimarães, the cradle of Portugal, and Braga with Bom Jesus; Ponte de Lima and Viana do Castelo; Gerês park; the Douro valley with Lamego and Vila Real; the rock art of Foz Côa and, for the curious, Bragança and Miranda do Douro.
The Beira interior (5-7 days)
An off-the-beaten-track route through the historic villages: Monsanto, Sortelha, Belmonte, Almeida, Trancoso, the Serra da Estrela and Piódão.
The islands
- Madeira (one week): Funchal and Monte, the levadas and laurel forest, Pico do Arieiro and Pico Ruivo, Porto Moniz, Santana and a few beach days on Porto Santo.
- Azores (one or two weeks): at least four days on São Miguel, then the central group with Terceira, Faial, Pico and São Jorge, linked by ferries in summer. With time, go on to Flores and Corvo.
Practical tips
For the cities, trains and public transport are enough; for the interior, the islands and the wild coast you need a car. Motorways have tolls, some electronic only: if you hire a car, activate the electronic toll device. See also when to go, scenic trains and getting there.