Portugal in 7 Days: Lisbon, Porto and More From a Video

This 7-day itinerary for Portugal follows Dave in Portugal's one-week plan for first-timers: three days in Lisbon with an Alfama sunset, a fado night and a Sintra day trip, a stop in Coimbra on the way north, then Porto, a Douro River boat ride and the port houses across the river. Every stop below comes from his video, with timestamp links so you can watch each moment.

Portugal 7-day itinerary at a glance

The source is 1 Week in Portugal by Dave in Portugal, who says he has made over 50 videos about the country. The video runs about 18 minutes and premiered in May 2024. Two decisions shape it: you will not need a car, and the Algarve is left out because Dave thinks it deserves its own trip.

Dave also sets the mood before the first stop: Portugal is like a fine wine, so don't judge the food too quickly, and leave your stressed-out energy at home.

Days 1-3: Lisbon, a fado night and Sintra

Day 1: Arrive and settle in

Most visitors fly into Lisbon, where this trip starts and ends. You may be jet-lagged, so Dave keeps the first day light. He recommends staying in or near Príncipe Real, which has some of Lisbon's best restaurants, and walking to dinner nearby if you have the energy.

Day 2: The historic center, Alfama and fado

• Praça do Comércio. The first square to see, on the Tagus, to get a sense of the city.
• Baixa. Cafes line the district, but Dave warns that many are tourist traps charging high prices for poor ingredients. His advice is to get lost here and take it all in.
• Alfama at sunset. One of Lisbon's oldest areas, best in the late afternoon and evening. His sunset pick is the top of Castelo de São Jorge, with the bridge and boats heading out to sea in view.
• A fado show. Dave's favorite is a small fado house run by a husband and wife, which his video description links as O Corrido. He says it is not a tourist trap, serves traditional Portuguese food, and will be one of the highlights of your trip.

Day 3: Sintra, Belém and Cais do Sodré

• Sintra. If there is one place you must experience on a first trip, Dave says, it is Sintra. Pena Palace is one of the most photogenic places in the country.
• Belém. Back in Lisbon for the early evening, see the Tower of Belém, considered the gateway into Lisbon, and try the famous pastries nearby, which many claim are the best pastel de nata in Portugal (he calls that very debatable).
• Cais do Sodré. Later on, this area of restaurants, bars and clubs is the place for nightlife. He calls the nearby Time Out Market quite the tourist trap, but fun on a first visit if you want to meet people and try Portuguese food "with training wheels."

Want more time in the capital? Our 3 days in Lisbon itinerary with Sintra goes deeper on Alfama, Belém and Sintra at a relaxed pace.

Day 4: Coimbra or Nazaré on the way to Porto

Dave gives two options for day four, both as stops on the way north.

Getting there. Take a FlixBus from Sete Rios or Oriente bus station in Lisbon. You can stow one large suitcase and bring one small carry-on, with extra bags available to add. Buses run every couple of hours between Lisbon and Porto, with routes that stop in Coimbra and Nazaré, so buy tickets with connection times that work. A rental car is possible too; if you go that way, he says to always take the maximum insurance coverage.

Coimbra, his pick. He calls it one of the most important cities to see on a first trip, and one of the most romantic and authentic cities in Portugal. It is home to the country's oldest library, where photos are not allowed, and to the medieval love story of Pedro and Inês. You can visit the garden where Pedro built streams of water to send little boats and love letters to Inês.

Nazaré, the alternative. The HBO series 100 Foot Wave made it famous as the place Garrett McNamara surfed his massive wave. Expect a fishing village with excellent seafood and a huge summer beach, but note that the big wave season runs from November to March.

Days 5-7: Porto, the Douro and the ride back

Where to stay. Dave suggests staying centrally so you can walk to most sights, adding that nowhere in Porto is more than a 20-minute Uber ride away. If you arrive at night, walk down to the river to get a feel for the city.

Day 5: Coffee, Santa Catarina and Serralves

• Morning coffee and Rua de Santa Catarina. After coffee and breakfast, walk one of the busiest streets in Porto before the afternoon crowds arrive.
• Serralves park. A garden with sculptures throughout and a peaceful treetop walk. It is one of Dave's favorite places in Porto, especially on a nice day.
• A francesinha. Porto's famous sandwich is inspired by the croque monsieur and loaded with linguiça sausage, steak, ham and lots of cheese under a beer-based sauce. In Dave's words, it is not for people on a diet or vegans.

Day 6: The Douro River and Vila Nova de Gaia

• A boat on the Douro. Dave calls it an experience you can't miss. He was invited on a private boat tour with The Yachtsman and says he was surprised how affordable it was for a group of up to 10. Since that trip was hosted, compare a few operators before you book; our guide to telling sponsored picks from independent ones explains why.
• Vila Nova de Gaia. Across the river are the port houses that make Porto's famous wine, with tours of the cellars and their history. The World of Wine, a museum all about wine, is on the same side.

Day 7: Back to Lisbon

Dave's final tip is to take the 3-hour, 15-minute bus back to Lisbon the night before your flight, so you sleep close to the airport.

What the creator recommends

• Stay in or near Príncipe Real in Lisbon rather than the most touristic streets.
• Watch the sunset from Castelo de São Jorge, then see a fado show.
• Make Sintra and Pena Palace your day trip from Lisbon.
• Choose Coimbra over Nazaré if you only have time for one.
• Use FlixBus between cities, which he calls the most affordable option.
• Walk Rua de Santa Catarina early, then spend time at Serralves.
• Take a boat on the Douro and visit the port houses in Gaia.

What the creator says to skip or watch out for

• Tourist-trap cafes in Baixa. Fine for one drink, but expect high prices and mediocre ingredients.
• Sleeping in the busiest nightlife areas. Bars can be noisy, and he says apartments in southern Europe are not known for their sound insulation.
• Time Out Market as a food benchmark. Fun once, but he calls it a tourist trap.
• Adding the Algarve to a one-week trip. He would rather you give it a separate trip with a car.

Getting around, booking and what to check

Getting around. Walk in Lisbon and Porto, take buses between them and use Uber for longer hops in Porto. Because the route starts and ends in Lisbon, the final evening is a long bus ride. If you would rather not double back, our guide to planning a multi-city trip explains open-jaw flights, where you arrive in one city and leave from another.

Check before you go. Bus timetables, luggage rules, boat tour prices and opening days can change after a video is filmed. Confirm them on official sites, and consider reserving the fado show and any cellar tours you care about before you travel.

Make it 10 days, or make it yours

For a 10-day itinerary in Portugal, the obvious extension is the region Dave set aside: the Algarve, explored by car, as he suggests. If you are crossing the border afterward, our Spain 10-day itinerary follows the same video-based method through Andalusia, and our three days in Barcelona covers the Gaudí buildings, the Gothic Quarter and a Montserrat day trip.

Dave's pace suits a first trip with lots of walking. You can turn this same video into a plan for your own dates, budget and pace on Vidtrip, keeping his picks with each stop linked to its moment in the video. To see what a finished plan looks like for a relaxed couple, browse the Lisbon example plan.