Portugal is such a popular travel destination right now! You’re probably on this Portugal itinerary page because you’ve heard from your family or friends how wonderful Portugal is. They probably told you how charming, easy to navigate and cheap a Portugal vacation is. All perfect things for a vacation! Keep reading for our perfect Portugal itinerary – spending 10 days in Portugal in Porto, Lisbon and the Algarve.
About Our Portugal Itinerary
This Portugal itinerary works year round.
While this itinerary is more pleasant in the spring or fall, you can still do the activities in this itinerary in summer or winter. During summer, you may want to adjust a bit to spend more time inside and out of the heat. During the winter, the Algarve goes from being an awesome beach destination to being a great hiking destination – but either way it’s still a great destination.
When spending 10-days in Portugal, we think you’ll need a car ONLY when visiting the Algarve.
For the first 6 days in Portugal, you don’t need a car. In fact we actively recommend against it as parking is difficult. However for the last 4 days in Portugal, we recommend having a car to explore the Algarve.
This Portugal itinerary doesn’t include a visit to the Azores or Madeira, islands off of Portugal’s mainland.
Those require flights to get to which eat into your actual vacation time. You could easily spend 10 days in just the Azores and Madeira islands and if that’s what you prefer, this Portugal itinerary is not for you.
This post does not going into detail on how to plan your Portugal vacation and all the little tidbits of information that are helpful to someone traveling to Portugal.
If you’re interested in more details, or are farther along in the planning stages, check out our Portugal travel page which includes information on the best times to visit Portugal, how to get there, how to get around, and what you eat!
This itinerary starts in the North and ends in the South – but it doesn’t have to.
You could easily reverse this Portugal itinerary. Either direction, you’re traveling in a straight-ish line across the country which maximizes your exploring time by minimizing your traveling time. You can also use the same modes of transportation regardless of which direction you travel in.
This Portugal itinerary requires staying in three different accommodations.
No one likes packing and unpacking so we always try to minimize it. With 10 days in Portugal, you’ll visit lots of towns. However, you’ll only stay in three: Porto, Lisbon and an Algarve town of your choice, we recommend Lagos.
Is 10 Days In Portugal Enough?
For a first time visit, we really recommend a 10-day trip. I wanted so badly to get this Portugal itinerary down to 7-9 days for those folks with limited PTO so they could only take off 5 days. However, I just couldn’t do it and still give y’all a great sampling of the country. So please read through our 10 days in Portugal itinerary below. After all that, I’ll provide suggestions for shortening the trip – just make sure you read the descriptions first so you know what you’re missing before you start cutting things out of the itinerary.
Portugal Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrive & Porto
Arrive in Porto. We flew directly to Porto. However, if your flights land in Lisbon, it may be cheaper/faster to take the high speed train from Lisbon to Porto, rather than waiting around the airport for a connecting flight. Definitely explore all your options. The frequent trains sometimes are better/cheaper options.
In the afternoon, start exploring Porto. And we start with our favorite part of Porto: Gaia, which technically is a different town. Do a port tasting at a few of the port wine lodges along the Douro river.
Next, take an hour-long river boat tour on the Douro River. This tour is a great way to get your bearings in a new city.
Lastly, stay in Gaia for dinner and the sunset from the Jardim do Morro.
Day 2 – Porto
This is our only full day in Porto and it is packed full of things to do!
Morning – Bolsa Palace & St Francis Church
Start with our favorite tour in Porto, a tour of the Bolsa Palace. Early morning tours give you a great opportunity to start your day before all the tour buses arrive.
Next, visit the São Francisco Church for a short self-guided tour.
Take a short walk to the Miradoura da Vitoria for great sweeping views of the city.
Have a short lunch break at Gazela for some of the best food in Porto, including the famous Francesinha.
Afternoon – Clérigos Church& the world’s most beautiful bookstore
Afterwards, take a self guided tour of Clérigos Church and climb the church tower for another great view of the city.
Lastly, if you feel so inclined, visit Livraria Lello, the world’s most beautiful bookstore. They charge admission into this bookstore because it is so popular. It is pretty but we think it is the most over rated attraction in Portugal and we’d personally skip it – and I’m a huge Harry Potter fan.
Day 3 – Douro Valley
Wake up early and catch a small group tour to the Douro Valley. We took this tour and it was fantastic! If you book with this link, we’ll get a small commission at no extra cost to you. It included two winery tours with tastings and a delicious lunch. Plus loads of amazing views of the terraced Douro Valley port wine region. This is the only region in the world where port wine is grown but it’s a great day trip even if you don’t like wine because the region is so beautiful.
You’ll return to Porto in time for one last activity. We filled that time with a visit to the Sé Cathedral. This is also a great place to visit in the evening as lots of the crowds have thinned out of this very popular tourist destination.
Have one last dinner in Porto before turning in early so you can catch an early train to Lisbon.
Day 4 – Lisbon
Morning – Journey to Lisbon
Make your way to Lisbon via the high speed train. If your journey starts or goes through the São Bento station in Porto, make sure to take a quick peak at the walls of the station. The trains don’t leave from here but you may start your inner city journey here to connect to the high speed trains. They are said to be covered in some of the best blue tiles in Portugal. We don’t think they were worth a separate visit, but they were pretty. Whether you visit São Bento or not, take the high speed train to Lisbon first thing in the morning.
If you catch an early train, you’ll end up in Lisbon around lunch time. Grab a quick bite to eat such as tinned sardines and bread before making your way to Belém.
Afternoon – Belém
Belém is an old seafaring part to Lisbon. During the Age of Discovery, it’s where boats set sail for their long journeys to map the world. Today, a visit to Belém includes a mandatory visit to Pastéis de Belém for dessert. Pastéis de nata are said to have been developed here by the monks of Jerónimos Monastery.
Afterwards, make your way down the street to Jerónimos Monastery. This was one of our favorite places to visit in Portugal. The 16th century monastery is a work of art. It took 100 years to complete and it was worth it. You can spend time visiting both the monastery and the church.
Afterwards, see the Belém Tower. This beautiful tower was built around the same time as the Jerónimos Monastery and is equally as beautiful from the outside. You can also tour the inside if you’re interested.
Lastly, visit the Monument of Discoveries, a beautiful statue dedicated to the Age of Discovery.
Make your way to your Lisbon accommodations to stay overnight.
Day 5 – Sintra
Next, travel via train to Sintra for a tour of Sintra and the many castles of that small town. Sintra is a beautiful town up in the hills north of Portugal where rich Lisbon residents built their summer homes. “Homes” is a modest word for the castles and mansions that dot the hillside. Now, you can tour the homes on a day trip from Lisbon. Pena Palace is the most recognizable. However, visits to the National Palace, Quinta da Regaleira and Monserrate Palace are other popular destinations.
Make your way back to Lisbon on the train for another night in your Lisbon accommodations.
Day 6 – Lisbon
Spend your final day in Lisbon visiting all of the main tourist neighborhoods: Baxia, Chiado and Barrio Alto. Enjoy the morning wandering the streets and taking in the monuments, churches and town squares.
In the afternoon, visit the Castelo de São Jorge. This was our favorite destination in Portugal to learn about the history of the county. It was fascinating. We almost skipped it but don’t – and make sure you go to all of the special talks they offer, that’s where we learned so much.
Spend your final night in Lisbon taking in a fado show. Fado is a soulful acoustic music that is traditionally Portuguese. If you’re a lover of music, you can get tickets specifically for a show. However, if you’re just interested in sampling the music, there are plenty of bars and restaurants that offer free fado shows while you’re eating and drinking.
Day 7 – Lagos
Start early in the morning, renting a car in Lisbon. Drive from Lisbon to Lagos.
Once in Lagos, explore the marina area and grab a bit to eat as you watch tour boats coming and going. Skip a boat tour for today, we have one planned for tomorrow.
Next, walk out to Ponta da Piedade. Along this walk, you’ll pass some of the most beautiful beaches in Portugal. Maybe spare some extra time to stop and soak up the sun, sand and sea.
Afterwards, make your way back to old town Lagos. Here visit the Lagos Castle and the Church of Santo António.
Grab dinner in Lagos and stay out a bit later tonight. The old town area had tons of street performers strolling the streets and playing music. It was a great place to grab dinner and drinks before heading to your Algarve accommodations for bed.
Day 8 – Seven Hanging Valleys Trail
Start with a sunrise kayak tour of Benagil Cave. Why wake up so early? Because the light on those limestone cliffs first thing in the morning is magical. Additionally, you have a good chance of seeing dolphins in the early morning. Why do a kayak tour? Because you’ll get an individual photo in the cave instead of a group photo in a boat. We did we on the first tour below and it was great!
Afterward, you’ll still have a full day left to enjoy the Algarve. Spend it hiking along the Seven Hanging Valleys trail. This trail extends from Marinha Beach to Benagil Beach, there is even trails extending all the way to Algar Seco. Make sure to hike the section from Marinha Beach to Vale de Centeanes, stopping along the way to enjoy some time on the beautiful beaches.
We’d suggest continuing on all the way to Algar Seco. However, if you are tired, you could also drive to Algar Seco. Algar Seco has some beautiful cliffs, grottos and caves. You could spend hours here playing in the natural wonderland that has been carved for generations by the sea and by locals.
Day 9 – Algarve Beaches
Spend the final day in the Algarve relaxing on one – or more – of the Algarve beaches. They are some of the best beaches in Europe. Marinha Beach, Camilo Beach, Falésia Beach and Bordeira Beach would be our recommendations.
Day 10 – Return Home
Wake up, enjoy one last pastel da nata and make your way to the airport to return your rental car and fly home. We drove back to Lisbon to catch our direct flight home. You could also return your rental car to Faro and fly out of that airport, however that would likely come with additional fees for both the rental car and the connecting flight. The drive back to Lisbon is around 3 hours so look at both driving back to Lisbon and flying out of Faro before making your decision – driving back to Lisbon was cheaper AND faster for us.
Where To Stay In Portugal?
While there are some itineraries that require you to stay in a different hotel each night, this is not one of them – thank goodness! During these 10 days in Portugal, you’ll stay in Porto, Lisbon and one city in the Algarve.
When in the Algarve, we recommend staying in Lagos. It was a town we absolutely fell in love with and it will make a great base camp for exploring the western Algarve region.
When in Lisbon, we highly recommend the hostel that we stayed at with private rooms. It was lovely and the hosts were great. If you want more details on choosing Lisbon accommodations, check out our full post here that breaks down Lisbon neighborhoods.
Want to Adjust the Itinerary?
With less than 10 days in Portugal, just pick two of the three destinations (Porto, Lisbon and the Algarve) and focus on those areas.
If you have more time, we have suggestions for day trips from each of the main destinations our Portugal itinerary visits. This allows you to explore more of the country without adding more hotels to your Portugal itinerary.
Porto Day Trips
For more time in Porto consider:
- Coimbra – you can split up your trip from Porto to Lisbon with a stop in Coimbra along the way, a beautiful university town and ancient Roman city.
- Braga – people love to take a day trip to Braga to visit the famous zigzagging staircase.
Lisbon Day Trips
With more time in Lisbon consider:
- Cascais – a day trip to the small beach town of Cascais is a relaxing day.
- Évora – a day trip to Évora is filled with Roman ruins, a cathedral and a garden.
- Nazaré – most people take a day trip to Nazaré to see the famously huge waves and the pros that surf them. Best chances for seeing these waves are in the winter.
- Óbidos – a day trip to Óbidos isn’t complete without walking the walls surrounding the city.
Algarve Extensions
For more time in the Algarve consider:
- More time on the beaches.
- Sagres and the western Algarve – with an extra day, you can take a day trip to both Sagres and a few beaches along the Atlantic coast.
- Ria Formosa – a day trip to the Ria Formosa is not complete without a boat tour of all the natural islands in this park.
We hope this has helped you to plan your own perfect Portugal vacation. We had a great time spending 10 days in Portugal and we hope you do too. If you have any questions or suggestions, please leave them in the comments section below. Or take a look at our Portugal travel page and our suggested articles.
We think you’ll also like:
- The Perfect Portugal Travel Guide
- 15 Things To Do In The Algarve
- Benagil Cave: Everything You Need To Know
- 28 Absolutely Amazing Things To Do In Lisbon
- How To Plan A Sintra Day Trip
- The 19 Best Things To Do In Porto
- A Beautiful Douro Valley Day Trip From Porto
- What To Eat In Portugal
- Complete Portugal Packing List
