Portugal in Depth: Lisbon, Porto & the Algarve Coast

Why Portugal, and how this guide works

Portugal is small, walkable and gloriously varied. The classic first trip strings together three anchors: Lisbon in the centre, Porto in the north, and the Algarve beaches in the south, linked by fast, cheap trains and a short flight or two.

Everywhere is friendly to first-timers, English is widely spoken in tourist areas, and prices undercut most of Western Europe. We will travel from the capital north to Porto and the Douro, then south to the coast, and finish with where to stay and a sample route, the order is yours to rearrange.

Lisbon: hills, tiles and trams

Give the capital three days. Ride the rattling Tram 28 through Alfama's tangle of lanes, climb to São Jorge Castle for the rooftop view, and lose an afternoon among the riverside cafés of Belém, where the original pastéis de nata are still pulled hot from the oven.

Lisbon rewards aimless wandering: the azulejo-tiled facades, the miradouro viewpoints, the mournful Fado drifting from a tavern after dark. Base yourself in Baixa or Alfama, wear shoes with grip for the hills, and do not over-schedule, the city is best taken at a stroll.

A day in fairy-tale Sintra

Forty minutes by train from Lisbon, Sintra is a hillside of palaces wrapped in mist and forest. The candy-coloured Pena Palace is the showpiece, but the spiral initiation well at Quinta da Regaleira and the Moorish castle ramparts are just as memorable.

Go early, buy timed tickets online, and use the local tuk-tuks or the 434 bus between sites, the hills are steep and the queues build fast. It makes a full, magical day trip before you head north.

Porto and the Douro Valley

Porto is Lisbon's soulful northern rival: granite churches, blue-tiled stations and a tumbling old town above the river. Cross the double-decker Dom Luís I bridge at golden hour to Vila Nova de Gaia, where the port-wine lodges offer tastings in cool cellars.

With an extra day, take the train or a river cruise up the Douro Valley, a UNESCO landscape of terraced vineyards and quintas where the country's port, and increasingly its table wine, is made. It is one of the prettiest rail journeys in Europe.

The Algarve coast

The south coast is Portugal at the beach: ochre cliffs, hidden coves and water that turns Caribbean-blue in summer. Base in Lagos for the dramatic sea caves of Ponta da Piedade, or Tavira in the east for a quieter, more Portuguese feel.

Take a boat to the Benagil sea cave, walk a stretch of the cliff-top Seven Hanging Valleys trail, and eat grilled fish by the harbour at night. July and August are busy and pricey, shoulder season is the sweet spot.

Food, wine and pastéis

Portuguese food is honest, generous and built on the Atlantic. Eat your way through bacalhau (salt cod, said to have 365 preparations), charcoal-grilled sardines in summer, hearty francesinha in Porto, and of course the custard-filled pastel de nata dusted with cinnamon.

Drink well for very little: crisp vinho verde from the north, bold Douro reds, and a glass of tawny port to finish. A simple tasca lunch with the day's catch and house wine is often the best meal of the trip. And graze the markets, Lisbon's Time Out Market and Porto's Mercado do Bolhão put dozens of stalls under one roof, perfect for trying a little of everything.

Where to stay & a sample week

Portugal is kind to most budgets, from spotless hostels and family guesthouses to design hotels in restored townhouses. In Lisbon stay in Baixa, Alfama or Príncipe Real; in Porto near the Ribeira riverfront; on the Algarve pick your town for its character rather than chasing the biggest resort.

A relaxed ten days: three days in Lisbon with a Sintra day trip; the train north for two or three days in Porto and a Douro excursion; then south for three or four days on the Algarve to wind down. Trains and a single budget flight tie it together with ease.

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Frequently asked questions