10 Days in Portugal - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary #1: Lisbon, Porto, Évora, and the Algarve

This trip plan offers a great blend of urban exploration coupled with time in the countryside and on the sands of Portugal’s beaches. Travel throughout the country, beginning in Lisbon, then north to Porto before working your way south to the Alentejo and Algarve regions. 

With three nights based in Lisbon, you’ll build a great foundation to understand Portugal’s history and heritage. See the city with the help of a local guide, and through a culinary lens on a tasting expedition through town that will appeal to foodies and those interested in digging deeper to learn about the Portuguese people. You’ll also enjoy a gorgeous day trip to three nearby cities, including the unmissable Sintra, whose Pena Palace and Gardens feel like a fairytale come to life. 

You’ll then venture north, stopping for a self-guided tour of Coimbra, a beautiful university town filled with charming squares, great cafés, and a lovely historic core. Make the most of two days in Porto with the help of a guide and a dynamic food tour. On day six, you’ll transition from urban cityscapes to countryside gems, starting first in the medieval charm of Évora and idyllic romance of Alentejo. Relax among the rolling hills, slower pace of life, olive groves, and small towns surrounded by nature. 

The beach beckons on days eight and nine when you can soak up the sun in the Algarve; you’ll be based in Lagos, a great jumping-off point for Portugal’s best beaches, coastline, and dramatic cliffs. Wander through town, enjoy freshly caught seafood, and gaze out onto amazing rock formations from your perch on golden sands. On day ten, you’ll return to Lisbon for your departure home or onto your next adventure. Learn more

Itinerary #2: Explore Portugal's Coast

If you’re interested in making the most of ten-days in Portugal, consider this trip plan, which takes you south from Porto through a number of gorgeous towns and UNESCO World Heritage sites. You’ll end your trip in the bliss and beauty of the Western Algarve, whose dramatic cliffs, coastline, and beaches will leave you relaxed and awe-inspired. 

Since this trip plan features a number of destinations, make the most at each stop, starting in Porto, where you’ll learn about the city on a guided tour of the sights, followed by a delicious food tour. You’ll then leave city life for the wonderful Peneda-Gerês National Park: take a great hike, enjoy a scenic picnic and splash around a waterfall! 

The next few days are filled with fascinating stops through charming towns where you can focus on exploring monuments and well-preserved churches and castles, or simply wander around and enjoy a glass of wine at a café while you watch the world go by. You’ll then head to Lisbon, Portugal’s dynamic capital, which you’ll discover with the help of an expert guide.

The countryside beckons again when you travel to the idyllic Alentejo region; explore the treasures of Évora (as well as its great dining scene and nightlife) and relax in the tranquil rhythm of the region’s slower pace. You could go wine tasting and pop into tiny villages or stay in Évora for a deeper look into the city’s monuments and fascinating history. 

As you continue south, get ready to soak up the sun, starting off-the-beaten-path with a day in Aljezur, a quiet white-washed town with great beaches and a thrilling surf break. Then spend your last full day in Portugal taking in the country’s best beaches in Lagos and Sagres (another great surfing destination). On day ten, you’ll return to Lisbon for your departure flight home. Learn more

Itinerary #3: Northern Portugal & The Douro Valley

Dive into the North and the spectacular Douro region on this enchanting trip plan that entices you to indulge in the flavors of Porto and the Douro Valley. In addition to a number of guided tours of culinary expeditions, you’ll learn about (and taste!) Port wines, hike to a gorgeous waterfall, discover the beautiful Costa Verde, and visit beautiful towns filled with charm and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 

Bookend your trip with time in Porto, a city filled not only with historical landmarks but culinary touchstones. Get to know both aspects of the city over your first couple days here courtesy of a guided tour of the town and its sights, as well as guided explorations of its food scene and epicurean heritage. You’ll also get your first lesson in Port wine, complete with a wonderful tasting flight, all of which will serve as a great foundation later on when you head to wine country. 

Next up: the beautiful Costa Verde. You’ll spend two nights in the charming city of Viana do Castelo, where you’d be hard-pressed to find a better vantage of the sunset than the one from Santa Luzia basilica, which tops the town. Roam the pretty riverfront and medieval streets and make a jaunt over to the resort town of Esposende, where you can laze at the beach or venture into the woods to explore fascinating ruins and ancient villages. You’ll also be treated to a day immersed in nature in the gorgeous Peneda-Gerês National Park, where you’ll enjoy a spectacular picnic lunch and will hike to a waterfall!

Two romantic towns await on day six; Braga is home to a trio of beautiful sites beloved by religious pilgrims and Guimarães boasts a medieval castle and a lovely historic center. Round out your trip with two days in the Douro Valley for wine tasting, palaces, museums, scenic boat rides, and more. Then it’s back to Porto for a final day and evening before you head home. Learn more

Itinerary #4: Food and Wine of Portugal

Epicureans will love this ten-day exploration of Portugal’s delectable delights! You’ll divide your time between the culinary epicenters of Lisbon and Porto and the distinctive wine regions of the Alentejo and the Douro Valley as you taste the spectrum of Portugal’s finest flavors. 

Lisbon serves as your home base for the first four nights of your foodie adventure. See the sights with a private guide, then take a culinary tour of the city to understand Portugal’s iconic dishes as well as the local food scene. You’ll also meet up with a chef to visit a great marketplace, where you’ll shop for the ingredients you’ll prepare in a private hands-on cooking workshop! A day trip to a trio of scenic towns — Sintra, Cascais, and Estoril — also serves as a nice contrast to Lisbon’s cityscape. 

Next you’ll enjoy some time in the tranquil Alentejo region, home to traditional country cuisine and unique wine region. Take a guided tour of the city of Évora and its fascinating landmarks, then explore the area’s wineries, olive orchards, and tiny villages. Your specialist will also have some great recommendations for eateries where you can sample old-school dishes that reflect the best of country classics and home-style cuisine. 

The last third of your trip takes you north, starting with two delicious nights in Porto. Walk up an appetite on a dynamic food tour of the city and learn the basics of Port wine, then delve deeper into this specialty with a day of wine tasting in the Douro Valley (and if Port isn’t your thing, you can focus instead on local blends). You’ll visit a gorgeous family-run winery in the valley, then after a lovely lunch, will have a few more stops to sample some flights in the afternoon. Learn more

Itinerary #5: Relaxed Self-Drive Tour

This trip plan combines structured activities like guided tours of Lisbon, Porto and Évora and the freedom for you to visit your pick charming villages, hiking trails, or beaches along the way. 

Jump into Portugal’s capital with two days in Lisbon; get a feel for the city with the help of experts on a guided culinary exploration as well as a half-day tour of landmarks and must-sees. On day three, start your engine to visit a trio of gorgeous towns: fairytale Sintra, Cascais (which offers great surfing), and glamorous Estoril, where you can hit the biggest casino in Europe.

As you continue north, stop for lunch and a self-guided tour of Óbido, a fortified city with deep historical roots and a charming cobblestone-paved village. You’ll end day four in Porto, your home base for the next few days. An English-speaking guide will give you a lay of the land on a guided tour, followed by a delicious food tour of this culinary epicenter: learn about traditional cuisine and how it’s evolved and, of course, sip some great Port wines. 

You can spend day six taking in more of Porto, or venture out to explore any number of nearby towns, each special and unique. Aveiro’s picturesque canals are reminiscent of Venice, Braga is the perfect place to linger and people-watch at a café, Esponsede has great beaches, and Peneda-Gerês National Park is full of wonderful trails for hiking and mountain biking. 

You’ll spend the last three nights of your trip in the medieval city of Évora, which you’ll first explore on a private guided tour. Split your time however you like: wander the UNESCO-recognized city and its host of fascinating national monuments or drive through the scenic rolling countryside of the Alentejo Region, which is filled with quaint fortified villages, olive groves, vineyards, Neolithic monuments, rustic wineries, picturesque hiking trails, and cork production facilities. On day ten, you’ll return to Lisbon for your departure. Learn more

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