Portugal is a compact treasure box of maritime history, golden light, and azulejo-tiled stories. Across seven days you’ll trace the Tagus and the Douro, glide from the capital to the north by rail, and taste how the Atlantic shapes the plate—grilled sardines, creamy cod, and sweet custard tarts.

Lisbon rises over seven hills: medieval Alfama, grand Baixa, bohemian Bairro Alto, and riverside Belém with its Age of Discovery monuments. Nearby Sintra, wrapped in mist and myth, dazzles with Romantic palaces and gardens. Porto’s granite soul, meanwhile, meets the river in the colorful Ribeira and in Port lodges perched over the valley.

Practical notes: Portugal is walkable but hilly—pack good shoes. Trains are reliable for Lisbon–Porto. Tipping is appreciated but modest. Book marquee sights (Pena Palace, Livraria Lello) and popular restaurants in advance, and watch for pickpockets on Tram 28 and in crowds.

Lisbon

Lisbon is sunlight on tile, the rattle of Tram 28, and the echo of fado in stone alleys. You’ll wander miradouros (viewpoints), taste pastéis de nata still warm from the oven, and hop between neighborhoods where Moorish walls meet Art Deco storefronts and riverfront museums.

Top sights include São Jorge Castle, Alfama’s labyrinth, the Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower, the MAAT museum, and lively Mercado da Ribeira (Time Out Market). Evenings hum with petiscos (Portuguese tapas), seafood at old-school cervejarias, and cocktails on rooftop terraces.

• Stay in Lisbon: Browse stays on VRBO or Hotels.com. Great picks: Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon (city views, refined spa), Olissippo Lapa Palace Hotel (river-view palace in leafy Lapa), Martinhal Lisbon Chiado Family Suites (apartment-style in Chiado), and Lisbon Destination Hostel (budget-friendly inside Rossio Station).
• Getting to Lisbon (LIS): For flights within or to/from Europe search Omio Flights. If you’re flying from outside Europe, compare on Trip.com or Kiwi.com.

Day 1: Arrive in Lisbon, Alfama Views & Fado

Morning: In transit. If you arrive early, grab specialty coffee at Fabrica Coffee Roasters (try the flat white) or a Scandinavian-leaning breakfast at Hello, Kristof (granola bowls, sourdough toasts).

Afternoon: Check in, freshen up, and stroll Baixa’s Pombaline boulevards to Praça do Comércio. Ride the short Elevador do Castelo route on foot through Alfama’s lanes to Miradouro da Senhora do Monte for a sweeping city welcome.

Evening: Feast on Lisbon classics: book Zé da Mouraria (grilled fish, octopus rice) or Cervejaria Ramiro (garlic shrimp, clams Bulhão Pato). End with live fado in Alfama—intimate spots like Clube de Fado or Tasca do Chico set the mood with melancholic songs and red wine.

Day 2: Lisbon Highlights by Tuk Tuk, Belém Monuments & Bairro Alto Night

Morning: Cover serious ground with a local-led tuk tuk ride: True 4Hour Private Tuk Tuk Tour: Discover Lisbon with a Local! (often ~4 hours; great for first-timers). You’ll zigzag Alfama, Graça, Chiado, and Bairro Alto with stories you won’t find in guidebooks.

Afternoon: Tram or rideshare to Belém. Tour the Jerónimos Monastery’s cloisters and admire Belém Tower’s Manueline flourishes. Refuel at Pastéis de Belém—order at the counter, dust with cinnamon, and eat while warm. Riverfront stroll past the Discoveries Monument and MAAT’s wave-like rooftop.

Evening: Dinner near Chiado: Solar dos Presuntos (seafood rice, scarlet prawns) or Bairro do Avillez (creative Portuguese small plates). Nightcap at PARK rooftop atop a car park for sunset over the Tagus, or classic cocktails at Foxtrot.

Day 3: Sintra & Cascais Day Trip (Full Day)

Trade city streets for Romantic gardens and ocean cliffs on a guided small-group excursion: Sintra and Cascais Small-Group Day Trip from Lisbon (typically ~9–10 hours, often €70–85). Explore the candy-colored Pena Palace, stroll Sintra’s medieval lanes, sample travesseiros pastries at Piriquita, stand at Cabo da Roca—the western edge of continental Europe—and wander the seaside elegance of Cascais before returning to Lisbon.

Day 4: Contemporary Lisbon, LX Factory & Food Tour Evening

Morning: Head to LX Factory, an artsy complex under the 25 de Abril Bridge. Coffee at Wish Slow Coffee House, browse Ler Devagar bookstore, and peek at local design studios. If museums call, swing by MAAT for architecture and energy-themed exhibits.

Afternoon: Light lunch at Time Out Market—try Sea Me (grilled fish and sushi hybrids), Marlene Vieira (seafood stews), or Croqueteria (chouriço croquettes). Save room for Manteigaria’s pastéis de nata at the market outpost.

Evening: Dive into Lisbon’s culinary backstreets on the award-winning Winner 2025 Undiscovered Lisbon Food & Wine Tour by Eating Europe (features four proper dine-in stops; generous tastings with wine). Expect petiscos, tinned fish artistry, Alentejo pork, cheeses, and a sweet nightcap of ginjinha.

Porto

Porto, Portugal’s second city, is granite and gold leaf, river mists and Port barrels. The UNESCO-listed Ribeira district spills down to the Douro, while across the bridge in Vila Nova de Gaia, centuries-old lodges age fortified wine in cool cellars.

Don’t miss azulejo masterworks at São Bento Station and Igreja do Carmo, the Clérigos Tower skyline, and tasting flights at Graham’s, Taylor’s, or Sandeman. The Bolhão Market hums with produce and petiscos, and the francesinha sandwich is a rite of passage.

• Stay in Porto: Compare stays on VRBO or Hotels.com. Favorites: The Yeatman (luxury wine hotel with epic views), HF Ipanema Park (rooftop pool, modern rooms), Moov Hotel Porto Centro (value in an Art Deco building), and Gallery Hostel (stylish social stay in artsy Cedofeita).
• Lisbon → Porto by train (Day 5): Book on Omio Trains. Alfa Pendular takes ~2h50 (Lisbon Santa Apolónia/Oriente → Porto Campanhã, then local train to São Bento), typically €25–45 if booked ahead. Buses (~3.5h) via Omio Buses can be cheaper.

Day 5: Train to Porto, Ribeira & Port Wine at Sunset

Morning: Early train north (aim for 8–9 a.m.; seats and luggage space are assigned/ample). Snack aboard or grab a bifana pork sandwich and pastel de nata before departure.

Afternoon: Check in and wander down to Ribeira’s riverfront arcades. Cross Dom Luís I Bridge’s lower deck to Vila Nova de Gaia for tasting rooms. Try Graham’s (panoramic terrace) or Taylor’s (classic flights and guided tours).

Evening: Dinner at Brasão Cervejaria Aliados (legendary francesinha, wood-fired “bolas” garlic bread) or Adega São Nicolau (old-town tavern for cod with chickpeas). Gelato or eclairs at Leitaria da Quinta do Paço before a golden-hour view from Jardim do Morro.

Day 6: Douro Valley Wine Day (Full Day)

Spend a day in the world’s first demarcated wine region on a small-group tour from Porto. Two excellent options (typically €95–135 pp) include vineyard tastings, lunch, and a short river cruise:
• Complete Douro Valley Wine Tour with Lunch, Wine Tastings and River Cruise

• Douro Valley Tour: 2 Vineyard Visits, River Cruise, Winery Lunch

Expect scenic viewpoints over terraced vines, tastings of Douro reds and tawny/rosé Ports, and a gentle Rabelo-style boat ride at Pinhão. Back in Porto, keep dinner light—share petiscos at Prova wine bar or grab a pork-sandwich-and-Serra-cheese classic at Casa Guedes.

Day 7: Tiles, Towers & Departure

Morning: Start at São Bento Station to admire narrative azulejos, then climb the Clérigos Tower for a last look over orange rooftops. If books are your thing, time-ticket Livraria Lello early. Coffee at Combi Roasters or brunch at Zenith (pancakes and shakshuka are hits).

Afternoon: Stroll Bolhão Market for edible souvenirs (canned fish, olive oils) and quick bites. Depart from Porto (OPO) or train back to Lisbon for your flight. For flights within Europe, compare on Omio Flights; for long-haul options, check Trip.com or Kiwi.com.

Dining & Coffee Shortlist (Save This!)

• Lisbon coffee/breakfast: Fabrica Coffee Roasters; Hello, Kristof; Dear Breakfast (eggs Benedict, açai bowls).
• Lisbon lunch: Time Out Market stalls (Sea Me, Marlene Vieira); O Trevo for a quick bifana; Ponto Final (Almada) for riverside romance if you have time to ferry.
• Lisbon dinner: Cervejaria Ramiro (shellfish); Solar dos Presuntos (seafood classics); Bairro do Avillez (creative Portuguese).
• Lisbon sweets & night: Pastéis de Belém; Manteigaria (multiple locations); cocktails at PARK or Foxtrot; fado in Alfama.
• Porto coffee/breakfast: Combi Roasters; 7g Roaster (Gaia); Padaria Ribeiro (pastries).
• Porto lunch: Casa Guedes (pork + Serra cheese); Adega São Nicolau (traditional); Mercado do Bolhão (cheese, charcuterie, petiscos).
• Porto dinner: Brasão Cervejaria (francesinha); Cantinho do Avillez (modern takes); seafood in Matosinhos (go for grilled sardines in season).

Need-to-Know Tips

• Transit: Lisbon’s Viva Viagem/Andante cards make metro/tram/bus easy; buy and top up at stations. Expect hills—use trams or tuk tuks to save your legs.
• Timing: Jerónimos, Belém Tower, and Pena Palace are busiest late morning—go early. Reserve Ramiro, Solar dos Presuntos, and Brasão.
• Safety: Pickpockets target crowded trams and viewpoints; keep bags zipped and phones stowed.

Day-by-Day Snapshot

• Day 1: Arrive Lisbon; Alfama viewpoints; seafood + fado.
• Day 2: Tuk tuk city highlights; Belém monuments; Chiado dining.
• Day 3: Full-day Sintra & Cascais tour.
• Day 4: LX Factory; market lunch; evening food tour.
• Day 5: Morning train to Porto; Ribeira + Port tasting.
• Day 6: Full-day Douro Valley wine tour.
• Day 7: Tiles, towers, Bolhão; afternoon departure.

Optional swap: If you prefer fewer tours, replace Day 3 with a DIY Sintra via train (early start, timed Pena tickets) and use Day 6 for a Porto walking tour and 6-bridges cruise instead.

In one week, you’ve traced Portugal’s historic spine—from Lisbon’s sunlit hills and Sintra’s storybook palaces to Porto’s riverside cellars and terraced vineyards. Expect to leave with a camera full of tiles, a suitcase full of tinned fish and olive oil, and plans to return.