On Lonely Planet’s Best-in-Travel Top 10 Countries to Visit in 2018, Portugal is an explorer’s dream. Leave the research to us!
This exciting two week itinerary in Portugal will have you relaxing on magnificent beaches, sightseeing medieval cities, exploring quaint towns, and reveling in old world wines paired to plant-based cuisine. Hire a car for the gorgeous coastal roads and start the adventure through one of Europe’s best kept secrets.
Your Portugal getaway awaits,
Boa viagem!
Two Weeks in Portugal
- Lagos | (1 hour drive) Arrive into Faro airport and take the drive to Lagos
- Lagos | Enjoy Lagos’ beaches by boat with one of the many boat trips along the coast through the rocky grottos. Explore the walled old-town of Lagos with alfresco dining and a lively nightlife.
- Lagos | Suntan & picnic on the dramatic beaches around Lagos or explore the Algarve Coast by car
- Lisbon | (4 hour drive) Head north up the coast, taking plenty of stops along the windswept West Coast beaches until reaching Lisbon. Enjoy dinner and drinks in the charming Alfama or Bairro Alto neighborhoods of Lisbon.
- Lisbon | Sightsee for the day around Lisbon visiting centuries-old churches, grand monuments and quaint plazas. Take the tram to the historic seaside town of Belem and sample the famous Pasteis de Belem.
- Lisbon | Plan a day trip to the whimsical Pena Palace and Moorish Castle in in Sintra.
- Obidos | (1 hour drive) Spend the night in Obidos, a charming medieval town set inside the stone walls of a grand castle.
- Douro Valley | (5 hour drive) Drive to the scenic Douro Valley, where the roads wind through mountain passes and serpentine valleys filled with heritage vineyards, set along the gorgeous Douro River.
- Douro Valley | Sip magnificent wold-world wine in the finest Quintas of the Douro Valley. Enjoy a chef-prepared locally grown lunch set in a spectacular vineyard overlooking the Douro river
- Douro Valley | In the morning, ride a Rabelo boat up the Douro River. Spend the afternoon relaxing poolside. Wine and dine with a muilt-course wine pairing, served in an 18th century manor.
- Porto | (3 hour drive) Drive to Porto in the morning and wander the colorful town to admire exquisitely tiled churches, an acclaimed bookstore and a picturesque train station.
- Porto | Walk over a world-famous bridge and take the Teleferico de Gaia to Vila Novo de Gaia to visit the Port Cellars for their informative tours and delicious Port wine tasting.
- Fly home from the Porto Airport
- Your Choice | One extra day to spend how you choose
A Vegetarian Guide to Lagos
A charming and lively beach town on the Algarve Coast, Lagos is popular with students and tourists drawn to the dramatic coastal caves and secluded beaches. The perfect place to start the trip and rest on the beach to get into vacation mode.
Stay: Pick an AirBnB rental in the center of the old town.
Read Your Complete Vegetarian Guide to Lagos
Lisbon City Guide
Get out on foot with your camera and explore this lovely city of neighborhoods, bringing together a collection of wine and tapas bars tucked among historic buildings on old cobbled streets.
Stay: Fontecruz Lisboa, Autograph Collection
Read Your Complete Guide to Lisbon City
Pastries and Parapetes in Belem
Just a quick 20 minute tram ride from Lisbon, Belem is a charming seaside destination with stunning architecture and delicious local pastries that the crowds come flocking for. Cafes selling various Pasteis de Belem can be found all over Portugal but the original flakey custard pastries hail from a small cafe in Belem, where the recipe has been kept top secret since 1837!
Day Trip: Ride Tram 15 to Belem and delight in the original Pasteis de Belem.
Read Your Complete Guide to Belem
Pena Palace in Sintra
A short day trip from Lisbon, this fairy tale land feels miles away. A crumbling stone Moorish Castle counterbalances the over-the-top and whimsical Pena Palace set atop the hills within a vast 200 hectare forest.
Day Trip: Visit the beautiful Pena Palace
Read Your Complete Guide to Pena Palace in Sintra
Sipping Ginja in Obidos
– OR – Pousada Castelo Óbidos Historic Hotel
Read Your Complete Guide to Sipping Ginja in Obidos
A Wine Lover’s Dream in Douro
A Romantic Weekend in Porto
Porto’s magnetism pulls at you with its old world charm. Gorgeous architecture transforms simple bookstores, cafes, churches and train stations into marvels just waiting to be discovered. In Nova de Gaia, large wooden barrels of Port wine float down the river on old Rabelo boats. They arrive from the nearby Douro Valley to be cellared for years (if not decades) before being enjoyed in one of Porto’s many wine lodges.
Stay in Style: InterContinental Porto – Palacio das Cardosas
Read Your Complete Guide to Porto City
Route Map
The entire route is approximately 12-14 hours of drive time from Lagos to Porto. It’s worth it to take the scenic route up the west coast from Lisbon. Stop along the way at the dramatic Arrifana beach, in Aljezur to explore a tenth century castle, see the expansive curved beach in Odeceixe, and visit the brightly painted town of Porto Covo.
Based from Lisbon you can visit Belem, Sintra, the Boca do Inferno in Cascais, and even Comporta as great day trips. Obidos is charming stopover on the way to the Douro Valley and Porto, where the dramatic scenery really shines… just when it seemed the trip couldn’t get any better!
Portugal is a remarkable european destination, benefiting from warm and friendly locals truly happy to share their charming towns with culture-seeking travelers.
Let us know in the comments if you are researching a trip to Portugal, we would love to hear about your plans!
If you’ve already checked it off your travel wish list, what part of Portugal did you enjoy most?
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