7 days · Lisbon (3 nights), Sintra (day trip from Lisbon), Porto (3 nights)
Starting in Lisbon maximises arrival ease (major international hub), with Sintra as a natural day trip before heading north to Porto — avoiding any backtracking and following a logical south-to-north arc.
Getting around: Lisbon: metro, tram, and walking. Sintra: direct train from Lisbon Rossio. Lisbon to Porto: Alfa Pendular high-speed train (best value and speed). Porto: walking, metro, and tuk-tuk for hills.
Where to stay: Lisbon: Mouraria or Alfama fringe (authentic, walkable, near sights — avoid the noisiest Bairro Alto streets for sleep). Porto: Bonfim or Cedofeita (local, well-connected, less touristy than Ribeira). Budget €60–110/night for a well-located guesthouse or boutique hotel.
Estimated total: €500–750 per person, excluding accommodation
Settle in and walk to a neighbourhood pastelaria near your accommodation. Order a galão (milky espresso) and a pastel de nata fresh from the oven — this is a €2–3 ritual, not a tourist activity.
Lisbon's oldest and most atmospheric quarter. No agenda — walk the tiled streets, peek into tiny grocers, hear fado drifting from open windows. The Intendente square is calm at this hour and beautifully tiled.
One of Lisbon's best viewpoints and far less crowded than São Pedro de Alcântara. Sweeping view over the castle, river and red rooftops. Perfect for photos before the midday haze.
A neighbourhood institution in Mouraria. Small, honest menu of daily specials like bacalhau à brás or caldo verde. Book ahead or arrive before 12:30 to snag a table. · €12–18
Spend 90 minutes exploring the Moorish ramparts and towers. Go in the afternoon when morning tour groups thin out. The panoramic terrace is the real reward. Ticket ~€15, worth buying online to skip queues.
Walk downhill through Alfama's labyrinthine lanes towards Largo das Portas do Sol. If you fancy a novelty, hop the iconic Tram 28 for one or two stops — but walking is often faster and more rewarding here.
A Cevicheria is inventive and excellent for a first Lisbon dinner. Solar dos Presuntos is old-school, unapologetically Portuguese, and perfect for salt-cod and roast suckling pig — a real local favourite. · €20–30
Mouraria is the birthplace of fado. Small venues like Tasca do Chico (which also hosts fado nights) or Sr. Fado offer authentic sessions from around 21:00. Expect a drinks minimum, not a tourist dinner package — this is the real thing.
Café A Brasileira in Chiado for a bica and a torrada (toasted bread with butter) — historic café, busy but iconic. Alternatively, the quieter Confeitaria Nacional near Rossio for proper pastries.
Go early — both get very crowded by 11:00. Jerónimos is the crown jewel of Manueline architecture; budget 60–75 min inside. Belém Tower is best photographed from outside — queue for entry only if architecture is a priority. Combined area ticket ~€12–18 depending on inclusions.
The original home of the pastel de nata since 1837 — visit the source. The queue moves fast. Eat at the counter with cinnamon and icing sugar. This is not a tourist trap; it is a pilgrimage.
Back in Chiado after the Belém morning. Creative takes on traditional flavours — octopus, smoked meats, excellent wines by the glass. Book ahead; it fills fast at lunch. · €15–22
A repurposed 19th-century industrial complex now home to independent shops, studios, and some of Lisbon's most interesting food concepts. Best on Sunday for its market, but always worth a wander. Free entry.
Ride the Ascensor da Glória funicular up from Restauradores (€3.80 return) for a sundowner view over the Baixa. The garden terrace at golden hour is one of Lisbon's most pleasurable spots.
Tiny, cash-preferred, no-frills, brutally good. Grilled fish of the day, bifanas, and cheap wine — the kind of place locals queue for at 13:00 and tourists walk past. Book by phone if possible. · €12–18
Bairro Alto's narrow streets transform at night into an open-air bar scene from around 21:00 — grab a drink from a bottle shop and join the street. Príncipe Real is calmer, with cocktail bars and wine bars for a more grown-up evening.
Quick breakfast near Rossio station before the train — pick up a pastry and coffee at the station café.
Direct train, departs frequently, takes ~40 minutes. Buy a return ticket (€4.60 return). Trains fill up — aim for the 08:55–09:30 window to beat the rush.
Start in the town centre with the National Palace — its twin conical chimneys are Sintra's postcard image. Stunning Moorish-influenced interiors and azulejo tile halls. ~€10 entry, ~75 min inside.
A stiff 25-minute uphill walk or short tuk-tuk ride from the centre. The Moorish castle offers jaw-dropping views over the Sintra hills, palaces, and Atlantic coastline. ~€8 entry. Arrive before noon to beat groups.
Try the travesseiro (puff pastry with almond cream) and queijadas de Sintra (cheese tarts). This is where locals eat. Simple, cheap, authentic. Save a bigger lunch budget for dinner back in Lisbon. · €5–10
The romantic 19th-century fairy-tale palace perched above the clouds. Buy tickets online in advance — this is essential, not optional, especially in high season. Allow 2 hours for palace and gardens. ~€14–20 depending on access level.
Descend via the forest paths back towards the centre — shaded, scenic, and far more pleasant than the tourist bus. Pick up a bottle of ginjinha (cherry liqueur) or local honey to take home.
After a full Sintra day, return to Lisbon for dinner rather than eating in the tourist-priced Sintra restaurants. Both venues offer refined Portuguese cooking in a relaxed setting. · €18–28
Early train back (~17:30–18:00 from Sintra) leaves time for a gentle evening. Browse the bookshops or wine bars of Chiado — Napoleão wine shop is excellent for a glass and local cheese board. Rest up before Porto the next day.
Final breakfast at a local café near your Lisbon accommodation — no rush. This is a travel day but a pleasant one.
If time permits before your train, drop bags at left luggage at Santa Apolónia or Oriente station. Walk through the Ribeira market (Mercado da Ribeira) for a final browse and coffee.
The premium high-speed train takes ~2h50min from Lisbon Santa Apolónia or Oriente to Porto Campanhã. Book 2–4 weeks ahead for best prices (~€25–45 one-way). Comfortable, scenic, punctual — by far the best way north.
Pick up a bifana sandwich and pastry before boarding — CP train café is overpriced. Alternatively, eat your first Porto meal as a late lunch in Bonfim upon arrival. · €8–12
Check into your accommodation in Bonfim or Cedofeita. These eastern and western residential neighbourhoods are where Porto actually lives — azulejo-clad buildings, street art, independent coffee shops. Walk to get your bearings.
The famous neo-Gothic bookshop that inspired Hogwarts. Book a timed entry online (€5, redeemable against a purchase). Worth 30 minutes. Go late afternoon when morning rush has eased.
Walk to the iconic 76-metre baroque Clérigos Tower (~€3 entry). The view over Porto's terracotta rooftops is your introduction to this city's particular beauty.
Celebrate arrival in Porto properly. DOP is refined and river-adjacent. Cantina 32 is creative, theatrical, and great value — exposed stone walls, creative small plates, excellent natural wines. · €22–35
Walk down to the Ribeira waterfront after dinner — the illuminated Dom Luís I Bridge and Vila Nova de Gaia cable cars across the water make for a stunning first Porto night. Grab a port wine and tonic at a riverside bar.
Breakfast at Padaria Ribeiro or a local padaria in your neighbourhood — coffee, croissant de nata, and fresh orange juice. Porto breakfasts are simple and excellent.
The most beautiful train station in Portugal — 20,000 azulejo tiles depicting Portuguese history. Free to enter, best in morning light. Spend 20–30 minutes here without feeling rushed.
Porto's stern Romanesque cathedral with a superb Gothic cloister covered in blue azulejos (~€3 entry). Walk 10 minutes to the Vitória viewpoint — quieter than the Muralha terrace and equally dramatic.
Porto's historic covered market, beautifully restored. Browse local cheese, chouriço, fresh bread, and regional produce. Buy a small picnic or just absorb the atmosphere. Arrive before noon for peak activity.
You cannot leave Porto without eating a francesinha — the city's legendary beer-and-meat-sauce sandwich. Café Santiago is an institution. Lado B in Bonfim is younger, slightly less tourist-heavy. Order the half portion if it's your first. · €10–16
Walk the upper deck of the iconic double-decker iron bridge. The views up and down the Douro are extraordinary. Takes 15 minutes to cross — do both levels if time allows.
The south bank of the Douro is lined with the famous Port wine lodges — Graham's, Taylor's, Ramos Pinto, and Sandeman are all excellent. Book one cellar visit with a guided tour and tasting (~€15–25). Graham's has the best hilltop views. Allow 90 minutes.
Take the Teleferico de Gaia cable car (~€6 one-way) back up the hillside for panoramic Douro views, then walk back down to the riverfront at your leisure.
Tucked into a quiet street near the cathedral. Superb bacalhau à Gomes de Sá (Lisbon's rival dish gets a Porto twist here), roast meats, excellent local wines. Small and intimate — book ahead. · €18–28
Porto's bar street (Rua Galeria de Paris) has a lively but unpretentious evening crowd. For something more refined, the Cedofeita neighbourhood has excellent natural wine bars. End the evening with a Vintage Port on ice — Porto's own signature digestif.
Head to Mercado Bom Sucesso food hall in Boavista or try Combi Coffee in Bonfim — one of Porto's best specialty coffee roasters. Take your time.
Take the metro (Linha A, ~20 min) or tram 1 (scenic but slower) to Foz do Douro, where the river meets the Atlantic. Walk the coastal promenade from the river mouth past rock pools and 17th-century forts. Refreshing, beautiful, and genuinely local — families jog and cycle here on weekends.
Porto's most scenic park, perched above the Douro with sweeping river views and resident peacocks. Free entry. A genuine hidden gem — quiet on weekday mornings, locals' favourite on weekends.
Matosinhos, just north of Foz, is Porto's seafood neighbourhood. Charcoal-grilled dourada (sea bream), robalo (sea bass), or sardines straight from the Atlantic. O Gaveto is beloved locally. Take the metro Line A one stop to Matosinhos Sul. · €15–25
Two adjoining baroque churches separated by a single-person-wide house (one of Porto's quirky facts). The Carmo's exterior azulejo panel is enormous and stunning. Free to view exterior; small entry for interior.
Porto has a thriving street art scene — Cedofeita and the area around Rua Miguel Bombarda concentrate galleries, murals, and independent design shops. Slow afternoon walk with no agenda. Coffee and a pastel de nata when you need a break.
Porto's world-class contemporary art museum in a stunning Art Deco villa with 18 hectares of gardens. The park alone justifies the visit. Ticket ~€10–20. Check current exhibition before going — the architecture is always worth it.
A splurge evening on Day 6 is well-placed. Euskalduna is intimate, counter-style, ingredient-led tasting menu — one of Portugal's most exciting restaurants. Book 4–8 weeks ahead. Antiqvm pairs fine food with extraordinary Douro views from its terrace. · €30–50
Cross the lower deck of Dom Luís I Bridge to the monastery viewpoint in Gaia — Serra do Pilar. The best sunset view in Porto, bar none. Bring a bottle of wine and watch the city go gold. Then cross back for drinks in the Ribeira.
Proper sit-down breakfast at Padaria Moreira near the centre — one of Porto's oldest bakeries. Bread, butter, fresh cheese, and strong coffee. A gentle send-off.
Stroll the streets around São Bento and Aliados without a plan — morning light hits the azulejo facades at its best. Pick up any final gifts: smoked sausages from Bolhão, Portuguese wine, or regional pastries vacuum-packed for travel.
Porto's spectacular 19th-century stock exchange — the Moorish-inspired Arabian Room inside is jaw-dropping. Guided tours only (~€10, ~30–45 min). Book the morning slot if flying in the afternoon. Skip if your flight is before 14:00.
Café Majestic is Porto's legendary Art Nouveau café — a one-time experience, touristy but genuinely beautiful. Guarany is the more affordable, equally historic neighbour. Either works for a relaxed farewell lunch before heading to the airport. · €12–18
Metro Line E (Violeta) runs directly from central Porto (Trindade station) to the airport in ~35 minutes, costs ~€2. Allow 90 minutes before departure. Uber is available if luggage is heavy (~€15–20).
No evening meal planned — this is a departure day. If the flight is late evening, revisit a favourite spot for a final meal before heading to the airport. · €10–15
Safe travels. Portugal will be waiting when you return.
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