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There are so many different ways to fill up your 7 days in Portugal itinerary. But lucky for you, I’m here to help you have an easy and breezy trip. There is no wrong time to visit the beautiful southern European country, but it is very popular during the summer.
But one of the best things about Portugal is that you can find sunny days all year long, and there is always fun to be had.
You can follow this Portugal travel itinerary 7 days to the tee, or just use it for tips and suggestions. It is totally up to you! We traveled in a car which was so easy.
But I will still add some information on how to take the buses, or you could always do a guided tour! I am a sucker for beaches, castles, architecture, and desserts so you will find all of those wonderful things on my 7 days in Portugal itinerary.
First things first, where should you start your trip? This is the hard question. The cheapest option, if you are coming in internationally, will most likely be Lisbon, so that is what we are going to check out. It makes it simple and easy and you will not have to do so much traveling the first few days when you get there.
So we are starting in Lisbon, let’s do it.
On your first day of the 7-day Portugal itinerary, we are going to keep it light. Go ahead and check in to your accommodation, take a break, maybe grab a coffee, take a shower, and get ready to explore.
There are so many things to do in Lisbon, but we are going to start it off by grabbing some food! You do not need a car in Lisbon, you can do the hop-on hop-off tram/buses, take a bolt or taxi. The taxis and bolt options are not very expensive, and walking in Lisbon can be harder than you think with all the hills.
No matter what time of the day it is, you need to eat! And the Time Out Market has something for everyone. There are over 50 booths to choose from in the coolest open-air market setting.
The Time Out Market opens at 10 am every day of the week. If you are looking for more than just food they also have cooking classes, shows, and events every day of the week. Check out the Time Out website to look through the current booths and pick your favorite!
Av. 24 de Julho 49, 1200-479 Lisboa, Portugal from the bus, metro, train, ferry, bus, and there is plenty of car parking too! You must stop by here at least once on your 7 days in Portugal itinerary.
I am sure that if you are looking in Lisbon, you know all about the beautiful Torre de Belèm area. But, did you know that you could knock out a few of the best things to do in Lisbon here? You can see the Jerónimos Monastery, and you could even add in a few museums if you wanted to!
Then head over to the Parque das Nações. Here you will find a beautiful green park surrounding the Tagus River. Walk around and check out the open-air museum, it is architecturally beautiful and there is art from artists from all over the world. There are also lots of great places to stop for lunch here with an amazing view of the river!
Now you must be working up an appetite, you will want to go and stop by and grab a snack at the famous Pastéis de Belém. You may have to wait in line a bit, but it is so worth it. With over 65,000 five-star reviews on google, you know it has to be good.
No matter what you do on your 7 days in Portugal itinerary you have to try a Portuguese tart!
R. de Belém 84 92, 1300-085 Lisboa, Portugal
Okay, the last thing on your first day would be to head over to Chiado square. Here you will see beautiful architecture, it’s a testament to the artists and poets of Libson.
Then you can walk up to the Barrio Alto neighborhood where there is so much nightlife and plenty of places to eat dinner.
Spend the rest of the night out on the town, or go back to your accommodation to rest up for the big day tomorrow!
Largo do Chiado 5, 1200-310 Lisboa, Portugal
First things first, you are gonna need to grab a coffee and breakfast to get you going! So stop by one of the best cafes in Lisbon the Confeitaria Nacional. It is a classic pastry shop where you can grab a quick meal to go, or sit down and take your time. You do not want to miss eating these flaky, butter pastries on your 7 days in Portugal itinerary.
Find them here – Praça da Figueira 18B, 1100-241 Lisboa, Portugal
After enjoying your pastries, you will be a very short walk away from the Santa Justa Lift, so you might as well hop on over and check that out. It may seem like something you could skip, but you should go. It is beautifully designed and you will have the best views of the city.
If you grabbed yourself a 24H transport ticket (which you should) then this lift is included. The lines are always much shorter on the way down than the way up and try to avoid the hours between 10 am and 3 pm. (I know I said to go after breakfast but try to beat the crowds here).
I love all of the castles in Portugal, and the next thing I would do would be to go out to the Castle of Saint George. Try and get tickets before to save yourself some time. You can buy the tickets here. You can tour this beautiful landmark on your own, or grab a tour guide.
Once again totally up to you! Be sure to check out the nearby attraction The Cathedral of Saint Mary Major which is the oldest building in the entire city, the Miradouro das Portas do Sol has dreamy views, or check out the Miradouro de Santa Luzia for views of the river.
R. de Santa Cruz do Castelo, 1100-129 Lisboa, Portugal
Now that you have been out in the hot sun all day and exploring your 7 day Portugal itinerary you may want to take it easy. I would suggest heading over to the beautiful and world-famous Alfama District. This is the address to the center of the Alfama District.
Here you will find anything and everything you could ever want out of your 7 days in Portugal itinerary. A few things to check out:
Day 3 on your Portugal 7 day itinerary you are going to head up to Porto! Now there are plenty of different ways to get from Lisbon to Porto. You can rent a car, driving will take you about 3 hours. You can hop on the fast train, you can take a bus, or you can fly. We had a car when we did it, and it was very confident.
So after you get to Porto you are going to want to start exploring right away! But, I will keep this day light because you never know how sleepy you will be from traveling.
The first thing you should do after getting yourself checked in is to go and explore the Ribeira. This is one of the best places to stay in Porto! And where you will see the beautiful Douro riverfront. Check out the old warehouses that were used for trade, and have now been turned into cafes and shops.
You will also want to make your way across the Luís I Bridge. There are two different levels you can walk across, choose the top level and you will have the best views of the city. Take your time and soak in the sites.
You will find the Luis I Bridge Pte. Luiz I, Porto, Portugal once you are in the riverfront area.
Next up is going to be the São Bento railway station in the Avenida dos Aliados neighborhood. Yes, it is a train station, but it is also one of the most iconic buildings in Porto.
This is a must when planning your 7 days in Portugal itinerary. It is covered in 20,000 HAND painted tiles. If you look closely you will see that it is portraying Portugal’s history. You could spend hours here looking at each and every scene or just make it a quick pop-by.
Praça de Almeida Garrett, 4000-069 Porto, Portugal
Next up on your tour of Porto, you are going to want to slide on over to Livraria Lello, the famous bookstore and Porto museum. This is such a magical place, and if you really wanted to buy a book from here you can pre-order it, pick it up, and then enjoy browsing without being rushed.
Ordering a book online will also give you a free e-ticket to enter the store. You will find yourself gazing at the beautiful stained glass window ceiling. The iconic red spiral staircase will also draw you closer and closer with the intense feeling that you must climb it.
R. das Carmelitas 144, 4050-161 Porto, Portugal they are open every day from 9:30 am to 7 pm.
Your first day in Porto on your Portugal 7 day itinerary is all about knocking out the best buildings and architecture to see.
Next up is the Palacio da Bolsa, which is essentially the stock exchange building, but it is much more than that. This magnificent and historical building has a beautiful library, court and jury rooms, a noble staircase and so much more. Everything that was built back in the neogothic days is incredibly detailed and stunning.
Find them here at Rua Ferreira Borges, 4050-253 Porto
On day 4 you are halfway done with your 7 days in Portugal itinerary, and you are going to start feeling like time is going by so fast. Hopefully, you didn’t drink too much of the famous Port wine so you can get a good start today on your tour around Porto.
Francesinha breakfast at the 100-year-old cafe Majestic Cafe. This is a must-do in Porto even if you only stay a few days. A Francesinha breakfast is a yummy breakfast sandwich with melted cheese that originated in Porto, Portugal. Learn more about it here on the best restaurants in Porto food guide!
Typically it is made with fresh ham, linguiça (chili seasoned meat), fresh sausage, roast beef or steak, a thick cut of tomato, gooey melted cheese, and a homemade beer sauce. I mean come on how good does that sound? You will find yourself dreaming of this sandwich long after your trip to Porto.
R. de Santa Catarina 112, 4000-442 Porto, Portugal
Go on a Porto wine tour of the Douro wine region. You should give this all day. There are plenty of tour guides that you can pick from that will take you around, or you can do it yourself, totally up to you. There are a few river tours to book too!
If you are not into wine it is still so much fun to ride around and look at the beautiful rolling hills of Porto. This link has a few different tour guides for you to get an idea of how much this will cost. Here is another great company you can book through.
YOTEL Porto is one of the best hotels to book when visiting Porto. Almost all of the tour guides will pick you up from their amazing location, and you can easily walk downtown! Win-Win!
Hotel Premium Porto Downtown has the best views of all of Porto. Imagine sitting on these big comfy couches with your new wine from your tour watching the sun go down with new friends or family. They also have big comfy beds too! Staying at the Hotel Premium will ensure you have a wonderful time in Porto.
Check rates here: Booking.com
Now, days 5 & 6 can be done so many different ways, and it all depends on what you want to do. You can hire a tour guide to take you to both Nazare and Obidos and knock it out in one day. You should not leave these two amazing cities out of your trip.
Imagine spending your day watching the big waves of Nazare crashing onto the shore, and then just a few hours later spending the night in a medieval castle. It is a dream, that I wish I could relive over and over.
Or, if you rent a car you could stay the night in Obidos, drive the short hour over to Nazare and hang at the beach for a while. But both Nazare and Obidos should be high on your list of what to do on your 7-day Portugal itinerary with family. We stayed the night in Obidos and took a day trip to Nazare, and it was amazing.
Follow up here for Obidos, and here for things to do in Nazare for how to get there, and where to stay and you should be all set. If you thinking of going from Libson to Nazare on a trip, here are a few of the best ways to get there!
You cannot go to Portugal and not check out Sintra. It is a town near the capital of Lisbon and it has so many beautiful castles and plenty of things to do. The most famous castle in all of Portugal is here, the Pena Palace. It is a beautiful colorful castle and is all over the gram, tour books, and everywhere you look in Portugal.
You could head back and stay in Lisbon and just stop here on the way, it all depends on how much you are up for. By this time on your 7 days in Portugal itinerary, you may get tired, or even a little hung over from all the wine in Porto! Just use this as a loose guide. Check out the tour guide here.
Your first stop has to be the Pena Palace. You are going to love looking at this beautifully colored castle. You can go inside if you want, but the beauty is really the outside. This is one of the most popular places to stop in all of Portugal so you will want to buy your tickets online beforehand. Seriously, don’t show up without tickets.
Better yet try to go mid-week, early morning, or towards the end of the day. This will help you beat the massive crowds. There is also an option where you can buy online and get a combo ticket and see all of the castles in Sintra. If you could only see only castle on your 1-week Portugal itinerary, make it Pena.
Estrada da Pena, 2710-609 Sintra, Portugal
Today is going to be all about beautiful castles and the Castelo dos Mouros is definitely a beaut. It is nestled upon a hill and overlooks the historic city of Sintra. It has been standing since the 10th century and today they hold tours and you can buy your ticket before or when you arrive.
The next place you are going to want to go check out is going to be the Palacio Nacional de Sintra. This is a stunning palace from the medieval era and the exterior is perfectly gothic. Once you enter you will see the extent that the original owners went through.
There are amazing hand-painted tiles on the floors, high vaulted ceilings, and so many special rooms that you are going to want to tour. You do not want to leave out the Palacio Nacional de Sintra on your 7 days in Portugal itinerary, it is beautiful.
Largo Rainha Dona Amélia, 2710-616 Sintra, Portugal
From the Miradouro de Ferraria, you are going to have the best views of the entire town. There is also plenty of hiking in Porto Portugal to fill your day! This is also a wonderful place for lunch if you wanted to grab something to go while in town, or if you brought your own snacks. Take a break and decide if you want to head back to Lisbon or check out the rest of Sintra.
Head on back to Lisbon and do all of the things that you didn’t get to or just rest and take it easy. You could always go back to your favorite places and do them again, or try new ones!
There is so much to do in Lisbon that it can be hard to fit it all in. But I guarantee if you follow this 7-day itinerary in Portugal you will have a wonderful time and fall in love with Portugal just like we did.
You could opt for traveling through Portugal in 7 days by train. You could rent a car, take private tours, or hop on the metro, taxis, trams, and buses.
Many people get around for 7 days in Portugal without a car, it is easily done.
Overall, both Lisbon and Porto have a good transportation infrastructure that offers several options for getting around the cities and exploring other parts of Portugal. Depending on your itinerary and preferences, you can choose the most suitable mode of transportation for your needs.
You need to figure out what you want from your vacation. Are you a vino lover? Then you MUST head to the north for Porto nightlife. Do you love relaxing on the beach? There are so many amazing beaches in the Algarve!
Do you want to see amazing culture, castles, and UNESCO sites, then you will want to throw that in there. You decide, but this list is going to take you to a few smaller towns and focus on a Portugal itinerary 7 days from Lisbon.
You could spend a lifetime traveling through Portugal and still never get enough, but 7 days is plenty of time to knock everything off your list that you wanted! I was lucky enough to spend 3 months here and I am itching to go back.
You are going to love the people, food, and super cute towns throughout this journey. So let’s get ready to see your perfect 7 days in Portugal itinerary.
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