Portugal, from North to South: Porto, Lisbon, and the Algarve Coast

We started our Portuguese journey in the North. Porto (or Oporto) has something to offer for everyone. From historic sites, to the trendy shopping streets and the amazing food. The city is famous for the Ribeira historic district and the Dom Luís I Bridge — a metal railway and pedestrian bridge that crosses the Douro River between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia.

This was my mom’s and my third annual mother-daughter trip. We stayed at the beautifully decorated and appointed Hospes Infante Sagres Porto, where we enjoyed a lovely breakfast spread every morning and indulged in the elevated yet traditional dishes of their connected restaurant — Scarlett Brasserie & Wine Bar, for dinner.

On our first day, we had a leisurely morning before meandering through the winding streets. However, it was time for serious exploration on our second day. We started at the Porto Cathedral, a 12th-century hilltop Romanesque Cathedral overlooking the Pillory of Porto Square with amazing views of the city’s orange clay-tiled rooftops and the Douro River.

Becca Santos

From there, we made our way down to the river, where we found a daily craft market with handmade wares, souvenirs and more. Portugal is famous for their cork products, made sustainably from the bark of cork trees. They are harvested every 9-12 years to allow the trees to replenish themselves.

We made our way across the Dom Luís I Bridge, dodging the tram on the shared pedestrian and tram railway. This landed us on the other side of the Douro River in Vila Nova de Gaia, which is a city separate from Porto. We enjoyed lunch across from the river at one of the many restaurants lining the riverway. My mom enjoyed bacalhau — a dried and salted cod fish dish that Portugal is famous for. It’s not my cup of tea, but if you like cod fish, you may enjoy it! I recommend giving it a try at least once, because when in Portugal, do as the Portuguese do!

Which also includes wine — a lot of wine.

Douro Valley

On our third day, we ventured off to the Douro Valley, an area famous for wine-making. More than 80 wineries dot the picturesque valley! There, we joined a small group tour with Oporto Sensations and explored two famous wineries — starting at the family-owned Quinta de Marrocos.

Quinta de Marrocos has been owned by the Galante Correia de Sequeira family for generations. Wine here is still made the traditional way — by stomping on and crushing grapes with feet! We were lucky enough to meet the current owner, César Augusto Sequeira Correia.

Becca Santos

We had the pleasure of tasting their signature red and white wine, both becoming my new favorite wines immediately, as well as a traditional port. Port wine is Portugal’s signature wine — a sweet, vermouth-like fortified wine. Now, back at home, I’m constantly on the hunt for Quinta de Marrocos in my local wine shops.

From there, we enjoyed a filling lunch in the small town of Pinhao, overlooking the valley. And then made our way to the second winery — Quinta do Panascal.

Quinta do Panascal is a port wine estate owned by Fonseca, and the location is absolutely breathtaking. They are known for their port wines, having produced them since 1815. Here we tasted four — ranging from red to white.

Becca Santos

We finished off our wine journey with a boat tour of the Douro River Valley, topped off with a glass of Vinho Verde (or green wine — another signature Portuguese wine). Though the name may suggest a green color, it’s a light, crisp white… perfect for sipping on a boat!

I highly recommend touring the Douro Valley on your trip to Portugal. It was the highlight of our time in the North!

Lisbon

On our fourth day, we hopped on the high-speed rail headed to Lisbon (or Lisboa). We navigated the entire coast by train, and I highly recommend it. It’s a great way to see the interior of the country and offers very scenic views.

After our three-hour trip, we checked into our second hotel - AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado. Located in the Baixa neighborhood of Lisbon, steps away from the riverway and all the shopping and dining the downtown affords.

AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado is a cozy, boutique hotel with superior service. We were treated to an upgrade to a Junior Suite, which includes a kitchenette and ample living/dining space. And every day there was a new special treat awaiting us — from their restaurant’s signature chocolate cake and iced tea delivered to our door to a sweet teddy bear left for us by housekeeping. The concierge even put together a list of recommended rooftop bars and left it for us in our room after I casually mentioned wanting to search for one at check-in.

We started our exploration of Lisbon on day five. Reading and watching videos about navigating Lisbon did not prepare me for just how incredibly hilly the city is. The downtown area, or Baixa de Lisboa, is relatively new and flat, built following the destruction of the 1755 earthquake that destroyed a large portion of the city. However, historic Lisbon, found just beyond Baixa de Lisboa, is still intact, beautiful … and steep.

It is very worth working those leg muscles, though. The looping streets are lined with colorful, traditional homes, and during the spring time when we went, the flowering trees were budding and dotting the streets with additional pops of color.

We climbed our way to the Castelo de São Jorge, an 8th-century B.C., ruined castle, which houses a hidden surprise — peacocks! That's right, peacocks were everywhere! This was the closest I'd ever been to so many of these majestic birds. The castle grounds are fun to discover, and you can climb up to the small towers and see all of Lisbon before you. But for me, the peacocks truly stole the show here.

Becca Santos

Sintra

The following day, we took a day trip to the historic palace city of Sintra. We hired a private guide to drive to and around the small city, as well as to provide context to the two palace grounds we visited — starting at the Quinta da Regaleira estate.

The 20th-century palace estate is classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The palace grounds were covered in lush greenery — many of the neighborhoods and famous palaces of Sintra are located at high elevations. As a result, the weather is unpredictable and frequently wet. However, the cloudy sky added to the ambience of the palace.

Becca Santos

We made our way down the Initiation Well. Designed by Italian architect Luigi Manini, the well is supposed to evoke the feeling of climbing down to the pit of hell. It was not nearly as terrifying as that sounds. Instead of the fires of hell, we were met with a damp and dark atmosphere.

At the bottom, however, we entered an underground network of hidden caves, which were fun to explore! You can easily get lost here. Luckily, there’s always tons of people around you can follow out.

From Quinta da Regaleira, we made the winding drive up to the famous Palacio da Pena. You’ve likely seen photos of this iconic yellow and red palace, and those photos almost do it justice, unlike my own photos.

Becca Santos

By the time we got to Palacio da Pena, it was peak tourist time. The lines were incredibly long, despite the torrential downpour that had just fallen while on the drive up. Some folks were even turned away at the entrance. Timed reservations are required for entry to the palace. I recommend showing up at least 20-30 minutes before your reservation time.

My second recommendation is to hire a professional guide. We were guided by Miguel from Swingo Portugal, who shared valuable context and history about each palace and Sintra generally. He also ensured we were able to navigate the very crowded city and sites comfortably.

Tavira

We ended our trip in Tavira, a tiny town on the famous Algarve Coast. The Algarve is famous for its stunning beaches. Many of the more popular towns can get overcrowded quickly, especially during the summer. After six days of exploring cities, I wanted to find a quiet, picturesque spot that could show us how most of the country, outside of the cities, lives.

Becca Santos

Tavira is both picturesque and quiet — a hidden gem of the Algarve, if you ask me! This small town is punctuated by 2 lively squares, one circled by small eateries and the second adjacent to the river that cuts the town in two. We arrived just in time for the town’s Spring fair, with craft stand pop-ups selling locally made goods, and traditional musical performances.

The crowning jewel, I think, of Tavira is Tavira Island — a 7-mile stretch of beautiful, white, sand beaches and stunning turquoise water. The only way to get to the island is by a 20-minute ferry or water taxi. The ferry is more economical, but runs on a strict schedule with a one-hour break in the afternoon. Also, be warned that it gets very windy on the ferry. It felt at least 10 degrees cooler than the actual temperature during our ride, and we were freezing. However, if you come during the very hot summer months, you should be fine.

The island’s beaches are very well-equipped with bars, restaurants, beach clubs, rentals and other facilities. While it can get crowded, the length of the beach ensures that you can pretty much always find a spot no matter what. And, as mentioned, it’s an undiscovered gem among most summer tourists.

In Tavira, we stayed at another boutique property, Colegio Charm House — a former boy’s school. It's composed of mostly suites. The decor is bohemian and reminiscent of the town. The stand-out feature of this hotel is their breakfast or small lunch. Starting with their detox shot or lemon water to kickstart the digestive system. The meal includes a selection of regional bread, homemade granola, yogurt, fresh cream cheese, fruits and an assortment of natural juices based on the season.

Room service is also available via a web-based app, where you can order almost anything from their menu and have it brought to wherever you are on the hotel property — whether that’s the pool patio, the rooftop overlooking the river or, of course, in your suite.

Benagil Caves

On our last day, we took a day trip to Faro — one of the most popular summer beach destinations in the Algarve. And there’s a reason why…

Becca Santos

Faro is home to world-famous Benagil Caves and rock formations. We took a small-group guided hike up to the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail. The trail takes you above the Benagil Caves, allowing you to peer into them from the precarious limestone edges. The hike is more of a moderate walk, and easily accomplished by most. And the views are absolutely worth it.

After the hike, we enjoyed sunbathing on the gorgeous Marinha Beach. This beach is lined by the same limestone rock formations that dot the waters and create the famous caves. The water was extremely cold when we were there, but our guide mentioned that water temps tend to be warmer during the summer months of June through August.

I highly recommend arriving early to secure a spot on this small and very popular beach. I’ll also share a secret. There is a small cave on the beach that, if you’re brave enough to walk through, will lead you to a hidden, more secluded sliver of beach.

Exploring Benagil was the perfect way to end our amazing ten days in Portugal — seeing a slice of life across the country.

If you’re looking to plan your own trip to Portugal, reach out! I can offer personalized recommendations based on your own travel style and budget — as well as added hotel perks from the free breakfasts we enjoyed at each of the hotels mentioned above, to room upgrades and food/beverage or spa credits.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Portugal. In need of further inspiration? Check out Clara Raposo’s guide, A Day in Cascais, Portugal.