I hope our previous posts on Lisbon, Sintra/Cascais, Porto, Braga/Guimarães and the Douro Valley have you ready for one perfect week in Portugal! Here’s how to put it all together for one marvelous week exploring the great country of Portugal.
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One Week Itinerary
If you have one week to spend in Portugal, here’s the itinerary I recommend:
Sunday
Plan to depart from the U.S. on Saturday for a Sunday arrival. Most flights originating in the U.S. will arrive in Portugal in the morning giving you a full day to spend touring. I know it may be tempting to request an early check in to your hotel and take a nap. But don’t do it! You need to stay up ALL day so that you can beat the inevitable jet lag you will feel. Get outside and start touring!
Belém District
Our week in Portugal begins with the Belém District. After you have dropped your luggage off at your hotel, take an Uber or public transportation to Pasteis de Belém to start your tour with a delicious pastel de nata pastry. Make sure to get extra to tuck into your bag for later! If it’s lunchtime, they also offer savory options like sandwiches and meat pastries. If you want more substantial food offerings, here’s a list of restaurants in the area.
After you enjoy your snack or meal, check out the gorgeous Jerónimos Monastery. Remember that you can also buy a ticket and go inside to see more of the stunning architecture.
Then make your way to see the Belém Tower and Monument to the Discoveries. Here you will learn all about the pivotal role Portugal played in exploring the New World.
You can tour this entire area on your own, but this audio guide is a great way to learn more about what you are seeing. It covers all the Belém sites recommended in this itinerary.
Parque das Nações District
If it is still early and you are feeling energetic, call an Uber to take you to the Park of Nations (Parque das Nações) district. Here you can rest your feet while enjoying a cable car ride to get a nice view of the area. Better yet, you can buy combo tickets for the cable car and the Oceanarium.
The cable car hours vary with the season, and it closes between 6-8 p.m. The Oceanarium’s last entry is at 7 p.m. and it closes at 8 p.m. So even if it’s late afternoon by the time you finish touring Belém, you will have time. Grab dinner somewhere in this district – a list of restaurants can be found here. Or make your way back to your hotel via Uber or public transportation and get something there.
Monday
Monday of our week in Portugal is dedicated to a day trip to Sintra and Cascais. You are in for a treat! These cities are accessible via public transportation. But it’s far easier to take a day tour, and the prices are very fair. There are a lot of options available, so just choose a tour that most appeals to you. Here are some options:
- If you are solo or a party of two or three, I recommend this small group day trip from Lisbon. It includes Pena Palace, the town of Sintra, Quinta de Regaleira, Cabo da Roca, Boca do Inferno, and the town of Cascais. It’s a nice mix of palaces and nature.
- For a group of 1-3, I also like this Mágica Sintra & Cascais tour that includes Pena Palace, the town of Sintra, Quinta de Regaleira, Monserrate Palace, Cabo da Roca, and Boca do Inferno. This one includes three palaces for those of you who love opulence!
- If you have a larger travel party, book a private tour like this one. Then you can completely customize your experience and visit the places covered in our Sintra/Cascais post you are most interested in.
Self-Touring Options
Just Sintra
If you really want to go on your own, the best way to reach Sintra is by train. Go to the Rossio Train Station and purchase a ticket to Sintra (not Portela de Sintra). There’s no need to buy it in advance, but do check the schedule. Take an early train – around 8 a.m. – to ensure you have time to see all the best sites. Once you are in Sintra, you can walk or use Uber to get around. Taxis and tuk-tuks are also available. Make sure to negotiate fares in advance.
Since you don’t have private transportation, you probably can’t squeeze Cascais into a day trip with Sintra. However, the advantage is that you will have plenty of time to fully explore the town of Sintra as well as the surrounding palaces.
Just Cascais
If you prefer to spend a day on the beach and seeing the sites near Cascais, you can take a train from Lisbon. Go to the Cais do Sodre station and buy a ticket. You don’t need to book the ticket in advance, but check the schedule. Once in Cascais, most places you want to go are in walking distance, or you can rent a bike. There’s also a hop-on/hop-off bus and tuk-tuk option.
Both Sintra & Cascais
If you really want to see both Sintra and Cascais on your own, you can. Take the train from Rossio Station from Lisbon to Sintra first. Then take the No. 403 Route or No. 417 Route bus from Sintra to Cascais. Then you can take the train back from Cascais to Cais do Sodre station. But much of your day will spent on transportation. You could probably squeeze in a quick tour of Sintra, visit one palace, see Cabo da Rocha, and then spend the late afternoon/early evening in Cascais before making your way back to Lisbon.
Tuesday
Today we explore the Alfama, Baixa and Chiado districts. Yes, it is a full day. But don’t worry – these neighborhoods are close together.
Baixa Sites
We’ll start at the Praça do Comércio for the obligatory photo of it’s bright yellow building and to see what’s happening. Just walk, use public transportation , or take an Uber from your hotel.
Then if you are into archeological ruins, it’s less than a quarter of a mile to Núcleo Arqueológico. Or you an check out the Bertrand Bookshop, the oldest continuously operating bookstore in the world. The walk from Praça do Comércio is about half a mile, so you will enjoy taking a break in their café.
The Elevador de Santa Justa is another third of a mile away. Walk there and ride up from Baixa to Carmo Square located in the Chiado neighborhood.
Chiado Sites
Once you are in Carmo Square, you will also be at the site of the Convento do Carmo ruins. The archways make for great photos! It will probably be just about time for lunch, so walk a scant quarter mile to enjoy the A Brasileira café’s rooftop terrace.
Alfama Sites
The remainder of our day is dedicated to Alfama. Since it’s a Tuesday, let’s check out the Feira da Ladra flea market. Just take a Uber or public transportation from A Brasileira café. If you have time after you shop, take a quick peek at Panteão Nacional and enjoy the view from it’s terrace.
Our next stop is Sé Cathedral which is about 0.7 mile away. You can walk, take public transportation, or call an Uber if your feet just can’t take it! After touring the cathedral, walk about 10 minutes to the São Jorge Castle. It’s open until 7 p.m. in the winter and 9 p.m. in the summer, so you have plenty of time to get here.
We end our day with some traditional Portuguese food, ginjinha (sweet cherry liquor), and some Fado music. You can find a list of the best places to enjoy a meal and Fado on this Culture Trip post. Summon an Uber or public transportation to get back to your hotel.
Wednesday
Our week in Portugal is almost halfway over! Today we take the high speed train from Santa Apolónia station in Lisbon to Campanha station in Porto. The journey will take close to three hours, so opt for an early departure. You want to arrive in Porto by noon. From there, you can take a taxi, Uber, or use public transportation to get to your hotel. Drop your luggage and head out to explore the beautiful city of Porto!
City Tour, Part I
Our first stop is for lunch at the famous Majestic Café in Santa Catarina street. Admire the gorgeous interior as you fuel up for your busy afternoon. Then walk down Santa Catarina street a few minutes until you reach the Igreja Paroquial de Santo Ildefonso church. We’ll skip going inside, but take some time to snap some photos of this tile-covered church.
We will walk about a third of a mile further to São Bento Railway Station. Take some time to ogle the glorious tiles lining the walls that are painted with scenes depicting the history of Portugal. Our next stop is Liberdade Square, just a few minutes by foot from the railway station. Find a bench and take some time to admire the city hall and buildings and do some people watching.
Less than a quarter mile away is the iconic Clérigos Tower. Hopefully you are rested after spending some time on a bench in Liberdade Square because we are going to climb 200 steps up the 249 foot tall tower! Catch your breath and enjoy the view at the top.
We’ll cap off this day with a visit to the beautiful Livraria Lello bookstore. Don’t hesitate to pay the admission fee to go in and look around. The admission fee amount will be reduced from your total cost if you buy something!
It’s probably time for dinner by now, so check out these great places to eat near Livraria Lello. Head back to your hotel via public transportation, a taxi, Uber, or by foot. Get some rest – you earned it!
Thursday
City Tour, Part II
Today our first stop is Porto Cathedral. Make sure to visit the cloisters featuring painted tiles of Biblical scenes. And check out the Casa do Cabildo which contains the Cathedral’s religious artifacts.
Next you will walk about half a mile to the Bolsa (Stock Exchange) Palace. Half hour tours are offered in a variety of languages, but you may have to wait awhile for the English version. Enjoy the gardens while you wait.
After your tour of the place, wander over to the nearby Ribeira Square. It’s probably time for lunch and rest break, so choose one of the many many waterfront restaurants such as Wine Quay Bar. After lunch, walk over the Dom Luis Bridge for great views back at the historic city center and of the river.
On the other side of the bridge you will see Casa Kopke, the oldest port wine house in Porto. Even if you think you don’t like port wine, you should try it while in Portugal. Casa Kopke offers various types of port wines paired with chocolate. You can’t go wrong with that!
Evening Activity Options
You have the remainder of the afternoon/evening free to explore Porto. Here are some options to consider:
- Walking Food Tour & Tasting
- Sunset Boat Tour
- Progressive 4-Course Dinner Tour
- Fado Live Show in Porto Cálem Wine Cellars
Friday & Saturday
Let’s end our week in Portugal by seeing some of the countryside! Friday and Saturday are devoted to taking day tours from Porto. There are so many things to see outside of the city! I recommend taking one day to see the Douro Valley and another day to see the villages of Braga and Guimarães. You can do these in either order.
Guided Tours
It’s easiest to take a guided tour to these regions:
- Douro Valley Options
- Guimarães Options
- Day trip to Braga and Guimarães
- Half-Day Private Tour to Guimarães (great option if you want to visit some other sites in Porto or just need half a day to relax!)
On Your Own by Car
It’s also possible to do these day tours on your own by car or train. You can rent a car for the day and drive yourself. You need a valid driver’s license and an International Driving Permit. This website provides a map and itinerary for your self-guided car trip to the Douro Valley. Be forewarned, however, that self-driving in Portugal can be dangerous due to windy and narrow roads and poor road conditions.
Also, if you plan to partake in wine or port tasting during your tour (and you should), driving is inadvisable. The legal limit of blood alcohol concentration is 0.05%. That’s less than the US limit of 0.08%. Self-driving requires a designated driver!
Braga and Guimarães are best visited by public transportation. It’s not worth renting a car and bothering with parking when you can get there easily on a train. These charming villages are easily walkable as well.
On Your Own by Public Transportation
Douro Valley
Your trip to the Douro Valley on public transportation starts at São Bento Railway Station. Take a train to Régua. Sit on the right hand side of the train for the best views. Then from Régua you can take a half day cruise to Pinhão to see the best part of the Douro Valley. Depart from the Pinhão train station to get back to the São Bento station in Porto.
Braga and Guimarães
Visiting both Braga and Guimarães in one day via pubic transportation is possible, but it will be a long day. Braga gets busier than Guimarães, so start there first. Take an early train to Braga from São Bento station. From there, you can walk most places in the city except the main tourist site, Bom Jesus do Monte. To get there, take local bus #2 from Praça Conde de Agrolongo close to the Museu dos Biscainhos or Avenida da Liberdade. Purchase a one day tourist ticket from the driver. The trip to the pilgrimage site takes 20 minutes each way.
To get to Guimarães from Braga, you have to take a bus. Book your ticket in advance for FlixBus. The journey will take less than 30 minutes. Once in Guimarães, you can easily reach everything by foot.
To get back to Porto from Guimarães (or between Porto and Guimarães if you prefer to skip Braga), you can take the train or a bus. This handy website gives you all the options!
Sunday
It’s time to depart Portugal. I know you are sad. I was surprised at how much I loved visiting the country and would go back in a heartbeat! If you can, you should extend your trip by a few more days to explore the Azores region of the nation. This region is a series of nine volcanic islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. But that’s the subject of a future post!
Accommodations
You won’t spend much time in your hotel during your week in Portugal. But you will want a comfortable place to stay.
Lisbon
In Lisbon, you will want to stay in the heart of the city. Some options include Sofitel Lisbon Liberdade (5 star hotel), Jupiter Lisboa Hotel (4 star hotel) or Ibis Styles Lisboa Centro Marques de Pombal (3 star hotel).
Porto
In Porto, nothing is too far apart. I stayed in the Pestana Porto – A Brasileira (5 star hotel). It’s a beautiful hotel in a perfect location. Another good option is the Se Catedral Hotel Porto (4 star hotel). If you want to save some money and don’t mind basic accommodations, the Moov Hotel Porto Centro (2 star hotel) is a great choice.
When will you spend your week in Portugal?
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