Best of Lisbon & Porto - 7 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Lisbon, Walking Foodie Tour

Welcome to Portugal! Upon arrival at Lisbon's airport, you'll be met by a driver who will transfer you to your hotel. Once you've checked in, use the rest of the day to explore at your pace. The afternoon is the perfect time to see the LX Factory, one of Lisbon's coolest destinations. A former cloth and textile factory has been transformed into a buzzing district filled with small shops, restaurants, and bars. 

But don't linger too long. When evening hits, you'll join a gourmet food tour and get to know the rich flavors of Portuguese food. Follow your English-speaking guide through winding alleys to explore Portuguese gastronomy in the local neighborhood of Campo de Ourique. Over four hours, you'll visit seven spots that brilliantly link tradition with modernity. Experience ways that locals have reinvented restaurant concepts, including a market and hotel school, while getting a taste of culinary recipes that have become world-famous.

Day 2: Guided Tour of Lisbon, Evening of Fado

After breakfast, your private guide will pick you up at your hotel for an excursion around Lisbon. Your first stop is the beautiful area of Belém, an ode to the superb age of the Portuguese Discoveries—the numerous territories and maritime routes discovered by the Portuguese during the 15th and 16th centuries. Here you'll visit the Torre de Belém and the Monument to the Discoveries, followed by the magnificent Jerónimos Monastery, considered one of the most stunning monuments of Portugal. While here, taste the delicious and sweet pastel de Belém, a traditional pastry.

Next, you'll proceed to the charismatic Alfama district, home of traditional fado music, with twisting streets that wind up to an imposing castle on one of the city's highest hills. With whitewashed houses, flower-laden balconies, and terracotta-tiled roofs, Alfama is a perfect mix of historical landmarks and charming residences. You'll also discover one of the most important squares in the city and the famous Liberdade Avenue. After the tour, you could choose between some of the city's best fado restaurants for a memorable evening of traditional cuisine and music.

Day 3: Day Trip to Sintra, Cascais & Estoril, Sunset River Cruise

Today your guide will transport you to another world: Sintra. Just half an hour from the city, this village is packed with history and fantasy, described as a "glorious Eden" by the British poet Lord Byron in the 18th century. Explore palaces and enjoy free time for lunch before swapping the mountain for the coast. Pull up at Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of Portugal and mainland Europe. Enjoy gorgeous views across the Atlantic Ocean as waves crash onto the shore, before winding along coastal roads to Cascais, the former summer residence of the Portuguese royals.

Continue along the coast, back to Lisbon, passing by upmarket Estoril, known for its casino (the largest in Europe), seaside mansions, and attractive gardens. Board a sailing boat or catamaran and cruise around with a glass of wine in hand as you spot Lisbon's famous landmarks and skyline at sunset. You'll pass by Praça do Comércio, São Jorge Castle, Alfama, National Pantheon, Santa Apolónia Station, Cacilhas, Cristo Rei, 25th of April Bridge, MAAT, the Palace of Ajuda, and more.

Day 4: Transfer to Porto, City Tour, Port Wine Cellar Visit

This morning, you'll take a three-hour transfer to Porto—Portugal's second-largest and most populous city. Check into your hotel, find somewhere for lunch, then join a half-day Porto tour. Settled by Romans, this emblematic city is known for its delicious port wine, medieval townhouses stacked beside the beautiful Douro River, and churches wearing blue-and-white azulejo tiles. Your guide will explain the rich history of this city, also called "Invicta" (the Unbeaten City), with stories of heroes and battles as you make your way to the trendiest and most cultural area of the city.

Here you'll explore Boavista Avenue, one of the city's most important streets, and Foz, home to world-class museums and modern local treasures. Next, you'll head to the city center—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—to admire the most renowned Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, and neoclassical monuments and sites, including the São Bento Railway Station, Clerigos Tower, Church of St. Francis, Lello Bookshop, Sta. Catarina Street, Majestic Café, and Bolhão Market, to name a few. After visiting the imposing Porto Cathedral with its grand silver altarpiece, you will finish the tour along the banks of the vast Douro River with views of Ribeira Plaza and the Dom Luís I Bridge.

After, cross the river to the city of Vila Nova de Gaia, where the famous port wine cellars line the southern bank. Learn about the origins of Portugal's fortified wine production when you visit a cellar and walk between huge barrels while learning about how this wine was shipped across the globe. After the tour, you'll partake in a tasting where you'll come to truly understand the difference between ruby and tawny ports.

Day 5: Day Trip to the Douro Valley with River Cruise

After breakfast in Porto, you'll be picked up at your hotel for a full-day excursion in the Douro Valley, one of the most beautiful (and certainly the oldest) wine regions in the world! You'll spend the day visiting traditional wineries and learning about the region's fascinating UNESCO-protected wine heritage. After a wine tasting at a magnificent vineyard and a special olive oil producer, you'll stop for lunch at a traditional Portuguese restaurant where you'll have the chance to taste regional dishes and ask your guide any questions.

Then it's time to hop aboard a traditional wine boat for an hourlong cruise down the tranquil Douro River. Relax and admire the beautiful scenery of the valley, where the vines roll down to the riverbank while sipping on a glass of port. At the end of the day, return to Porto, where you can spend your final evening in the city at leisure.

Day 6: Transfer to Lisbon via Coimbra, National Tile Museum

Today, after breakfast and checkout, you'll be transferred to Lisbon. About halfway through the trip, your driver will stop in Coimbra, where you'll have free time to explore and eat lunch. Coimbra is the medieval capital of Portugal and the site of the country's greatest university: the University of Coimbra, established in 1290. The city wears its weighty importance in Portuguese history with dignity and pride, witnessed by its multicolored collage of buildings that span nearly a millennium. The historic core cascades down toward the east bank of the Mondego River.

After your exploration in Coimbra, you'll continue to Lisbon. Check in to your hotel and spend the rest of the day relaxing and exploring the Portuguese capital on your own. You could visit the beautiful National Tile Museum, set within a 16th-century convent founded by Queen D. Leonor. The museum shows the cultural heritage of Portuguese azulejos, taking you on a journey from the 15th century to the present day. After, you could walk to the craft breweries and galleries in the up-and-coming Marvila neighborhood.