Days 1–3 · Lisbon and Sintra
Spend two days in Lisbon, choosing the historic centre and either Belém or a museum day. Use the third for Sintra, with one main palace booking and generous transfer time.
Check the ticket type, access restrictions and any weather notices. Do not assume a park ticket includes every palace interior. Return to your Lisbon base for the night.
Day 4 · Lisbon to Porto
Travel north on a booked service and allow time to reach your accommodation. Compare CP services and fare conditions for the travel date rather than relying on a fixed advertised minimum.
Make the first Porto evening a river walk and dinner. Save bookshop, tower and cellar reservations for a full day.
Days 5–6 · Porto and Gaia
Use a full day for the historic centre, and another for Gaia plus a cellar visit or Serralves. You will need to choose: adding a full Douro excursion means dropping a city day.
Reserve popular visits and a special dinner ahead. Keep everyday meals flexible and check the current menu outside the restaurant or on its own site.
Day 7 · Transfer to the Algarve
Allow this day for a long journey south. Compare rail connections, flights where available and onward transfers for your exact base. Faro, Lagos and Tavira are not interchangeable arrival points.
Choose one accommodation base for the final nights. Tavira suits an eastern Algarve plan; Lagos suits a western plan. Transport and baggage costs belong in your transfer budget.
Days 8–9 · Explore near your base
From an eastern base, plan Tavira and a boat-served island beach, checking the current crossing arrangements. From a western base, choose nearby beaches and coastal viewpoints. Avoid treating distant beaches across the region as a short walk apart.
Sea trips depend on weather and operating conditions. Follow lifeguard flags, stay back from cliff edges and use marked access. A rental car may help some routes, but compare the full rental, parking and fuel cost.
Day 10 · Departure
Plan around your actual airport. If leaving from Lisbon or Porto, this day requires a substantial transfer; an early flight may mean returning the night before.
For a slower trip, omit Porto or the Algarve and spend more nights in two bases. Fewer transfers usually leave more time for the places you came to see.
Budget and booking
Use €110–190 per person per day as an illustrative mid-range city allowance when sharing a room, not as a guaranteed trip price. Intercity journeys, flights, local accommodation taxes and special meals are extra. Your travel dates and selected attractions can change the total substantially.
Compare the checked transport and admission prices before choosing passes. Pay only through your chosen operator's official booking channel and check cancellation conditions.