Portugal Travel Guide: Lisbon, Porto, the Alentejo, and the Algarve

Portugal has become one of Europe's most visited countries in the past decade, driven by Lisbon's rapid emergence as a major city-break destination, Porto's growing international reputation, the Algarve's sustained popularity as a sun-and-beach destination, and the entire country's relative affordability compared to France, Spain, or Italy. A budget of £100 to £150 per person per day covers good accommodation, restaurant meals, and transport with room to spare. The food (bacalhau, the 365-preparation salt cod tradition; seafood; pastéis de nata; cured meats from the Alentejo; local wine at restaurant prices of £15 to £25 per bottle) is among the best value in southern Europe. Portugal's geography is compact enough that a 10 to 14-day trip can meaningfully cover Lisbon, Sintra, Porto, and the Alentejo or Algarve without feeling rushed.

Lisbon (3 to 4 Days)

Lisbon is built on seven hills above the Tagus estuary, which gives the city its distinctive character: steep streets (becos and calçadas) paved with black and white calcada portuguesa limestone cobbles, yellow trams on impossible gradients, viewpoints (miradouros) over terracotta rooftops and the river.

• Alfama: The oldest neighbourhood, built above the Moorish castle (São Jorge Castle; entry €15, approximately £13). The Alfama is best explored slowly on foot; the Miradouro da Graça and Miradouro de Santa Luzia are the finest viewpoints. Fado (the mournful, virtuosic Portuguese music genre) originated here; authentic fado restaurants (casas de fado) serve dinner with live performances for approximately £40 to £60 per person all-in.
• Belém: The riverside district where Vasco da Gama departed in 1497 on the first voyage to India. The Jerónimos Monastery (Manueline Gothic; entry €10) and the Torre de Belém (entry €6) are the UNESCO-listed landmarks. The Pastéis de Belém bakery (founded 1837) serves the original pastel de nata, made to a recipe kept secret since the monastery's closure; expect queues at busy times but they move fast.
• LX Factory: A former 19th-century industrial complex repurposed as a creative hub of restaurants, bookshops, boutiques, and arts spaces under railway arches in Alcântara. The Sunday market is the highlight: food, vintage clothing, plants, and crafts with a flea market feel.
• Day trip: Sintra: 40 minutes by train from Rossio station (approximately €2.40 each way). The Pena Palace, Moorish Castle, Quinta da Regaleira (neogothic palace and gardens with an initiatic well descending 30 metres; entry €12), and the Atlantic headland at Cabo da Roca are all within the Sintra cultural landscape. Arrive early (the Pena Palace opens at 9:30am) to beat the crowds that peak mid-morning to mid-afternoon.

Porto (2 to 3 Days)

Porto is Portugal's second city and, in the view of many recent visitors, its most characterful. The medieval Ribeira waterfront district (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) flanks the Douro River; across the Dom Luís I bridge, the historic port wine lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia line the southern riverbank. Tasting flights at Taylor's, Ramos Pinto, Sandeman, or Graham's lodges cost approximately £10 to £20 for 3 to 5 wines.

• Livraria Lello: The most beautiful bookshop in the world, by most rankings. A neo-Gothic-meets-Art Nouveau interior with a famous curved red staircase. Entry ticket €8 (redeemable against book purchases). Pre-book online; it sells out daily in high season.
• The Douro Valley: 1.5 hours from Porto by car (or by scenic train to Pinhão). Portugal's port wine and Douro DOC table wine country, with dramatic terraced vineyards above the river. Quinta do Crasto, Quinta da Roêda, and Quinta do Vallado offer tours and tastings. A day trip or overnight stay is one of the most memorable experiences in Portugal.
• Food in Porto: The francesinha (a hearty sandwich of cured meats and cheese, drowned in a spiced tomato and beer sauce; approximately £10 to £14) is Porto's defining street food. The Mercado do Bolhão (renovated 2022) is the central food market. Bacalhau à Bras (salt cod with eggs and straw potatoes) and polvo à lagareiro (roast octopus with olive oil and garlic) are the recommended restaurant dishes.

The Alentejo

The Alentejo (the region "beyond the Tagus") is Portugal's least visited and most underrated region: rolling plains of cork oak and olive groves, whitewashed medieval villages, extraordinary food (black Alentejo pig charcuterie, bread-based açorda stews, fresh sheep's cheese, migas), and a wine region producing some of Portugal's best red wines. Évora (a UNESCO World Heritage City, 1.5 hours from Lisbon) is the natural base: its Roman temple (1st century AD), medieval cathedral, and the Chapel of Bones (16th-century ossuary) are the primary attractions. Monsaraz (a perfectly preserved medieval walled village above the Guadiana reservoir) and the megalith fields around Évora (the Cromeleque dos Almendres stone circle, older than Stonehenge) are outstanding day trips.

The Algarve

The Algarve is the most developed and most sun-reliable part of Portugal: 300 days of sunshine per year, dramatic limestone cliff coastlines in the western Algarve (Sagres, Lagos, Praia da Marinha), and long sandy Atlantic beaches in the eastern Algarve (Tavira, Meia Praia). The western Algarve is best for dramatic coastal scenery; the eastern Algarve is best for quieter, more traditional towns and calmer seas (the Ria Formosa lagoon system).

Faro Airport (FAO) is the main gateway; Ryanair, easyJet, and TAP fly from multiple UK airports year-round. Car hire is the best way to explore beyond the resort towns: the N125 coast road connects the major western Algarve beaches. Albufeira and Vilamoura are the most developed resort areas; Lagos, Tavira, and Olhão are more interesting for food and architecture.

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