Portugal packs a lot into a small country. In a week you can stand in a Porto wine cellar, ride a tram through Lisbon, and swim off a cliff-backed beach in the Algarve. For most first trips the best places to visit are Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve coast, with Sintra and the Douro Valley close behind. Spring and early autumn are the sweet spots for weather and crowds, and you can see the highlights in seven to ten days. This guide covers where to go, when, how to get around, and what to eat, the way we plan our own trips at VayCay Couple. For official visitor information you can also check Visit Portugal, the national tourist board.
Last updated July 2026.
Where should you go in Portugal?
For a first visit, base yourself around Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve. Lisbon and Porto give you the cities, history and food, and the Algarve gives you the beaches. If you have longer, add Sintra for the palaces, the Douro Valley for wine, and the quieter Silver Coast or Alentejo to slow down. Here is how the main regions compare.
| Region | Best for | Base yourself in | Do not miss |
| Lisbon and around | City, history, food, day trips | Lisbon | Alfama, Belem, a day in Sintra |
| Porto and the Douro | Wine, riverside city, scenery | Porto | Port cellars, a Douro Valley trip |
| The Algarve | Beaches, cliffs, family and couples | Albufeira, Lagos or Faro | Praia da Marinha, Benagil, Ria Formosa |
| The Silver Coast | Surf, quieter towns | Nazare or Obidos | Nazare big waves, walled Obidos |
| Alentejo | Slow travel, hill towns, wine | Evora | Evora old town, Marvao |
| Islands | Nature, hiking, whales | Madeira or the Azores | Levada walks, crater lakes |
Lisbon: trams, tiles and views
Lisbon is the easiest place to start. The old Alfama district is a tangle of stepped lanes, tiled houses and viewpoints, and the number 28 tram rattles right through it. Out west in Belem you have the monastery, the tower and the original pasteis de nata from Pasteis de Belem. Give the city two or three days and you will still find more.
Porto and the Douro Valley
Porto is smaller and steeper than Lisbon, and many people end up preferring it. The Ribeira waterfront, the port wine cellars across the river in Gaia, and the tiled Sao Bento station are the core of a visit. Livraria Lello, one of the most photographed bookshops anywhere, now charges entry that comes off a book purchase, so go early to beat the queues. Porto is also the gateway to the Douro Valley, where terraced vineyards line the river and you can take a boat or the scenic train.
The Algarve: beaches, cliffs and coves
The Algarve is the beach heart of Portugal, roughly 150 kilometres of coast along the south. Albufeira sits in the middle and makes a handy base, with Lagos to the west for the dramatic cliffs and Faro to the east for the calm lagoons of the Ria Formosa. The standout beaches are Praia da Marinha and the sea cave at Benagil, best reached by boat or kayak. Lagos also has the liveliest nightlife on the coast, which we cover in a separate guide to the best places in Portugal for nightlife.
Sintra: palaces in the hills
Half an hour by train from Lisbon, Sintra is a hillside of palaces and gardens wrapped in forest. The colourful Pena Palace is the famous one, with the Moorish castle walls and the strange wells and tunnels of Quinta da Regaleira close by. It gets very busy, so book timed tickets and arrive early. It works well as a day trip, but staying a night lets you have the town after the coaches leave.
Off the usual trail: the Silver Coast and Alentejo
If you want fewer crowds, head to the Silver Coast north of Lisbon, where Nazare draws surfers to some of the biggest waves on earth in winter and the walled town of Obidos sits inland. Further east, the Alentejo is all rolling cork oaks, wine and quiet hill towns. Evora is the obvious base, and the fortified village of Marvao up near the Spanish border is worth the detour for the views alone.
When is the best time to visit Portugal?
The best time to visit Portugal is spring, from April to June, or early autumn, in September and October. You get warm, settled weather without the peak summer heat, prices, and crowds. July and August are hottest and busiest, which suits a pure beach trip. Winter is mild, cheap and quiet, and fine for city breaks even if the sea is too cold for swimming.
| Season | Weather | Crowds and prices | Good for |
| Spring (Apr to Jun) | Warm, 18 to 25C, mostly dry | Building, still reasonable | Cities, walking, early beach days |
| Summer (Jul to Aug) | Hot, 28 to 35C in the south | Peak, book well ahead | Beaches, festivals, nightlife |
| Autumn (Sep to Oct) | Warm sea, 20 to 27C | Easing off, good value | Best all-rounder, wine harvest |
| Winter (Nov to Mar) | Mild, 10 to 17C, some rain | Quietest and cheapest | City breaks, surf, low budgets |
How do you get to Portugal from the UK?
Flying is the simplest option. Lisbon, Porto and Faro all take direct flights from cities across the UK, with British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair, TAP and Jet2 running frequent routes, and the hop takes under three hours. Faro is the airport for the Algarve, Porto for the north, and Lisbon for the centre. You can reach Portugal overland by train through France and Spain, but it is a long two-day trip that only makes sense if the journey is part of the holiday.
How do you get around Portugal?
Trains and buses connect the main cities cheaply and comfortably. Comboios de Portugal runs the fast Alfa Pendular service between Lisbon and Porto in under three hours, and buses reach the smaller towns the trains miss. In the cities you will not need a car, as Lisbon and Porto both have metros, trams and plenty to walk to. For the Algarve coast or the Alentejo hill towns, hiring a car is worth it, because the best beaches and villages are awkward to reach on public transport.
What should you eat in Portugal?
Portuguese food is simple, seafood-heavy and built around good ingredients. The one thing everyone should try is the pastel de nata, a warm custard tart with a caramelised top. Beyond that, look for bacalhau, salt cod cooked more ways than there are days in the year, grilled sardines in summer, and piri piri chicken. In Porto the local dish is the francesinha, a heavy grilled sandwich in beer sauce. Wash it down with vinho verde, a young slightly fizzy white, or a glass of port in Gaia where it is made.
How many days do you need in Portugal?
Seven to ten days is enough for a strong first trip. A week lets you split time between two bases without rushing. A common route is three nights in Lisbon with a day in Sintra, then two or three nights in Porto, or swapping Porto for the Algarve if you would rather have beaches than a second city. With ten days you can do all three, Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve, and still add a Douro Valley wine trip.
A simple week that works:
Days 1 to 3: Lisbon, with a day trip to Sintra.
Day 4: train to Porto, evening by the river.
Days 5 to 6: Porto and a Douro Valley day.
Day 7: fly home from Porto, or carry on south to the Algarve if you have longer.
Is Portugal expensive?
Portugal is one of the cheaper countries in western Europe, though the Algarve and central Lisbon have crept up. Outside the peak beach season you can eat a good sit-down lunch for around 12 to 15 euros, and a coffee still costs a euro or so. Trains and buses are inexpensive, museums are modest, and the biggest savings come from travelling in spring or autumn and staying slightly outside the busiest streets.
Planning your trip
Portugal rewards a simple plan, pick two or three bases, travel in spring or autumn, and leave room to sit in a square with a coffee and watch the day go by. Start with Lisbon and the Algarve if it is your first time, and save Porto and the Douro for the trip you will inevitably want to take next. For more ideas across the continent, browse our Europe guides. Been to Portugal, or planning your first trip? Tell us in the comments, we read every one.
FAQs
For a first trip, Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve coast cover the essentials, cities and history in the north and centre, beaches in the south. With more time, add Sintra for its palaces, the Douro Valley for wine, and quieter spots like Evora and the Silver Coast. Most people build a week around two of these and save the rest for a return visit.
Spring, April to June, and early autumn, September and October, are the best times to visit. The weather is warm and settled, the sea is swimmable by autumn, and you avoid the peak crowds and prices of July and August. Winter is mild and cheap, which suits city breaks in Lisbon and Porto even though it is too cool for the beach.
Seven to ten days is ideal for a first visit. A week lets you pair two bases, such as Lisbon with Sintra and then Porto, without feeling rushed. Ten days is enough to add the Algarve or a Douro Valley wine trip on top.
Not for the cities. Lisbon and Porto have good metros, trams and walkable centres, and fast trains link the two in under three hours. A hire car is worth it for the Algarve beaches and the Alentejo hill towns, where the best spots are hard to reach by bus.
Yes. Portugal offers cities, beaches, mountains, wine and some of the best value in western Europe, all within a short flight of the UK and packed into a country you can cross in a day. That mix is why it has become one of Europe’s most popular destinations.
