Portugal 7 Day Itinerary (No Tourist Traps)

Seven days is genuinely the minimum for the full Lisbon-Porto-Algarve loop without rushing any one region, and this is that version. Euros throughout, CP’s Alfa Pendular covers Lisbon-Porto in 2h35 to 3h15, and a rental car takes over for the Douro and the now toll-free A22 into the Algarve. Summer means a packed, expensive Algarve coast; spring or autumn is the calmer trade. Our 6-day itinerary compresses the Algarve into a single day if a week is too long; this is the version that doesn’t.

Book these before you go:

Day Focus Getting there Rough daily cost
1 Alfama, the miradouros, Belem Metro plus walking EUR 60-90
2 Baixa, Chiado, a fado dinner On foot EUR 50-80
3 Sintra: Pena Palace, Quinta da Regaleira CP train from Rossio, about 40 min EUR 70-100
4 Porto: the Ribeira, Livraria Lello CP Alfa Pendular, 2h35-3h15 EUR 60-90
5 Vila Nova de Gaia, Douro Valley day trip Linha do Douro train, about 1h Regua-Pinhao EUR 90-130
6 Algarve: Lagos, the Benagil sea cave Rental car, toll-free A22 EUR 90-140
7 Algarve: a second beach day On foot, short drives EUR 70-110

Day 1: Alfama, the miradouros, and Belem

Land at Humberto Delgado Airport and take the metro’s red line into the centre, 20 to 30 minutes for under EUR 2 a ride. Spend the morning in Alfama, Lisbon’s oldest district, which survived the 1755 earthquake intact because it sits on solid bedrock while most of the rest of the city didn’t. Ride Tram 28 once, early or late, never at midday; it’s genuinely useful and also a documented pickpocket line worked hard during the tourist crush.

In the afternoon, head to Belem for the Jeronimos Monastery (around EUR 18) and the Belem Tower (about EUR 8), then Pasteis de Belem, the only bakery legally allowed to call its custard tart a “pastel de Belem.”

Day 2: Baixa, Chiado, and an honest fado dinner

Baixa is the grid rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake; walk it before the heat and the tour groups arrive. Skip the fado houses sitting directly on Alfama’s main tourist lane; the better rooms charge a modest cover instead of running a free show for a captive audience. Lisbon or Porto for a repeat trip is a genuine toss-up; Porto is smaller, cheaper, and calmer, Lisbon simply has more of everything.

Day 3: Sintra, on Pena Palace’s schedule, not yours

The train from Lisbon’s Rossio station takes about 40 minutes; fare is around EUR 2.30 each way. Pena Palace’s interior needs a pre-booked, timed ticket (EUR 20 combined with the park, EUR 14 park-only, via parquesdesintra.pt ). Quinta da Regaleira, a short walk away, is worth its own hour (around EUR 15, regaleira.byblueticket.pt ).

Is Pena Palace worth the timed ticket and the crowds?

Yes, but only with the first slot of the day booked in advance. The palace is one of the single most bottlenecked sights in the country, and arriving at opening, ahead of the tour buses, turns a miserable midday queue into a genuinely worthwhile hour. A week-long trip has zero excuse for skipping the online booking step; there’s no shortage of time to plan around it.

Day 4: Porto, on the fast train

The Alfa Pendular runs Lisbon to Porto in 2h35 to 3h15 with 15 to 19 direct departures a day. Spend the day on the Ribeira waterfront, then Livraria Lello, a paid, timed-voucher entry now (Silver around EUR 8-10, Gold around EUR 15.90-15.95, both credited toward a book).

Is Livraria Lello worth the entry fee?

Only if you’re buying a book anyway. The paid voucher is credited toward an in-store purchase, so it isn’t pure cover charge, but the shop itself takes fifteen minutes to see properly. Spend the rest of the day on the Ribeira waterfront and one Vila Nova de Gaia port-lodge tour instead; that’s the better use of a full Porto day.

Day 5: Port lodges and the Douro Valley

Cross the Dom Luis I bridge to Vila Nova de Gaia, a separate municipality from Porto proper, where the port lodges actually sit. Book one lodge tour (Sandeman runs from around EUR 23 per person) rather than hopping between three, then take the scenic Linha do Douro train out to Pinhao, about an hour from Regua, plus a short river cruise (roughly EUR 30-77 per person) for the terraced vineyards.

Day 6: The Algarve, day one

Fly to Faro or drive; the A22 motorway across the Algarve went completely toll-free for cars in 2025. Base in Lagos and book a Benagil sea cave boat tour ahead of time (shared tours run from around EUR 10-17 per person out of Portimao, from around EUR 43 out of Lagos); July and August slots sell out for real.

Day 7: The Algarve, day two

Use the second day for real beach time rather than another paid activity: Praia Dona Ana or a walk out to Ponta da Piedade’s cliffs, both near Lagos and both free. Fly home from Faro (FAO) or loop back to Lisbon by rental car if your return flight is out of there instead.

Is the Algarve worth the summer crush?

Yes, but go in over shoulder season if the dates are flexible at all. July and August pack the coast, the boat tours, and the accommodation to genuine capacity, and prices follow. Spring and autumn deliver the same cliffs and the same cave with a fraction of the crowd and a noticeably lighter bill; summer is worth it specifically for travelers who want the beach-town energy as much as the scenery.

Before you go

Portugal runs on the euro, and the language is Portuguese, not Spanish. Lisbon’s municipal tourist tax runs about EUR 4 per person per night. Check current Alfa Pendular schedules before locking in a tight schedule, and confirm current opening hours on visitportugal.com before you go.