Portugal! A beautiful country full of history, culture, people, food, and views for days. I was in Portugal for a little over a week and basically hit the major spots a bit too quickly (my German travelmate had limited time and wanted to hit Morocco as soon as possible), but if you have the time, I definitely recommend at least two weeks in Portugal. I did this entire itinerary in 8 days, so it’s definitely doable, but we were tired everyday and it seemed like we were rushing all the time..so again..highly recommend staying longer if you can. Ok…now let’s get to it!

I flew into Porto, but usually it’s cheaper to fly into Lisbon from most major cities, so simply adjust the following itinerary accordingly. If you only have one week, I suggest going from Lisbon and heading north or south.

PORTO (2 OR 3 DAYS)

Super cute town in northern Portugal where you must try Port wine, visit the many churches, walk across the Dom Luis I Bridge, visit the Lello Bookstore where J.K. Rowling got inspired for Harry Potter, and eat a francesinha. More on Porto in this article here: Two Days in Porto, Portugal

Coimbra (1 or 2 days)

Visit the historical University of Coimbra – explore the Royal Palace, climb the Tower for spectacular views of the city, and step into the Baroque Library (which seriously looks like the library that the Beast gave to Belle in Beauty and Beast)

Fatima (1/2 day or 1 day)

See the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima – went here on a Sunday and was able to experience mass in the main sanctuary and it was very moving

Nazare (1 or 2 days)

Known for having some of the largest waves in the world, Nazare is a picturesque seaside town. Make sure to visit the top of the cliff by the lighthouse for a stunning view of the water and town below. I didn’t visit at the right time to see huge waves (July), so if you are really keen on seeing 100 ft waves, visit sometime between October and March (but do more research on this!)

Peniche (1 or 2 days)

One of Portugal’s surf towns, so if you are into that stuff, take a surf class! Also you must take a day trip out to Berlenga Island. Sadly, we did not have enough time to see Berlanga Island, but heard great things about it.

Sintra (1 or 2 days)

Good day trip from Lisbon or coming from Peniche, Sintra has some great castles to see. Highly recommend seeing Castello Dos Mouros, Palacio da Pena, and Quinta de Regaleira.
- Warning: Driving was a challenge in this town with narrow two-way roads and hills…and on a manual car..luckily I wasn’t driving because I was freaking out the entire time, haha. Thank you to my German, Maren for navigating us safely around!

Cabo da Roca (1/2 day)

Make sure you drive over to Cabo da Roca which has absolutely breathtaking views of the water and rocks. Hike down to Praia da Ursa for an even better view.

Cascais (1 or 2 days)

Really nice town along the water – take a stroll along the promenade, go surfing at Praia do Guincho, and walk around town and eat some seafood!

Lisbon (3 or 4 days)

I love Lisboa (what the locals call Lisbon). So much to do and see – great food, nightlife, culture, history, you name it. You can take Tram 28 which will stop at popular tourist attractions or you can walk or take the train/taxi on your own. Make sure to visit Alfama and see St. George Castle, head over to Belem to see the tower and gardens and have a portuguese custard tart at the ever famous Pasteis de Belem, and party with other travelers and locals in Bairro Alto and Pink Street in Cais de Sodre.
Also something that was highly recommended by the locals that I didn’t get to see was LX Factory which is right by the Ponte 25 de April (Lisboa’s bridge that looks just like SF’s Golden Gate Bridge). They also have a huge statue – Cristo Rei (somewhat similar to Rio’s Christ the Redeemer) which I wanted to see which is on the other side of the bridge.

Lagos (3 or 4 days)

Love love love Lagos. If you love beaches, Lagos has plenty of them. Part of the Algarve of Portugal, Lagos has these rock formations along the shore that remind me of the 12 Apostles in Australia, but you can actually get closer to them! Take a kayak or boat tour to see the rock formations from the water or take a stroll along the cliffs to see the views and go beach hopping. The town is walkable with shops and restaurants everywhere and the nightlife is pretty lively.
If you have time, take the bus or drive over to Sagres. I did not get to visit Sagres, but it was another recommendation from the locals to visit.
There are other cities along the Algarve coast that you can visit as well such as Portimao, Albufeira, and Faro. If you have the time, look into them and let me know how it goes!

From Lagos, we took a Bla Bla car to Seville, Spain, but if you are heading home, look for flights out of Faro or Lisboa!

Again, if you only have a week….I suggest either only doing the north or the south of Portugal. Figure out which offers more of what you are interested in doing and adjust your itinerary accordingly.

Transportation

Portugal is a great place for a road trip. Rent a car and have at it! Renting a manual car is half the price of renting an automatic car, so if you do not know how to drive stick shift…learn or find a friend that does. The more people in the car, the cheaper it is, so if you meet someone that is down for a road trip and is heading the same direction…invite them along! If you don’t want to rent a car, there are public trains and buses which are fairly cheap and organized tours you can take which can be pricey.

Money

Portugal’s currency is the euro (€). Unlike my trip to Southeast Asia where cash was more widely used, I was able to use my credit card in most places throughout Portugal. However, sometimes it is easier to use cash, (especially in smaller family owned cafes/restaurants) so there are ATMs pretty much everywhere if you do need it.

Safety

As a female traveler, I never felt unsafe. Like anywhere, you need to be aware of your belongings and your surroundings. Just make smart choices!

Food

So much good food in Portugal. I love seafood and Portugal is known for it. Try the sardines (grilled or canned), salted cod (bacalhau a casa), dourade/sea bream, octopus, squid, shrimp, mussels, clams, tuna (also canned), and whatever else the waiter recommends. For you meat lovers…I really enjoyed this dish called jardineira which is a beef stew with potatoes and veggies (really similar to caldereta for my fellow filipinos out there) and bife a casa – Portuguese steak with sauce and friesssss.

Accommodations

I stayed in mostly hostels throughout my time in Portugal and one hotel through the HotelTonight app. I’ve listed the ones I recommend below:

Bluesock Hostel Porto – super close to the water and main attractions, very clean!
Skyna Hotel Lisboa – nice hotel, not that close to the popular tourist areas
Top City Hostel (Lagos) – super clean with a really nice rooftop area with pool, great location

Overall, I had an amazing time in Portugal. I would definitely go back and spend more time there. If you’ve been there and have other suggestions, feel free to comment below!

Bonus…some tomfoolery while we were exploring the University of Coimbra..

Portugal: One or Two Week Itinerary