How To Spend 1 Week in Portugal

Arrive into Lisbon airport and take the train to Porto. Many flights arrive into Lisbon in the early morning. Although you may be exhausted, I still recommend continuing your journey to start your itinerary in Porto.

Once in Porto, check into your hotel early, drop your bags, or find a luggage drop-off location (these are popping up more and more!).

Grab some lunch and take a nap if you need to.

Afternoon

After a bit of rest, make your way to your Port and Fado experience. Fado is a traditional Portuguese music that you won’t find in many other places. It’s characterized by nostalgic, (often opera-like) singing accompanied by a guitar and Portuguese guitar. Whether you’re a music-lover or not, it really is a unique experience in Portugal that I always recommend! I can help you arrange this if you’re interested.

Finish your day by grabbing dinner at Bota & Bira. Reservations recommended.

Start your second day by joining a walking tour of Porto. This will be a great way to get you oriented to the city and help you identify sites you might want to spend more time at. You will quickly see how much there is to do in Porto and that there are two sides of the river.

After your walking tour, you will probably want to grab some lunch and explore areas that interest you.

Afternoon

This is really the best time to visit Vila Nova de Gaia and the infamous port houses. Porto is the birthplace of porto wine, and it’s where you will find the history of port production. These port houses still exist today, and each one offers port tastings, but this is more of an afternoon activity than an evening activity.

Tip: Sandeman and Ferreria are great options for their history and views of the city.

Finish your day in Porto with a dinner reservation at Casa Viuva for a simple, less-touristy, and traditional Portuguese meal.

After some breakfast at your accommodation in Porto, you will head to the central train station to take your train to the Douro Valley. (If this sounds intimidating, I can help! But the trains are pretty straightforward.)

After a couple hours (with phenomenal views!!!) you will arrive at your destination for the next two nights, Quinta de Sao Bernardo in the Douro Valley region of Portugal. Quinta de Sao Bernardo staff will pick you up from the train station (although it’s only a 5-minute walk away!).

Stay at Quinta de Sao Bernardo

Quinta de Sao Bernardo is going to be the perfect stay for rest and relaxation. You don’t want to miss this place!

They will have lunch available for you if you need it. After that, check into your room, settle in, walk the property, or enjoy the pool. It will be a great afternoon to rest and recharge after your busy couple of days.

The wonderful thing about your accommodation is that they cook a farm-to-table, fresh, unique dinner every single night. You do have to sign up (and pay) for dinner. It is 10000% worthwhile.

Dinner is served in courses and is prepared by the chef every evening. Ingredients are all sourced from the property or locally. It's a perfect way to end your day before falling into bed.

Have a leisurely morning and enjoy the delicious breakfast with amazing views right on the Douro River.

If you’re looking for a little adventure, you can rent out e-bikes from Quinta. Whether you consider yourself an avid outdoor enthusiast or not, the e-bikes are a really fun way to go up into the hills and see the views (even better than your train ride!). It could be a great way to start the morning.

After your e-bike adventure (or your leisurely morning), you will want to grab some lunch before joining the wine tour and tasting on-site. You will learn all about the history of their wine, wine in Portugal, and get your fair share of samples.

Finish your day enjoying the amenities, property, and a delicious farm-to-table dinner once again.

The next morning, after you have some breakfast, you will take the train to Lisbon (with a change-over in Porto). Enjoy the train ride, the lovely views, and the coffee and snacks.

Once you arrive in Lisbon, drop off your luggage at your hotel and grab some Goan/Indian food at Tentacoes de Goa. While Indian food probably isn’t what you were expecting to have while in Portugal, it’s worth it to experience part of the history of the country (and the impact of its colonization).

Afternoon walking tour

Rest at your hotel if you need to before joining your walking tour in the late afternoon. Can you tell that I’m a big fan of walking tours? I think they can be a great way to orient you to the city for the first time, and I’m happy to recommend a couple for you!

For a local, traditional feel for dinner, check out Com Certeza!

Wake up early the next morning to head to Belem. Extra points if you can get here before sunrise! The sunrise views from Belem are pretty wonderful. Belem is home to the statues of the famous Portuguese (and world) explorers. You will find the Tour of Belem and Monument to the Discoveries near the sunrise viewing point.

After enjoying the sunrise, fuel up with delicious food at the famous Pastéis de Belém for the infamous pastel de nata. It’s great if you can get there early, because there is often a line. Make sure you get at least two pastel de nata per person and pair that with an espresso of your choice.

Late morning, head to Jeronimos Monastery (right across the street from Pasteis de Belem). You do want to make sure you purchase tickets in advance! Jeronimos Monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the burial place of Vasco de Gama. Whether you are a history-buff or not, the architecture of the Monastery is something to marvel at.

After you have had your fill of Belem, head back into Lisbon to explore at leisure, enjoy your hotel amenities, and/or rest.

Finish your evening by grabbing dinner in the neighborhood of your accommodation. I will be happy to recommend some options once your accommodation is decided.

For your final day in Lisbon and Portugal, take the morning at your own pace.

I highly recommend checking out Lisbon Tu e Eu for lunch, a restaurant run by someone that lives in Alfama. They do not take reservations and the lines can be quite long, so be mentally prepared and/or get there early.

Food & Fado tour

In late afternoon you will join the final activity of your trip, a Food and Fado tour.

An excellent guide will take you (and a small group who may become your new friends) on a tour of Alfama and Mouraria—the two main neighborhoods for Fado culture and history (and the oldest neighborhoods in Lisbon). You will learn about Fado while having multiple food stops. Here you will meet locals and try their homemade food. Your evening will finish with a Fado “show” at a small, quaint tavern with wine and a final meal.

The experience can’t be missed!