If you are wanting a trip that offers a little bit of everything, Portugal is a great choice. We decided to make Portugal our first trip following the COVID Pandemic and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a European get away. We had plenty of time to research different stops along the way and I feel that our itinerary was pretty spot on. On this trip we road tripped around the country seeing so many unique cities and attractions along the way. I have written our 10/11 day adventure here.

DAY 1: ARRIVE IN LISBON

We flew into Lisbon airport arriving around 2pm. We caught a late night flight in order to be able to sleep overnight. Our luggage was delayed for the first day. Make sure you pack a back up set of clothes for at least a night. We did not. When landing we had most of the day to explore the tight and hilly streets. We did get a rental car for this trip. Our rental car was standard, which was definitely recommended especially if you are not very experienced with an automatic. The roads were very steep and the roads very narrow.

Our Hotel (H10 Duque de Louie): This was a unique hotel in an amazing location. It was near a local park that had a book festival. There was a great breakfast with pasties and coffee each morning. Some of the more popular nightlife areas were a short drive away.

We were able to walk from our hotel to an amazing Michellin Star restaurant Eleven. This was such a special experience. The chef Joachim Koerper was highlighting his 50 years of career menu. He is a Germany chef that had comprised a menu of some of his most famous dishes based off different countries he had lived throughout his career. This was a gastronomy experience like no other.

DAY 2: Exploring Lisbon

Lisbon is a very large city with so much to see. We had read a book that had outlined a great walking trail that highlights some of the main attraction. Since there is so much to see one of the best decisions we made was to take electric scooters around town. This saved us from walking quite so much and allowed us to visit more places in a short amount of time.

The main area for nightlife is a Instagram worthy spot called Pink Street. We went during the day to get the best pictures. The street was a little dirty and had ruminants of the night before scattered around.

Day 3: The Palaces of Sintra

Sintra is the land of fairy tails. A short 30 minute drive from Lisbon, Sintra is worth taking a full day for this side trip. Our first stop was Pena Palace, located on a hill outside of downtown Sintra. We learned a few lessons on the way up to the Palace. You cannot drive all the way to the entrance of Pena Palace. There are cops waiting to give you a 150$ ticket at the top if you do. Make sure you stop and get a ride from one of the certified drivers or buses that can drive you to the top. We got lucky and had a driver stop us on the way to the entrance. He was great. You can buy tickets for the Palace at the entrance. There is so much to see at Pena Palace. You can explore the palace itself, or walk around the vast gardens. There is a restaurants and shops too. We were in awe of how beautiful it was. Make sure you do not forget your camera. Words cannot describe how beautiful this Palace is. Definitely the must see of Portugal.

We did stop by a local restaurant on the way back down to the town of Sintra. If was very unique and they made us “sandwiches” or at least the Portugal take on a sandwich. All the locals we met along our way were very helpful and guided us in the right directions.

The Quinta Da Regaleria had many villas and gardens to explore. There is the initiation well. You can walk down this well and explore the caved below. You need less time in this area, most of our time was spent at Pena Palace since it is very large with so much to see.

We went to the heart of Sintra to the Sinta Palace. We danced and had a beer outside the palace while listening to a Fado singer. Little did we know at the time that Fado music is very emotional and heartfelt. Probably not compatible with our Taylor Swift style dance moves.

Directly across from the Sintra Palace is the Bar do Binho (House of Port). This is a local wine cellar that has been owned by the Cruz family since 1929. The current owner Paulo Cruz was very welcoming and knowledgable. His great grandfather was the origonal owner. His families has been making port wine since pre WW2. We were able to get a sample and a few bottles to take home.

We then finished the day with the sunset at Cabo do Roca. This is the most western point in Europe. There is a lighthouse that overlooks the point. This is a great stopping point on your way back to Lisbon. We stopped at a nearby restaurant overlooking the ocean for some seafood as well.

Day 4: Coimbra

Coimbra is a town between Lisbon and Porto. Its was a perfect place to stop for a night. This small town is home to one of the oldest universities. We stayed at a very unquie historic hotel the Solar Antigo Luxury Comibra. This was located walking distance to many of the sites in Comibra. The rooms were a little different. There was a common area that was shared between us and our neighboring guest. The rooms do look the same so many sure you count what number floor you are on. I found that out the hard way…oops.

We went to a nearby restaurant for dinner called O Trovador. They had a very authentic Portuguese food that was great to try. If you are lucky you may be able to listen to a Fado musician while you enjoy your meal. This restaurant is a World Heritage Site.

During the day we explored the historic university. There are local guided tour groups that you can join. We preferred to go on our own. Our hotel had given us a map to follow. There were many cathedrals to see along the way.

Day 5: Porto

Continuing our drive to norther Portugal, our next stop was Porto. This city is the second largest in Portugal. Porto is located on the Douro River and is known as one of the largest exporters of port wine. We loved the historic character of Porto with cathedrals and monuments to explore in the city center.

Day 6: The Duoro Valley

After our day of site seeing in Porto, we took a day trip to the Douro Valley. This valley is the perfect climate to produce the highest quality grapes. These grapes are one of the top competitors in the world at wine competitions. This is short trip (1 hour) from Porto. We took an AirBnB excursion tour that provided all transportation and wine tours in a small group.

We stopped at different viewpoints to look out over the valley as we drove in. Our first stop was a boat tour along the Douro River in a boat that was used to transport wine barrels.

After returning to the dock, we were ate at a local restaurant along the river before heading to the two wineries.

The first winery we stopped by was… we tried wine from different years, including 2007 and 2016. In these years the grapes were the highest rated worldwide. The second winery was family owned. The walked us through the wine making process from start to finish. We also were able to sample olive oil that was grown locally in the valley. The total trip last from 8am to 5pm and was well worth the cost. We bought bottles from each of the wineries to bring home.

We knew that after day drinking all day, we would need to have a great dinner to revive ourselves. We made reservations at Casa de Cha Boa Nova in Leça da Palmeira. This was a 30 minute drive to the coast. The restaurant sits along the rocky shoreline and is open on one side to the ocean. Dinning at sunset gives your breathtaking views while you enjoy a unique tastes of the ocean by Chef Rui Paula. It is no surprise that this restaurant has TWO Michelin stars.

After dinner we made it home in time to explore the night life in Porto. We found a small local restaurant that had musicians performing. Our waiter even sang before the night was through.

Day 7: We left Porto and started our longest journey back south towards Evora

We made a stop at the sanctuary of Bom de Jesus in Braga to see the Catholic shrine overlooking the city. We climbed the 116 stairs down. Along the way each level had a different fountain that was dedicated to one of the 5 senses.

After leaving Braga we wanted to break up the driving with a little day hike. We drove to Gerês National Park, the only National park in Portugal. If you get car sick, this may not be for you. The roads zig-zag along the mountain sides.

We made it to a trail that hiked down to a waterfall. Finding the trail head was a little difficult. We ended up making our own path down to take a little swim.

It was a little less than 5 hour drive from Gerês to Evora. We arrived late in the evening and had one day to relax and explore.

Day 8: Evora

We stayed at Convento do Espinherio Hotel and Spa, a monastery that was converted in to a hotel. It had a spa where we enjoyed a much needed message after a long day of travel. There were restaurants and bars at the hotel. It overlooked winery’s and was a secluded gem just outside of Evora.

We traveled into the city of Evora. The historic town center was build around an old Roman temple. This structure is standing from the Roman Empire. There are local restaurants and shops to see near the city center. The most unique and eerie place we visited was The Church of Saint Francis. This church is made out of over 5000 human remains that line the walls of the chapel. Franciscan monks in the 16th Century used human remains from neighboring grave yards to construct the chapel due to high number of cemeteries in Evora. Inscribed into the walls is “Nós ossos que aqui estamos, pelos vossos esperamos,” translating to “We bones, are here, waiting for yours.” The monks thought this would remind people of their own inevitable immortality.

Day 9: Lagos

A 2.5 hour drive towards the southern coast, we finally arrived in Lagos. This is a beach town that many Europeans and people around the world flock to for some fun in the sun. There are beaches and beautiful cliffs that run along the ocean. To top it off, there is a vibrant night life that make Lagos the best place for beaches and parties. There are plenty of AirBNBs and hotels to stay at near the downtown area to avoid having to drive after a night out.

We chose to go on a dive trip our first day in Lagos. The dive shop We Dive Lagos had great dive instructors the made the whole day perfect. We got to enjoy the boat ride out. We did a wreck dive that they allowed us to swim through parts of the ship.

After our dive day, we were ready for a night out in Lagos! We walked downtown and ended up finding a great restaurant/bar called Ol’ Bastards. We ate dinner and then ended up staying to see an Irish singer play in the upstairs lounge upstairs. It was standing room only and a blast to sing along with.

Day 10: The Benagil Caves

The Benagil Caves is a beautiful grotto oasis that is a MUST SEE while in Portugal. They are located outside of Lagos in a short 45 minute drive along the Algarve coast in the city of Lagos. We parked near a beach called Praia de Benagil. There are many different tour groups that take boats or kayaks out to explore the caves. You can also rent your own kayak to have a more private experience. To see the caves, you hope from beach to beach around the rocky shoreline. There are many tourist who go to see the “main cave” so we definite recommend going to the private beaches to relax in the sunshine. The caves itself is open at the top allowing in the sunshine and blue sky.

Day 11: Back to Lisbon

The last day we relaxed in Lagos as we prepared for the flight home. We did have to get Covid tests prior to our flight (SEPT 2021). We watched the final sunset along the ocean and enjoyed a great dinner near the city center. We had planned a sunset cruise but missed our boat due to a traffic accident slowing things down coming back into Lisbon from Lagos. The total trip drive time would have been 3 hours if we did not have the delay.

Day 12: Take off back home.

If you have the extra time:

Explore more of the Algarve coastline. We would have loved to spend more time along the beaches. Faro is a short drive from Lagos as your continue past the Lagoa.

We would have loved to stay the night in Sintra. It was really a true fairy tail.