Authentic Portugal: Cities, Countryside & Beaches - 13 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Lisbon, Evening Fado Dinner

Olá, welcome to sunny Lisbon! You've landed in the colorful Portuguese capital, where a private driver will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. Check in and freshen up, then step out onto the cobblestone streets and begin your explorations. You have until evening as free time, so go discover what makes this city a magnet for travelers. Lisbon is famous for its sweet—pasteís de nata—so fuel your wander with a couple of Portuguese custard tarts from a top bakery, such as Manteigaria or Castro.

This evening you have a very special experience booked. You'll dine at one of the best fado restaurants in Lisbon, where traditional Portuguese cuisine is interspersed with high-quality fado performances. Fado is an intense and moving traditional style of music from Lisbon. Even though you can't understand the lyrics—which are about love and loss, the sea and the city—you'll get goosebumps watching the passionate singer, who is always accompanied by a 12-string Portuguese guitar player and a regular guitar.

Day 2: Guided Lisbon Walking Tour, Transfer to Sintra

After breakfast, you'll set off for a full-day walking tour of Lisbon and its many authentic local neighborhoods. You'll start in the historic Alfama and Castelo districts, two of the oldest areas of Lisbon, where steep streets and several viewpoints offer some of the most amazing views in the city. Ride a quintessential yellow tram up to the Graça, Santa Luzia, or Portas do Sol scenic vistas, where you can gaze over the sea of red roofs to the Tagus River. Stop by the Lisbon Cathedral, visit the 17th-century National Pantheon, and see the 11th-century Moorish São Jorge Castle.

Then head down the hill to the riverfront Time Out Market for lunch, where half the traditional food hall is now filled with a curation of stalls from top chefs and restaurants. Afterward, walk toward the Belém district, home of the Belém Tower and the Jerónimos Monastery, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Finally, end in chic Chiado and bohemian Bairro Alto, where you'll see beautiful tiled buildings and more yellow trams, and step inside the São Roque Church to see its ornate interiors. Later in the day, you'll take a private half-hour transfer to Sintra and check into your hotel.

Day 3: Biking in Sintra-Cascais National Park & Cabo de Roca

Sintra is a fairy-tale historic village set within a natural mountain reserve, just a stone's throw from Lisbon. Here, historic palaces, an ancient castle, and charming villas dot the immensely green countryside, which is often shrouded in a coastal mist. Sintra has a mysterious air about it, and today you'll explore the destination's outstanding beauty on a half-day bike tour. You'll ride along the most enchanting routes and trails, adapted to your riding level, carving up the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park as you pedal from the village and over the mountains to the coast.

You'll ride out to the high cliffs of Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe, then transfer back to the village for a late lunch. Use your afternoon to explore one of the many palaces, from colorful and popular Pena Palace, to the 10th-century Moorish Castle, to the historic interiors of the National Palace. Between palaces you should visit Casa Piriquita to try the local traditional sweets—travesseiros and queijadas de Sintra.

Day 5: Hiking in Peneda-Gerês National Park

Today, after breakfast in Braga, you'll set off on an exciting day trip to Peneda-Gerês National Park for a guided mountain hike. This park is Portugal's only official national park and spans an impressive 436 square miles (703 km), nestled in the country's northern region near the Spanish border. Known for its breathtaking landscapes and rural feeling, Peneda-Gerês offers a unique blend of rugged mountains, deep valleys, and pristine rivers that create the perfect setting for a day of outdoor adventure.

Wear your hiking boots or sturdy sneakers and pack a day bag to carry water and sunscreen. You'll trek along forest trails, where you might encounter ancient Roman roads, stone bridges, and traditional granite villages. There's the possibility of spotting wild horses, deer, or even the elusive Iberian wolf. If it's a hot summer day, you might hike to a beautiful waterfall and swim in the icy pool beneath the cascade. The perfect refreshing dip after your hike! After a tranquil day exploring nature, return to Braga in the evening.

Day 7: Get to Know Porto Tour, Evening Culinary Class

Wake up ready to explore Porto with a local guide, who will lead you past the most important landmarks in Portugal's "Invicta (Unbeaten) City" over half a day. Hear stories of heroes and battles as you zoom down Boavista Avenue and explore coastal Foz, then enter the UNESCO-listed city center, where you'll find São Bento Railway Station, Clerigos Tower, the Church of St. Francis, Lello Bookshop, Santa Catarina Street, Majestic Café, and Bolhão Market. Visit the imposing Porto Cathedral, and finish with a tour of riverfront Ribeira near the Dom Luís I Bridge.

You'll also visit a small-scale canning factory, learning about the traditional hand-processing techniques used to make tinned fish for the past century. Enjoy a few hours to yourself before heading to an evening culinary class. A local chef will lead you on a three-hour hands-on workshop where you'll visit a market and then craft a delicious and traditional Portuguese dinner. Once the feast is ready, sit down to enjoy it with Portuguese wines and spirits. 

Day 8: Transfer to Évora, Guided Tour of Évora

Today you'll wave goodbye to the north of Portugal when a private transfer collects you for the four-hour drive south to Évora, the capital of the Alentejo region. Enjoy the scenery as you roll down the highway and into the Alentejo, a vast region known for its rural charm, cork oak forests, whitewashed villages, golden wheat fields, extensive vineyards, historic castles, and slower pace. Once you reach Évora, enjoy lunch, then meet a local guide for a guided tour of the compact UNESCO-listed historic center.

You'll visit the small city's main monuments, including the well-preserved ruins of the 2,000-year-old Templo Romano, and see many landmarks from the golden age of Portugal's maritime discoveries. Afterward, use your free time to shop for local terracotta ceramics or stop for an evening drink in Praça do Giraldo, the main square. For dinner, visit a local restaurant to taste flavorsome Alentejo cuisine paired with hearty local red wine.

Day 12: Transfer to Lisbon, Gourmet Food Tour

It's your last full day in Portugal, and it's time to return to the capital. A private driver will collect you after breakfast for the three-hour drive from Lagos to Lisbon. You'll have the afternoon free to grab a meal, explore the city, and shop for any last-minute souvenirs. You could wander down to the riverfront for a drink by the water, or go chasing street art and unique stores at the creative LX Factory precinct.

Later this evening, you'll join a gourmet food tour in Lisbon. A local foodie will lead you along the cobblestone alleyways of the city, popping into various snack bars, taverns, and restaurants to taste the best of Portuguese gastronomy. Over four hours, you'll explore the local Campo de Ourique neighborhood, a city within a city that almost sets the food culture and culinary trends of Lisbon. Here, you'll stop at seven delicious spots that link tradition and modernity. It's the perfect end to almost two weeks exploring Portugal.

Day 13: Depart Lisbon

You'll understand the untranslatable Portuguese word saudade when you have to say goodbye today. In essence, it's a deep emotional state of longing or nostalgia, often for something or someone that is absent or lost—it's the hole that Portugal leaves in your heart. If you have time this morning, pop out to a bakery for another delicious pastel de nata before a private driver transfers you to the airport in time for your departing flight home or onward. Safe travels!