The best Portugal itinerary for a first trip splits your time between Lisbon and Porto, with a day trip to Sintra and a day in the Douro Valley. With 7 days, that’s three nights in each city. With 10 days, add Coimbra on the way between them and finish with a few days on the Algarve coast around Lagos. Below are both routes day by day, with how to travel between each stop.
Quick answer
- 7 days: Lisbon (3 nights, including Sintra) and Porto (3 nights, including the Douro Valley).
- 10 days: Porto and the Douro, a night in Coimbra, Lisbon and Sintra, then the Algarve around Lagos.
- Getting around: trains link Lisbon, Coimbra and Porto; Lisbon to Porto takes about 3 hours on the fastest trains.
- Flights: book an open-jaw ticket (into one city, out of another) to avoid backtracking.
- Best seasons: spring and early fall for walking; summer for the Algarve beaches.
How many days do you need in Portugal?
Seven days is enough for Lisbon, Sintra, Porto and the Douro Valley; ten days lets you add Coimbra and the Algarve without rushing.
Portugal is small, and the main train line runs straight up the coast from Lisbon to Porto, which makes a two-city trip easy. The Algarve is the part that takes time: it’s in the far south, so adding it means either a longer trip or skipping something else. Don’t try to fit Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve into a week. You’ll spend too much of it on trains.
7-day Portugal itinerary: Lisbon, Sintra, Porto and the Douro
This route covers Portugal’s two main cities and their best day trips, with one train journey in the middle.
| Day | Base | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lisbon | Arrive, Baixa, Chiado, sunset at a miradouro |
| 2 | Lisbon | Alfama, São Jorge Castle, fado in the evening |
| 3 | Lisbon | Belém in the morning, LX Factory, or Sintra |
| 4 | Porto | Train north, Ribeira and the Dom Luís I Bridge |
| 5 | Porto | Baixa, Clérigos, port cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia |
| 6 | Porto | Douro Valley day trip |
| 7 | Porto | Foz do Douro or a last morning in town, depart |
Days 1 to 3: Lisbon and Sintra
Spend your first day getting your bearings in Baixa and Chiado, then watch the sunset from a miradouro such as Senhora do Monte or São Pedro de Alcântara. On day 2, explore Alfama and climb to São Jorge Castle, then book a fado dinner.
Day 3 is a choice. Belém’s Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower fill a morning, while Sintra fills a full day. If you can’t decide, Sintra is the more memorable of the two for most people, and you can catch Belém on your first afternoon. Trains to Sintra leave from Rossio station and take about 40 minutes. Our list of the best things to do in Lisbon has more detail on each stop, and the Sintra page covers the palaces.
Day 4: Lisbon to Porto
Take a morning train from Lisbon (Santa Apolónia or Oriente) to Porto Campanhã. The fastest Alfa Pendular trains take about 3 hours, and Intercidades trains a little longer. Book ahead on the Portuguese railway site for the best choice of times. Spend the afternoon walking down through the old town to the Ribeira waterfront.
Days 5 to 7: Porto and the Douro Valley
On day 5, see Baixa, the tiled São Bento station, Clérigos Tower and Livraria Lello (book ahead), then cross the Dom Luís I Bridge to the port lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia.
Day 6 is for the Douro Valley, the terraced wine region upriver. You can take the scenic regional train along the river to Peso da Régua or Pinhão (roughly 2 to 2.5 hours each way), join a small-group tour, or drive. The train is the easiest option without a car, while a tour gets you to the hilltop quintas and viewpoints that are hard to reach otherwise.
Use day 7 for Foz do Douro, where the river meets the ocean, before flying home from Porto.
10-day Portugal itinerary: Porto to the Algarve
The 10-day route runs from north to south, so you never backtrack: fly into Porto and out of Faro.
| Day | Base | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Porto | Arrive, Ribeira, sunset from Gaia |
| 2 | Porto | Baixa, São Bento, port cellars |
| 3 | Porto | Douro Valley day trip |
| 4 | Coimbra | Train south, university and old town |
| 5 | Lisbon | Train to Lisbon, Baixa and Chiado |
| 6 | Lisbon | Alfama, castle, fado |
| 7 | Lisbon | Sintra day trip |
| 8 | Lagos | Travel south, old town and beaches |
| 9 | Lagos | Ponta da Piedade, boat trip or coastal walk |
| 10 | Lagos | Beach morning, transfer to Faro airport |
Days 1 to 3: Porto and the Douro
Follow the Porto days from the 7-day route above: the historic center, Gaia’s port lodges and a full day in the Douro Valley. Before you book, read our guide to where to stay in Porto. Baixa is the most practical base for trains.
Day 4: Coimbra
Coimbra sits on the main line between Porto and Lisbon, so it’s an easy stop. Its university is one of the oldest in Europe and is a UNESCO World Heritage site; the baroque Joanina Library is the highlight, and visits are by timed ticket, so book ahead. The old town climbs steeply from the Mondego River.
Note that fast trains stop at Coimbra-B, just outside the center, and a short connecting train runs into the main Coimbra station. More on the Coimbra destination page.
Days 5 to 7: Lisbon and Sintra
Continue south to Lisbon and spend two days in the city and one in Sintra. Our guide to where to stay in Lisbon compares the neighborhoods; Baixa/Chiado works best on a short stay.
Days 8 to 10: Lagos and the Algarve
Lagos is a historic town on the western Algarve with a walled old town and some of the most dramatic coastline in Portugal. Highlights include the sea stacks and grottoes of Ponta da Piedade, the cove beaches such as Praia Dona Ana and Praia do Camilo, and boat or kayak trips along the cliffs.
Getting there takes time. By train, you’ll change at Tunes, and the trip takes roughly 4 hours; by car it’s about 3 hours. Buses also run direct from Lisbon. On your last day, Faro airport is about an hour’s drive or a longer regional train ride east. See the Lagos destination page for beaches and boat trips.
Alternative 10-day route without the Algarve
If you’re traveling outside beach season, swap the Algarve for slower days in the north: spend two nights in the Douro Valley itself, stay a full day in Coimbra, and add a day in Lisbon for Belém and Cascais.
Who each route suits
Choose the 7-day route if
- It’s your first trip to Portugal and you want the two main cities.
- You’re traveling outside summer, when the Algarve is quieter and cooler.
- You’d rather not rent a car.
Choose the 10-day route if
- You want city time and beach time in one trip.
- You’re traveling from late spring to early fall.
- You can book an open-jaw flight into Porto and out of Faro.
Skip the Algarve if
- You have a week or less. The trip south eats a full day each way.
- You’re traveling in winter and mainly want beaches.
Getting around Portugal
Trains are the best way to travel between Lisbon, Coimbra and Porto, while a car helps most in the Douro and the Algarve.
- Trains: Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains connect Lisbon, Coimbra and Porto. Seats are reserved, so book ahead in summer.
- Cars: useful for the Douro’s hilltop wineries and for hopping between Algarve beaches. Don’t drive in central Lisbon or Porto, where streets are steep and parking is hard.
- Metro and trams: both cities have metro lines that reach the airport.
When is the best time to visit Portugal?
Spring (April to June) and early fall (September to October) are the best times for a city-focused trip, with mild weather and fewer crowds than midsummer. July and August are peak beach season in the Algarve and the busiest time everywhere. The Douro grape harvest usually falls in September, which is a lovely time to visit the valley. Winter is mild on the coast but wetter, especially in Porto.
Planning a longer trip through southern Europe? Our Italy itinerary uses the same rail-first approach, and our Barcelona neighborhood guide helps if you’re continuing into Spain. For an overview of the country, see the Portugal hub, plus the Lisbon and Porto pages.
FAQ
Is 7 days enough for Portugal?
Seven days is enough for Lisbon, Porto, Sintra and the Douro Valley. It’s not enough to add the Algarve comfortably.
Should I start my Portugal itinerary in Lisbon or Porto?
Either works for the 7-day route. For the 10-day route with the Algarve, start in Porto and end in the south so you don’t backtrack.
Do you need a car in Portugal?
Not for Lisbon, Porto, Sintra or Coimbra, which are all well served by trains. A car is helpful for the Douro Valley and the Algarve.
How long is the train from Lisbon to Porto?
About 3 hours on the fastest Alfa Pendular trains, a little longer on Intercidades services.
Is the Douro Valley worth a day trip from Porto?
Yes. The terraced vineyards along the river are among Portugal’s most striking landscapes, and a day trip by train or tour is easy to arrange from Porto.
