10-Day Portugal Itinerary: Lisbon, Porto, Algarve & Douro Valley

We landed in Lisbon on a Tuesday morning and spent ten days zigzagging across Portugal by train, rental car, and a few Ubers. This itinerary hits four distinct regions without feeling like a checklist. You’ll eat pastéis de nata in Belém, drink port in a Gaia cellar, sleep in a clifftop Algarve town, and stare at terraced vineyards from a riverboat. Here’s exactly how we did it, including what we’d skip next time.

Is this 10-day Portugal itinerary too rushed?

It depends on your travel pace. We moved every two to three nights, which felt sustainable. Lisbon got three nights, Porto two, the Algarve three, and the Douro Valley one overnight. If you hate packing up, drop the Douro overnight and do it as a day trip from Porto. But staying overnight in Pinhão was the highlight of the trip — waking up to the Douro River without a crowd is worth the suitcase shuffle.

What’s the best way to get between Lisbon and Porto?

Take the Alfa Pendular train from Lisbon’s Santa Apolónia station to Porto’s Campanhã station. It’s about three hours, costs around €30-40 if you book a few days ahead on the Comboios de Portugal site, and the seats are comfortable with power outlets. We grabbed coffee at the station café and watched the landscape shift from cork oaks to granite hills. Don’t bother with the domestic flight — by the time you factor in airport transit and security, the train wins.

Where should we stay in Lisbon for three nights?

We booked a room at Hotel da Baixa on Rua da Prata. It’s a converted 18th-century building with modern rooms and a rooftop bar overlooking the castle. The location put us within walking distance of everything in the Baixa and Chiado neighborhoods. For food, we ate at Time Out Market once (overpriced, but the Manteigaria pastéis de nata stand is legit) and at O Velho Eurico in Graça for grilled octopus and a no-frills vibe. Skip the Tram 28 unless you want to stand in line for an hour — we walked the same route through Alfama and saw more.

Top Lisbon stops:

Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery (go early, like 9 AM, to avoid queues)
LX Factory for Sunday flea market and lunch at Landeau Chocolate
Miradouro da Graça for sunset views without the Santa Justa Elevator crowds

What should we do in Porto with two days?

We based ourselves at Casa do Conto in the Cedofeita neighborhood — a boutique hotel with a courtyard pool and a breakfast spread that includes fresh orange juice and queijadas. Day one we crossed the Dom Luís I Bridge to Vila Nova de Gaia for port tastings. Taylor’s has the best guided tour; Sandeman is flashier but fine. Day two we walked through the Ribeira district (touristy, yes, but the riverside bars are fun for a glass of vinho verde) and ate at Casa Guedes for their legendary pork sandwich with Serra da Estrela cheese. Save Livraria Lello for a weekday morning if you want photos — the line snakes around the block otherwise.

How do we handle the Algarve in three days without a car?

We rented a car at Porto’s airport and drove south — about five hours to Lagos. If you’d rather not drive, take the train from Porto to Faro (connections via Lisbon) and then local buses or Ubers. We stayed at Casa Mãe in Lagos, a restored townhouse with a saltwater pool and a bar that makes a mean ginjinha. The Ponta da Piedade cliffs are a 20-minute walk from the old town; we booked a kayak tour through a local outfitter that took us into the sea caves. For beaches, Praia do Camilo is stunning but packed by 10 AM — we preferred Praia da Marinha near Benagil, which is quieter and has the famous double-sea-arch.

Algarve essentials:

Benagil Cave — take a small boat from Benagil beach, not a large tour boat from Portimão
Ria Formosa Natural Park — we did a half-day birdwatching walk near Tavira, worth it for the flamingos
O Litoral restaurant in Lagos for cataplana de marisco (seafood stew for two)

Is the Douro Valley worth the detour from Porto?

Yes, but only if you stay overnight. We drove from Porto to Pinhão (about 90 minutes) and checked into Vintage House, a hotel right on the river with a pool overlooking the terraced vineyards. We walked the Pinhão train station to see the azulejo tile panels depicting harvest scenes, then took a private boat tour from the hotel’s dock. The Quinta do Seixo (Sandeman’s estate) offers tastings with a view, but the real treat is dinner at Cozinha do Clérigo in Pinhão — grilled lamb chops and a bottle of red from the region for under €30. If you can’t stay, the Linha do Douro train from Porto to Pinhão is a scenic three-hour ride along the river.

FAQ

What’s the best time of year for this itinerary? We went in late April. Crowds were moderate, temperatures were 18-22°C, and the Algarve water was cold but swimmable for a few minutes. May and September are similar. Avoid August unless you like packed beaches and €200 hotel rooms.

How much did this trip cost per person? Roughly €1,800 for two people sharing rooms, including car rental, trains, and one nice dinner per city. Budget hotels like Casa do Conto and Vintage House were around €120-150 per night. Douro Valley boat tours ran about €50 per person.

Should I book trains in advance? Yes, for the Alfa Pendular between Lisbon and Porto. Book at least a week ahead on the CP website. Regional trains (like Porto to Pinhão) don’t sell out, but the scenic Douro line can get crowded on weekends — buy a ticket the same day at the station.

Conclusion

Three nights in Lisbon, two in Porto, three in the Algarve, one in the Douro Valley — this split works for a first visit
Train between Lisbon and Porto (Alfa Pendular), rent a car for the Algarve and Douro
Stay in Baixa (Lisbon), Cedofeita (Porto), Lagos old town (Algarve), and Pinhão (Douro)
Eat pastéis at Manteigaria, pork sandwich at Casa Guedes, cataplana at O Litoral
Skip Tram 28 in Lisbon and Livraria Lello on weekends — not worth the wait