7 Days in Portugal: Three Perfect One-Week Itineraries

One week in Portugal is enough to see its two great cities and a taste of the coast or countryside, as long as you don’t try to do everything. Here are three ways to spend 7 days in Portugal, depending on whether you love cities, beaches or wine, all easy by train.

Quick answer: the classic week is 3 nights in Lisbon (with a day trip to Sintra), then the train to Porto for 3 nights (with a day in the Douro Valley). Beach lovers can swap Porto for the Algarve. Lisbon to Porto is about 3 hours by train, and Lisbon to Faro about 3 hours. No car needed.

Option 1: Lisbon and Porto (the classic)

• Day 1: arrive in Lisbon; evening in Alfama and a sunset viewpoint.
• Day 2: the castle, Baixa and Chiado, then Belém. See 2 days in Lisbon.
• Day 3: day trip to Sintra (the train from Rossio takes 40 minutes). See Sintra in one day.
• Day 4: train to Porto (about 3 hours). Afternoon in the Ribeira and a port tasting in Gaia.
• Day 5: Porto’s highlights: São Bento, Livraria Lello, Clérigos and a river cruise. See Porto in one day.
• Day 6: day trip to the Douro Valley. See Douro wine tours.
• Day 7: fly home from Porto (or day trip to Aveiro or Braga first).

Tip: book your flights into Lisbon and home from Porto (a "multi-city" booking on most airline sites) so you don’t have to go back the way you came.

Option 2: Lisbon and the Algarve (city and beach)

• Days 1–3: Lisbon and Sintra, as above.
• Day 4: train to Faro (about 3 hours), then on to Lagos or Tavira, or pick up a car.
• Days 5–6: beaches, a Benagil boat trip, the Seven Hanging Valleys trail. See the best Algarve boat trips and where to stay in the Algarve.
• Day 7: fly home from Faro.

Option 3: Porto and the north (wine and green hills)

• Days 1–3: Porto, with a day in Aveiro or Braga and Guimarães.
• Days 4–5: the Douro Valley, staying at a quinta. See the best Douro hotels.
• Days 6–7: Peneda-Gerês or Viana do Castelo, then back to Porto. See Viana and the Minho.

Getting around

• Trains link Lisbon, Porto and Faro comfortably. Book Alfa Pendular and Intercidades early for promo fares. See our Portugal train guide.
• A car only makes sense for the Algarve or the countryside, not the cities. See driving in Portugal.

Tips

• Don’t overdo it: two bases is plenty for a week.
• Book big sights ahead: Pena Palace, Belém Tower and Livraria Lello have timed tickets.
• Check Mondays: many museums and monuments close.
• Before you go: see entry requirements and things to know before visiting Portugal.

Got longer? See 10 days in Portugal or our two-week road trip.

From our sister blog: 55 essential tips for your first trip to Portugal on Sunset Travellers.

Prices and details change, so please double-check before you travel. Spotted something out of date? Tell us in the groups.