16 Days in Portugal - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary #1: Portugal Cities & Landscapes: Porto, Douro Valley, Évora, Lisbon & the Algarve

Culture and nature lovers will enjoy this classic highlights tour of Portugal's cities and landscapes. You'll indulge in local gastronomy with a regional cooking class in Évora, a vineyard tour in the Douro Valley, and wine tastings in Porto and the Algarve. Highlights include a fado show in Lisbon, cycling in Sintra, a hike in Peneda-Gerês National Park on a day trip from Porto, a boat trip to the famous Benagil Cave, guided tours of Porto and Lisbon, and a 4WD sunset tour in the Algarve.

Welcome to Portugal! Delve into Porto's culinary scene with a gastronomic tour, sampling traditional dishes and port wines. The next day, you'll explore Porto's charming streets in a vintage 1920s car and wind down with a port wine tasting. Afterward, trek through the picturesque Parque Nacional Peneda-Gerês, spotting wild horses and enjoying panoramic views. By Day 4, you'll be in the Douro Valley, touring its vineyards and sampling the region's finest wines before a leisurely cruise along the Douro River. Next, transfer to the UNESCO-listed city of Évora, stopping at the 12th-century Convento de Cristo and Almourol Castle en route.

Once in Évora, participate in a cooking class on a local farm and explore the city's historic center. Then, transfer to Lisbon, Portugal's capital, for a fado music performance and dinner. Take a guided walking tour of Lisbon on Day 9 before heading out on a cycling adventure in the nearby town of Sintra. The following day, transfer to Lagos in the Algarve region, where you'll have four days to relax on the beach, enjoy a 4WD sunset tour, and take a guided regional tour with a liqueur tasting. You'll cruise to Benagil Cave and go on a dolphin-watching tour before visiting the town of Almancil's Capela dos Ossos, adorned with human bones. Learn more

Itinerary #2: Highlights of Portugal & the Azores: Lisbon, Coimbra, Douro Valley, Porto, São Miguel

Swapping the Azores for the Algarve, this alternate highlights itinerary will interest food and nature lovers. Start in Lisbon, where you'll explore historic neighborhoods and sample local cuisine. Then, head north to Coimbra and the Douro Valley for a taste of the country's wine culture. Visit historic Porto before flying to São Miguel for beach relaxation, hiking, and (more!) food tours. Highlights include a ceramic tile-painting workshop, a Douro River cruise, a 4WD tour of the lush hillsides in Sete Ciudades village, and a whale watching tour off the island's coast.

In Lisbon, sample petiscos (small plates) on a neighborhood culinary tour and join a historical tour on Day 2, where you'll have a free afternoon to explore. Enjoy a day trip to the gardens in Sintra's Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais before browsing Lisbon's buzzy Time Out Market stalls and eating a traditional Portuguese meal with a local family. On your way to Coimbra's UNESCO-listed university, discover the medieval Castelo de Óbidos. Continue to the lush grape-growing Douro Valley region, partaking in a vineyard tour and Douro River cruise. On Day 9, drive to Porto, where a vintage car tour, ceramic tile-painting workshop, and wine tasting await. 

Two days later, you'll fly to São Miguel, the largest island in the Azores archipelago. Here, you'll experience the island's pristine beaches, a 4WD adventure to Sete Ciudades, known for its volcanic craters, and hiking along a volcano's rim at Cumeeiras Trail. Sample Azorean cozido das furnas, a stew slow-cooked in volcanic steam, on your food tour across Ponta Delgada. Afterward, witness geothermal activity at Furnas' natural hot springs and see Parque Terra Nostra, the oldest botanical garden in the Azores. Learn about tea making at the Gorreana Tea Factory before a whale watching tour off the coast. Learn more

Itinerary #3: Explore Mainland Portugal & Madeira Island

This Portugal and Madeira Island getaway adds a sixth stop to the itinerary, Nazaré, and includes four nights on the island of Madeira. This trip combines city exploration in Lisbon, Porto, and Coimbra with 4WD adventure tours across Madeira's towering mountains, lush greenery, and subtropical rainforest. You can expect to join a cooking class in Porto, take a guided vineyard tour in the Douro Valley, and paint a Portuguese ceramic tile in Lisbon. You'll also get a taste of Portugal's natural beauty with hikes through Buçaco National Forest and three different tours across Madeira Island.

Begin with a sunset boat trip around Lisbon and, later, cruise around the city's colorful neighborhoods and viewpoints via a guided tuk-tuk tour. After a helicopter ride over Lisbon, pick up your rental car and drive north to the coastal town of Nazaré to explore its beaches en route to Porto. Discover the city on a guided tour, cruise the Douro River, admire the colorful-tiled buildings of the Ribeira neighborhood, and learn how to make authentic Portuguese food. Hop aboard another river boat to sail in the Douro Valley with views of terraced hills, then visit Coimbra and its charming historic center. Afterward, spend a day hiking through the Buçaco National Forest.

Fly to Funchal on Day 9, the capital of the Madeira archipelago, where you can explore the Old Town. On your first 4WD tour, experience the west side of the island's fishing villages and swim in the Porto Moniz Natural Pools. Then, wander past ancient moss-covered laurel trees in the mystical Fanal Forest within a subtropical rainforest on the island's northwest side. Your third day of 4WD tours takes you to Chão dos Louros Forest Park and a local vineyard to sample Madeira wine. Fly back to Lisbon for a traditional fado performance and dinner. On your final day, learn to paint azulejos (Portuguese ceramic tiles) during a workshop. Learn more

Itinerary #4: Self-Drive Portugal & the Azores: Lisbon, the Algarve & Ponta Delgada

Experience the best of Portugal and the Azores on this self-drive slower-paced adventure. Start in Lisbon, where you'll enjoy a traditional cooking class, a day trip to Sintra, and a tuk-tuk tour of Belém. Then, head south to the Algarve for beach hopping, boat cruises, and snorkeling. Finally, fly to the Azores, where you'll explore the capital city of Ponta Delgada, kayak across Lagoa das Sete Cidades, and relax in the thermal waters of Parque Terra Nostra. From cooking traditional dishes to exploring hidden caves, this trip brings a mix of culture and adventure.

Tour Lisbon, starting with an azulejos (decorated ceramic tiles) museum and riding the Elevador de Santa Justa up to the Bairro Alto district. Take a walking tour of Lisbon's historic neighborhoods, a tuk-tuk tour of the maritime district of Belém, a boat cruise down the Tagus River, and a day trip to see Sintra's National Palace of Pena. Then, drive your rental car south to the Algarve, where you'll have a week to enjoy beaches like Praia Dona Ana, a boat cruise to Ponta da Piedade's rock formations and caves, a hike down the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail, relaxing on Albufeira's beaches, and spotting turtles on a snorkeling tour.

Following this, drive to Tavira on the Gilão River and ferry to Ilha de Tavira, an island in the Ria Formosa Natural Reserve. Afterward, drive to Portimão, a coastal city on the Arade River, and climb up to a 17th-century fortress. Finally, you'll fly to Ponta Delgada, the Azores' capital city, for four nights. Here, you'll experience the Caldeira Velha natural hot springs, a whale watching cruise, and a walking tour where you'll stop at the 18th-century archways of Portas da Cidade and a Baroque church. Next, kayak across Lagoa das Sete Cidades in a volcanic crater and visit the thermal waters of Parque Terra Nostra in Furnas. Learn more

Itinerary #5: Grand Tour of Portugal & Spain's Iconic Cities

Travelers who prefer urban exploration over natural detours will enjoy this multicountry grand tour of Portugal and Spain, beginning in Porto and culminating in Barcelona. You'll explore the "Venice of Portugal" as you cruise Avéiro's canals in a brightly painted fishing boat, take a day trip to Guimarães, the "birthplace of Portugal," unwind in a Nasrid-era hammam spa in Granada, dine on a 10-course tapas tasting in Valencia, and learn how to cook authentic Catalan dishes in Barcelona. 

In Portugal, you'll explore Porto's UNESCO-listed Ribeira district and the Dom Luís I Bridge. Then, cruise Avéiro's canals aboard a colorful moliceiro and visit one of the world's oldest universities at Coimbra. On a day trip, see Guimarães, the "Birthplace of Portugal," and Braga's Romanesque architecture. Transfer to Lisbon via Nazaré village and the medieval town of Óbidos, followed by a fado show and sampling of Portuguese dishes. Afterward, tour Alfama, Lisbon's oldest district, and Mosteiro dos Jerónimos monastery. Venture to Sintra for views from the Castelo dos Mouros and then a coastal drive to Cascais, a former fishing village.

Fly to Seville, Spain, on Day 7 for a walking tour, flamenco performance, and tapas tasting. Take day trips to check out Córdoba's mosque-cathedral and Zahara de la Sierra before seeing Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema and crossing the very high Puente Nuevo in the white town of Ronda. Transfer to Granada to tour Albaicín's Nasrid architecture and Sacromonte's cave dwellings. Visit the Alhambra, a palace complex, before unwinding in a hammam. Stay a night in Valencia before strolling La Rambla, admiring Antoni Gaudí's masterpieces, and learning to make paella in Barcelona. Learn more

More Great Portugal Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Portugal? Check out these other Portugal itineraries, with outdoor adventures, cultural trips, and best-of tours to hit the highlights.