Portugal’s story sweeps from Roman outposts to the Age of Discoveries, when caravels sailed from Lisbon and reshaped maps. Earthquakes, revolutions, and artistic renaissances followed, leaving behind azulejo-tiled facades, soulful fado music, and kitchens that honor land and sea.

Travelers come for Lisbon’s miradouros and rattling trams, Porto’s riverside lanes and port lodges, Sintra’s dreamlike palaces, and the Douro Valley’s UNESCO-ranked vineyards. Fun fact: locals say there’s a bacalhau recipe for every day of the year—and then some. Save room for pastel de nata and a francesinha.

Practical notes: wear grippy shoes for steep cobbles; carry a contactless card for metros and trains; watch for pickpockets on crowded trams. Tap water is safe, tipping is modest (round up to 5–10%), and dinner skews late. Book big sights (Lello, Pena Palace) and popular eateries in advance.

Lisbon

Lisbon is all light and layers—seven hills of tiled buildings, iron balconies, and views that spill to the Tagus. Old Alfama hums with fado; Chiado and Baixa handle the shopping; Belém tells of explorers with monasteries, monuments, and the city’s most famous custard tarts.

Foodies feast on seafood at classic cervejarias, petiscos in tiny tascas, and cutting-edge kitchens in warehouses at LX Factory and Marvila. Craft beer fans can tap into local brews at Musa, Dois Corvos, and Oitava Colina; night owls drift from Bairro Alto’s buzzy bars to Cais do Sodré’s clubs.

• Where to stay (Hotels.com/VRBO): For top-end comfort, book Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon or the riverside palace vibe at Olissippo Lapa Palace Hotel. Families love apartment-style suites at Martinhal Lisbon Chiado Family Suites. Budget-friendly and social: Lisbon Destination Hostel. Browse more stays on Hotels.com Lisbon or VRBO Lisbon.
• Getting there and around: Compare flights to Lisbon on Omio (Flights). In town, trams/metros are easy; a 24-hour pass is good value. For trains out of Lisbon, use Omio (Trains) or buses via Omio (Buses).
• Great to do (Viator picks): Foodies should join the Winner 2025 Undiscovered Lisbon Food & Wine Tour by Eating Europe.

  

  Cover the hills with a Private Lisbon Sightseeing Tuk-Tuk Tour.

  

  For palaces and wild cliffs, take the Sintra and Cascais Small-Group Day Trip.

  

Porto

Porto feels medieval and modern at once—granite lanes, baroque churches, azulejo-swathed stations, and a food scene that punches above its size. Down the hill, the Ribeira buzzes by the Douro, while across the Dom Luís I Bridge, Gaia’s lodges age tawny and vintage ports.

By day, explore São Bento’s tile panels and climb Clérigos Tower; by night, sip at wine bars or chase craft beer around Aliados and Cedofeita. Hungry? Try Casa Guedes’ pork-sandwich-with-Serra-cheese, petiscos at Cantina 32, or a francesinha with gravy that borders on myth.

• Where to stay (Hotels.com/Hostels/VRBO): Treat yourself at The Yeatman with its cellar and panoramic pool, or go sleek at HF Ipanema Park. Wallet-friendly: Moov Hotel Porto Centro or artsy Gallery Hostel. Browse more on Hotels.com Porto or VRBO Porto.
• Getting there and around: Lisbon–Porto trains take ~2h50–3h15 and run all day; compare times and fares on Omio (Trains). City trams/metros use reloadable Andante cards.
• Great to do (Viator picks): Go vineyard-hopping on the Authentic Small Group Douro Wine Tour with Lunch & River Cruise.

  

  Turn the center into a puzzle with Porto’s city centre: alleys, views and tales city game.

  

Day 1: Land in Lisbon, get your bearings, and chase a sunset

Morning: In transit. If you can, snag a window seat on arrival to spot the Tagus and 25 de Abril Bridge as you descend.

Afternoon: Check in, then stretch your legs through Baixa and Chiado—Praça do Comércio, Rua Augusta’s arch, and the cast-iron Elevador de Santa Justa. Coffee and a pastel de nata at Manteigaria or specialty beans at Fabrica Coffee Roasters on Rua das Portas de Santo Antão.

Evening: Seafood feast at Cervejaria Ramiro (garlic clams, scarlet shrimp, steak sandwich “pregado” for dessert), or book Taberna da Rua das Flores for seasonal petiscos. For craft beer, sip at Duque Brewpub near Rossio or swing to Musa da Bica; nightcap on Bairro Alto’s terraces or under the neon of Cais do Sodré’s Musicbox.

Day 2: Alfama stories, Belém icons, and a foodie tour after dark

Morning: Wander Alfama’s lanes before tram crowds; visit Lisbon Cathedral and climb Castelo de São Jorge for rampart views. Brunch at Augusto Lisboa (ricotta pancakes) or Hello, Kristof (Nordic-style plates).

Afternoon: Head to Belém: Jerónimos Monastery’s stone lacework, the Monument to the Discoveries, and MAAT’s riverfront curves. Line up for Pastéis de Belém—still warm, cinnamon-dusted.

Evening: Join the Winner 2025 Undiscovered Lisbon Food & Wine Tour by Eating Europe to dine in tucked-away spots, pair wines with regional plates, and learn the city through its kitchens—great for “living like a local.”

Day 3: Full-day Sintra and Cascais (day tour)

Fairytale palaces, misty forests, and Atlantic cliffs define this classic day trip. Let a guide handle palace tickets and traffic on the Sintra and Cascais Small-Group Day Trip from Lisbon. Expect Pena Palace’s color-splashed turrets, the esoteric gardens of Regaleira, windswept Cabo da Roca, and a seaside stroll in Cascais. Pack layers; mountain weather flips fast.

Day 4: Street art, local brews, and tuk-tuk views

Morning: Zip through the hills on a Private Lisbon Sightseeing Tuk-Tuk Tour—Alfama alleys, Graça’s Miradouro da Senhora do Monte, and Mouraria’s fado roots without uphill slog.

Breakfast nearby at Copenhagen Coffee Lab or Padaria Portuguesa for still-warm pão de deus.

Afternoon: LX Factory for indie shops (A Vida Portuguesa, Ler Devagar bookshop) and street art. Then tram or rideshare to Marvila’s beer belt: tastings at Dois Corvos (try a hoppy IPA flight) and Oitava Colina’s taproom. Late lunch options: Mercado de Campo de Ourique’s stalls (pica-pau, croquettes) or a bifana at O Trevo in Chiado.

Evening: Catch the golden hour at Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara, then dinner at Solar dos Presuntos (seafood rice, spider crab) or Zé da Mouraria (legendary bacalhau). For a fado fix, small venues like Mesa de Frades keep it intimate. Cocktails at Red Frog speakeasy or rooftop PARK over a car park with a view.

Day 5: Lisbon to Porto by train, port lodges and riverside wander

Morning: Depart Lisbon for Porto by Alfa Pendular or Intercidades (~2h50–3h15, usually €15–40). Check schedules and fares on Omio (Trains); buses are a budget backup on Omio (Buses). Grab coffee and a pastel at the station for the ride.

Afternoon: Check in, then stroll Ribeira’s riverfront and cross the lower deck of the Dom Luís I Bridge into Gaia. Book a lodge tasting—Graham’s (hilltop views), Sandeman (iconic cape), or Fonseca—to compare white, ruby, tawny, and vintage ports. Non-sweet option: order a dry white port & tonic.

Evening: Dinner at Adega São Nicolau (octopus rice, posta steak) or the tiny Taberna dos Mercadores (book ahead). Craft beer crawl at Letraria – Craft Beer Garden (leafy courtyard) and Fábrica Nortada (working brewery with seasonal taps). For late-night, drift to Galerias de Paris—bars and beats until late.

Day 6: Douro Valley wine, viewpoints, and a river cruise (full-day tour)

Spend the day among vine-laced hills on the Authentic Small Group Douro Wine Tour with Lunch & River Cruise. You’ll visit two quintas for tastings (often including still wines and port), enjoy a traditional lunch, and glide on a short Douro cruise past stone-terraced slopes. It’s a compact, value-friendly way to see one of Europe’s great wine landscapes without a car.

Day 7: Porto tiles, markets, craft coffee—and departure

Morning: Start at São Bento Station to decode Portugal’s history in blue-and-white tile. Nearby espresso at Combi Coffee Roasters or 7g Roaster in Gaia. Solve clues while sightseeing with Porto’s city centre: alleys, views and tales city game—a fun, self-paced way to weave in Clérigos Tower and hidden belvederes.

Afternoon: Snack through Mercado do Bolhão’s renovated hall (smoked sausages, cheeses, cured fish), then a francesinha at Café Santiago or Brasão Aliados if you’re hungry. Last-minute shopping on Rua de Santa Catarina (local cork goods, ceramics) before you head to the airport or station; compare options on Omio (Flights) and Omio (Trains).

Evening: If you have time before departure, toast the trip with a glass of tawny at a wine bar like Prova or a crisp lager at Catraio Craft Beer—then make your way out with the Douro glow still in sight.

Budget and timing tips: With a mid-range budget (50/100), aim for €30–€50 per person for dinners, €10–€15 for lunches, and set aside €25–€40 for intercity trains. Book marquee restaurants and tours 1–2 weeks out, and buy timed entries (Pena Palace, Livraria Lello) when possible.

Places to eat and drink you’ll love:

• Lisbon breakfast/coffee: Fabrica Coffee Roasters; Manteigaria (nata); Hello, Kristof; Copenhagen Coffee Lab.
• Lisbon lunch: Mercado de Campo de Ourique stalls; O Trevo (bifana); Time Out Market picks like croquettes and tinned-fish counters.
• Lisbon dinner: Cervejaria Ramiro; Zé da Mouraria; Taberna da Rua das Flores; Solar dos Presuntos.
• Lisbon beer/nightlife: Musa (Bica/Arroios); Dois Corvos; Oitava Colina; Duque Brewpub; Red Frog; PARK rooftop; Musicbox.
• Porto breakfast/coffee: Combi Coffee Roasters; 7g Roaster (Gaia); Do Norte.
• Porto lunch: Mercado do Bolhão; Casa Guedes (pork + Serra); Gazela (cachorrinhos).
• Porto dinner: Adega São Nicolau; Taberna dos Mercadores; Cantina 32; Brasão Cervejaria.
• Porto beer/nightlife: Letraria; Fábrica Nortada; Catraio Craft Beer; Base garden bar; Plano B late-night.

Getting between cities and tours is simple with frequent trains and well-run small-group excursions, keeping transit time low and adventure high. Expect a week of tiled streets, Atlantic light, and flavors that linger—port, petiscos, and pastries—long after you’ve flown home.