Portugal from North to South: Porto, Lisbon, Algarve, Évora & Coimbra - 14 Days

Highlights

• See the best of Porto and Lisbon, Portugal's two biggest cities
• Explore the fairy tale village of Sintra, including the romantic Pena Palace
• Hop between the blissful beaches of the Algarve
• Drive through the Alentejo region to get to the inner-walled city of Évora
• Stop through Nazaré, Óbidos, Coimbra, and Aveiro

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Porto, Explore

Bem-vindo, welcome to Portugal! You've landed in Porto, the proud capital of the north and the undefeated city (Cidade Invicta). Take a private transfer from the airport to your hotel in the city center. Drop your bags, freshen up, and set out to explore. Portugal's second-largest city is defined by the Douro River, so wander down to the banks in the Ribeira neighborhood to soak up river views and the double-decker Dom Luís I Bridge with a glass of wine in hand. This was once the commerce center of the city, but the big sailships are gone, replaced with tourist boats.

Today is yours to explore as you wish, so you could board a traditional rabelo boat to learn some curiosities about the city and the six bridges that cross the river. After, return to Praça da Ribeira, a sloping square with pavement bars and colorful tower homes. From here, wind your way up through the city to explore monuments such as the Torre dos Clérigos or the marvelous Palácio da Bolsa. By now, you'll have worked up an appetite big enough to take on Porto's famous heart-stopping sandwich—the meat-heavy Francesinha.

Day 2: Guided Walking Foodie Tour, Port Wine Cellar Visit with Tastings

Wake early to explore Porto and its most famous monuments. Today's three-hour walking and tasting tour will take you past the Cathedral, Torre dos Clérigos, and São Bento station, through the most important squares, and uncover a few lesser-known gems. With a UNESCO World Heritage badge, Porto's old center offers a postcard at every turn. As you explore with a guide, you'll stop to taste traditional jams, quince paste, port wines, local cheese and cured meats, and specialty snacks.

Later, you'll cross the river to Vila Nova de Gaia, where the world-famous port wine is matured. Port is born in the Douro Valley, but it is here, close to the sea, that wine is aged, ready to ship worldwide. Visit a wine cellar to learn about Portugal's famous export as you explore the barrel rooms, then taste a range of port wines to truly understand the difference between white, ruby, and tawny.

Day 3: Day Trip to the Douro Valley, Wine Tasting Tour & Boat Ride

After tasting port in Gaia yesterday, you'll now venture to the source. Admire the breathtaking beauty of the Douro Valley on a full-day tour from Porto. Board a private vehicle and enjoy picturesque landscapes along the route as your local driver and guide explains the region's rich culture. Across the day, you'll learn about the production of port wine, walk through the vineyards, and even taste the local wines.

Enjoy a traditional Portuguese lunch with local dishes and wines (of course) before boarding a river cruise in the afternoon. Traditionally the Rabelo boat was used to ferry barrels of port down the river to the cellars in Gaia. Now the boats offer visitors an authentic way to explore the Douro River. You'll cruise from the charming village of Pinhão up toward Tua and back, admiring the terraced vineyards that cascade into the river and the century-old estate buildings that make up this unique UNESCO World Heritage landscape.

Day 4: Transfer to Lisbon via Nazaré & Óbidos

Day 5: Free Day in Lisbon, Fado Dinner

Lisbon is one of Europe's most likable capitals, and today you get to explore at your own pace. Wander through a mosaic of terracotta-roofed buildings that cling both majestically and humbly to the city's seven hills. Explore the historic streets of Alfama and Mouraria neighborhoods, make your way through Baixa-Chiado, past traditional stores, and the Santa Justa Lift. Make your way down to the wide Tejo River via Praça do Comercio. This location was the residence and palace of the kings of Portugal for approximately two centuries until a big earthquake in 1755.

Later this evening, experience one of Portugal's greatest art forms—fado. Everything stops when fado is performed. Silence rules the room, the lights dim, and only then the show begins. More than a traditional style of music, fado is an emotional experience. Sit down for a classic Portuguese meal with wine; then, the show will begin. It's hard not to feel touched by the vibrant performances of fadistas (fado singers), even without grasping the lyrics.

Day 6: Day Trip to Sintra 

UNESCO World Heritage-listed Sintra and its hills, dotted with fairy-tale palaces and extravagant villas, have enchanted visitors for centuries. Today your guide will whisk you from downtown Lisbon to romantic Sintra, starting with Pena Palace, one of the best expressions of 19th-century Romanticism in Europe, where King Fernando II intentionally mixed architectural styles. From here, enjoy views of the Moorish Castle. It's a testimony of the Islamic presence in the Iberian Peninsula, which was built in the eighth century and conquered during the formation of the Portugal Kingdom.

Day 7: Transfer to the Algarve, Explore

The southern Algarve region is the beach jewel of Portugal, boasting a breathtaking coastline, epic caves and archways, and great year-round weather. If you love to have fun in the sun, you'll love the Algarve, but there's more to the southern coastline than meets the eye! Today you'll take a three-hour transfer south from Lisbon, reaching the area just in time for lunch.

Seafood is popular here, with fresh fish, crabs, octopus, and shellfish plucked from the Atlantic Ocean daily and served in casual restaurants and beachfront bars across the region. Fill up with a fish feast (with local white wine), then find a beach to see out the rest of the afternoon. Alternatively, continue the adventure with a sunset tour to Sagres, Portugal's most southwestern town, to experience one of the world's most beautiful and romantic sunsets at St. Vincent Cape.

Day 8: Boat Trip to the Algarve Grottoes

Ponta da Piedade caves in Lagos are among the most popular and unmissable attractions on the Algarve coast. In this area around Ponta da Piedade, you'll find a wide variety of caves and rock formations resembling familiar figures, such as the Titanic, the Elephant, and the Cathedral. This morning you can board a boat tour and have local guides share this wonderful coast's secrets, culture, and history. 

After the aquatic adventure, you could spend the afternoon wandering around the small city of Lagos, lazing on the nearby beach of Meia Praia, hiking along the cliffside, or kayaking the coastline.

Day 9: Beach Day in the Algarve

Today is yours to soak up the Algarve's warm Mediterranean climate. The 96-mile-long (155 km) coastline has dozens of beaches, big and small, where you can relax on the soft sand, soak up the sun's rays, or take a refreshing dip in crystal-clear waters. From secluded coves nestled between towering cliffs to vibrant stretches with beachside bars and water sports, there's the type of beach for every traveler. Enjoy another long seafood with lunch with crisp Portuguese wine by the beach, then toil away the day with a good book or fun coastal activity like jet skiing or parasailing.

Day 10: Transfer to Évora, Explore

The Alentejo region is one of those places in the world where you can switch off. Here time stands still, life moves more slowly, and the people are friendly. Today you'll take a 2.5-hour private transfer to Évora, the capital of the Alentejo. Enter the ancient town walls to discover the treasures that lie between the whitewashed, yellow-trimmed houses, including the famous Roman Temple and the Bones Chapel. Walking the streets of Évora is the most incredible way to understand why the region is one of the country's most vibrant areas in its own way.

The Alentejo is known for its rich gastronomic heritage, and there's no better place to explore the best of the region's high-quality wines and regional dishes. Find a local tavern for lunch and dinner and try specialties such as black pork and migas, Alentejano soup, and seracaia (a dessert). 

Day 11: Private Alentejo Tour & Wine Experience 

The Alentejo is Portugal's largest region, and within, you'll find vast open plains dotted with cork trees and olive groves, hilltop castles and whitewashed villages, and dozens of unknown treasures. Along with the Douro Valley, the region is one of the world's leading destinations for wine lovers of quality and unique cuisine. Today you'll join a guided tour that will take you beyond the walls of Évora and out into the countryside to explore the heritage and culture of the land.

Start with a visit to a traditional vineyard and farm, enjoying a private guided tour and wine tasting with local snacks. Then return to Évora for an exclusive lunch with wines paired by a sommelier. Taste some excellent examples of Alentejo gastronomy harmonized with four different wines, some of the most emblematic of Évora.

Day 12: Transfer to Coimbra, Explore

Coimbra is a breathtaking mix between ancient and new, rural and urban. At the very top of Portugal's medieval capital sits one of the most important monuments—the University of Coimbra, the first in Portugal and one of the oldest in the world. Take a 2.5-hour private transfer from Évora to this central Portuguese city set on the banks of the Mondego River. The first thing to do is get lost in the city's narrow streets, going back in time with each step.

When the university was created in 1290, the first intellectuals arrived and made it the knowledge center of the country. Now you can tour the still-functioning historic university site, which has the UNESCO World Heritage seal and is housed within a former royal palace.

Day 13: Transfer to Porto via Aveiro

Today on the return 75-minute transfer to Porto, you'll pull up at the coastal Art Nouveau city of Aveiro. This beautiful city sits at the edge of an extensive coastal lagoon and features a network of canals. Explore the energetic university city on foot or in a moliceiro—a colorful boat traditionally used for seaweed harvesting but now repurposed for canal cruises. Eat the local sweet—ovos moles—and venture out to Costa Nova to see the stripy fishermen's houses if you have time.

Back in Porto, use your final evening in Portugal to savor the best local cuisine. Take yourself out for a last dinner to celebrate a brilliant two weeks exploring the Iberian nation. Be sure to save room for another glass or two of port wine as a nightcap!

Day 14: Depart Porto

It's time to say goodbye to Portugal! Depending on the time of your flight, you may be able to squeeze in one more walk through the streets of Porto or perhaps pick up some last-minute souvenirs. At the designated time, you'll be picked up at your hotel and transferred to the airport for your onward departure.

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