Taking in the views from above Lisbon
Over the past several years, travelers have flocked to Portugal, and it’s easy to see why. With colorful cities, dramatic coastlines, incredible food and wine, rich history, and plenty of sunshine, this small country packs a lot into every visit. From the lively streets of Lisbon and Porto to charming towns and breathtaking coastal escapes, Portugal offers something for just about every kind of traveler.
Lisbon’s iconic 25 de Abril Bridge
Portugal at a Glance
Suggested Trip Length:
7–9 days is ideal. This gives you enough time to experience both Lisbon and Porto at a relaxed pace while adding day trips to Sintra, Évora, and the spectacular Douro Valley.
Best Home Bases:
Divide your time between Lisbon and Porto. Lisbon makes an excellent base for exploring Sintra and Évora, while Porto is the natural jumping-off point for a day in the Douro Valley. Both cities are wonderfully walkable, chock-full of great restaurants and wine bars, and offer plenty to keep you busy between day trips.
Do You Need a Car?
No. Portugal is an easy country to explore without one, particularly with this itinerary. Lisbon and Porto are best explored on foot and by public transportation, while trains make it easy to travel between the two cities and take day trips from Lisbon to Sintra and Évora.
For the Douro Valley, consider booking an organized day trip so you can visit wineries, enjoy the scenery, and, most importantly, sample PLENTY of wine without worrying about driving.
Best Time to Visit:
Spring (March–May) and fall (September–October) are wonderful times to visit. We visited in March and enjoyed pleasant temperatures and relatively small crowds. While summer promises warmer weather, it also brings larger crowds.
Because I Care:
I am usually the LAST person who will recommend wearing flats, but here, especially in Lisbon, I’m telling you: if you value your ankles, your joy, and your overall quality of life, wear comfortable shoes. The hills are no joke. Add in the cobblestone streets, and you’ll be thanking your sensible shoes (and me!) and lovingly embracing your flats by the end of the day.
Trust. Me.
Lisbon: Portugal's Colorful Capital
Panoramic views over Lisbon’s colorful rooftops and the Tagus River.
It’s hard not to fall head over heels for Lisbon.
Brightly painted tiled buildings, cobblestone streets, historic neighborhoods, mouthwatering food and wine, sweeping views over the Tagus River, and the haunting sounds of fado spilling from tiny bars. It didn’t take long for us to fall hard for Portugal’s capital. By day two, T and I had become certifiably obsessed and, like so many other American tourists, quickly found ourselves daydreaming: “We could totally live here.”
Give yourself at least three days to explore the capital city, wandering its neighborhoods and eating plenty of pastéis de nata along the way (warning: these heavenly egg custard tarts will be a recurring theme throughout this post).
What to See
Taking in the views from above Lisbon
Start with São Jorge Castle, perched high above the city and offering some of the best views over Lisbon and the Tagus River. From there, spend time simply getting lost in Alfama, Lisbon’s oldest neighborhood, where steep cobblestone lanes, candy-colored buildings, hidden courtyards, and intimate fado venues make wandering part of the experience.
Head to Belém for several of Lisbon’s most iconic sights. The magnificent Jerónimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was one of the most impressive architectural sites we visited. Nearby, stroll along the river to Belém Tower and the striking Monument to the Discoveries, built in honor of Portugal’s great age of maritime exploration.
The stunning Monument to the Discoveries
And while you're in Belém, there is one more VERY important stop: Pastéis de Belém. The bakery has been turning out its famous custard tarts since 1837. Crispy, creamy, warm, and sprinkled with cinnamon. Yes, they're worth the hype, and waiting in line for!
Again, TRUST.
Apparently happiness comes in tiny aluminum tins
Explore the Neighborhoods
With our dear friends and travel companions, Rachel and Charlie
Lisbon is a city best experienced on foot, even if your legs may have something to say about those famous hills.
Baixa and Chiado make a great home base, filled with restaurants, cafés, shops, and easy access to many of the city's major sights. Bairro Alto comes alive with restaurants and bars, while nearby Príncipe Real offers a slightly more stylish mix of boutiques, restaurants, and cafés.
Don't miss a ride on one of Lisbon's iconic yellow trams or funiculars. We loved the Ascensor da Glória, which climbs the steep hill from Restauradores toward the beautiful São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint.
Experience Fado
An intimate Fado performance in the heart of Lisbon
One of our favorite Lisbon experiences was spending not one, but two, evenings listening to fado, Portugal's deeply emotional traditional music. We visited A Tasca do Chico, a tiny, atmospheric spot where people line up before the doors open, as well as Restaurante Já Disse, where we paired dinner with live performances.
A Tasca do Chico
Even if you don't understand a word of Portuguese, you understand the emotion. It's one of those experiences that immediately gives you a deeper sense of the country and its people.
Eat & Drink
A taste of Lisbon, all under one roof
Lisbon is a fantastic food city, so leave plenty of room in your itinerary, and your stomach.
Time Out Market Lisboa is an easy way to sample dishes from multiple restaurants and chefs under one roof. As someone who can never resist a good food market, this was naturally one of my happy places.
And then there are the pastéis de nata. Yes, I’m mentioning these creamy custards of PURE JOY again! Eat them. Eat them often. Savor them. Relish them. Compare them. Consider it important travel research.
Lisbon gave us history, food, wine, music, beautiful neighborhoods, and that wonderful feeling of being completely swept up by a new city. Three days left us wanting more, which, in my opinion, is exactly how you want to leave a place.
Two Easy Day Trips from Lisbon: Sintra & Évora
One of the best things about basing yourself in Lisbon is how easy it is to explore beyond the city. Two of our favorite day trips, Sintra and Évora, are both easily reached by train, require no car, and offer completely different experiences.
Sintra
It’s like stepping into a magical storybook
If Lisbon is colorful, Sintra takes things to a whole other level. Tucked into the forested hills outside the capital, this fairy-tale town is a kaleidoscope of candy-colored palaces, whimsical turrets, lush gardens, and centuries of history.
The star attraction is the wildly colorful Pena Palace, perched high above town like a cotton-candy dream brought to life. Sintra is also home to the mysterious Quinta da Regaleira, famous for its enchanting gardens, hidden passageways, grottoes, the wildly photogenic, spiraling Initiation Well.
Sintra’s mesmerizing Initiation Well, spiraling deep into the earth
Sintra is one of Portugal’s most popular destinations for good reason. Plan on spending most of the day here, as there’s a lot to see.
Sintra Travel Tips
Take the train from Lisbon: The train from Lisbon is easy - there is no need for a rental car here. We bought tickets at the train station. Trains run frequently, about about every twenty minutes or so. Once you arrive, there are buses, taxis, and Ubers available. While you can certainly walk to the historic center, I recommend saving your legs. The hills are pretty brutal here.
Book ahead and go early. Pena Palace requires timed entry and gets very crowded.
Évora
Taking in the views from Évora’s medieval walls
For something completely different, head east to Évora, a beautifully preserved city in Portugal’s Alentejo region. Its historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a captivating mix of winding stone lanes, whitewashed buildings, ancient Roman ruins, medieval landmarks, and inviting squares. We spent the day exploring it all, taking in arresting views over terracotta rooftops and the surrounding countryside. Compact, atmospheric, and steeped in history, Évora is the kind of place that invites you to slow down and simply explore.
Taking some time to wander Evora’s charming white-washed steets
Évora receives far less attention than Sintra, but that's part of its appeal. If you have enough time, do both. Sintra delivers the fairy-tale palaces and dramatic scenery; Évora offers centuries of history, laid-back Alentejo charm, and fewer crowds.
Sweeping Views of Portugal’s Alentejo region
Évora Travel Tips
Wear comfortable shoes. Yes, again with the shoes. And yes, you're welcome. Évora’s stone-paved streets are beautiful but uneven, and the historic center is best explored on foot.
Don’t rush it. Évora is concentrated, so leave time to wander beyond the major sights, linger over lunch, and enjoy the relaxed Alentejo pace.
Porto & the Douro Valley
Port barrels aging to perfection
Set along the Douro River, Porto is a picturesque city steeped in history filled with impressive architecture, a fantastic food scene, and, of course, plenty of Port. Its intimate center makes it easy to explore on foot with winding streets, tiled façades, lively neighborhoods, and river views around seemingly every corner. The city mixes old-world architecture with more contemporary design, but it’s Porto’s striking azulejos - those gorgeous blue-and-white tiles that you’ve seen flooding your Instagram feed - that really steal the show. Give yourself time to meander without much of an agenda.
Porto’s iconic blue-and-white azulejos
Cais da Ribeira
Porto’s picturesque Cais da Ribeira along the Douro River
Porto’s postcard-perfect riverfront is one of the best places to stroll. Cafés, restaurants, and shops line the promenade, with ornate façades rising behind them and the Port houses of Vila Nova de Gaia just across the Douro.
Livraria Lello
Did I mention how utterly gorgeous this bookstore is?!
Book lovers - and Harry Potter fans - will want to visit (read: move into permanently) at Livraria Lello, frequently named one of the world’s most beautiful bookstores. Its intricate woodwork, stained glass, and dramatic curving staircase make the interior feel straight out of a storybook.
Even as a non-Harry Potter fan (I know, I know! I’ve tried!), I was completely blown away. This might just be the most stunning bookstore I’ve ever stepped foot in.
Port Tasting
I mean, isn’t this one of the main reasons you’re here? Yes, the architecture is beautiful and the food is fantastic, but let’s be real here: you come to Porto for the Port!
Cross the Dom Luís I Bridge to Vila Nova de Gaia, where many of the city's famous Port houses and cellars are clustered along the river. We visited Sandeman for a traditional cellar tour and tasting, then headed to Espaço Porto Cruz, where we skipped the tour and went straight to a flight of Ports. Sometimes you just have to know your priorities.
Douro Valley
As wonderful as Porto is, don't leave Portugal without venturing into the Douro Valley. About 90 minutes from the city, this spectacular wine region is filled with terraced vineyards cascading down steep hillsides toward the Douro River.
We spent the day visiting Pinhão, touring two wonderful wineries, D’Origem and Quinta do Jalloto, tasting local wines and Ports, enjoying a traditional lunch, and taking a scenic river cruise. Both wineries offered extensive views over the valley, where terraced vineyards blanket the hillsides above the Douro River.
Sipping our way through the Douro Valley
The combination of Porto’s lively streets, convivial food and wine and scene, and the staggering scenery of the Douro Valley makes this one of my favorite pairings in Portugal. Give yourself a few days to experience both. You’ll be glad you did.
The Douro River winding through Portugal’s spectacular wine country
Portugal is the kind of place that stays with you long after you leave. From Lisbon’s spirited neighborhoods and Sintra’s whimsical architecture to Évora’s whitewashed streets and timeless beauty and the vineyard-covered hills of the Douro Valley, every place offered something completely different and every bit as magical.
Come for the beauty, food, and wine, and don’t be surprised if you leave already planning your return.
