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After falling in love on my first journey to Lisbon, I knew I had to return to Portugal to see extra of the nation. This time, my cousin and I deliberate a 1-week Portugal itinerary that began in Porto and resulted in Lisbon. The journey mixed two cities that every showcase the a few of the better of Portuguese tradition, meals, and vacationer enchantment.
Whether or not you’re sipping Port wine alongside the Douro River, strolling throughout historic bridges, or getting misplaced in Lisbon’s cobblestone streets, there’s no scarcity of issues to do in Portugal. If you happen to’ve been questioning the way to spend one week in Portugal, this submit shares precisely how we did it, plus a number of further tricks to take advantage of your one-week journey in Portugal.
Touring to Portugal From NYC
For our week in Portugal, we flew with Air France, utilizing 70000 miles and paying $85.27 after taxes and charges. This included a direct flight from New York Metropolis to Porto and Lisbon again to New York, with a brief layover in Paris each methods. Throughout our layover in Paris, we stopped in Louis Vuitton and Ladurée to purchase leather-based items and pastries earlier than heading house.
Professional tip: TAP Air Portugal’s stopover program means that you can spend as much as 5 days in both Porto or Lisbon at no extra flight price, making it good for many who need to mix each cities with out dashing.
Getting Round Portugal
Earlier than diving into the itinerary, let’s speak logistics. Getting round Portugal could be very straightforward and really inexpensive. The practice system is dependable and connects most main cities, together with Porto and Lisbon.
If you happen to’re planning a one week journey to Portugal like ours, I like to recommend mixing trains with strolling, taxis, and taking Uber sometimes. Each Porto and Lisbon provide the Porto Card and the Lisboa Card, which offer entry to public transportation and reductions at common sights.
Professional Tip: Use Comboios de Portugal (CP) to e-book practice tickets upfront, as that is usually cheaper than buying them on the day of journey.
Days 1–4: Exploring Porto
The place to Keep in Porto: Crowne Plaza Porto
For the primary few days of our week in Portugal, we stayed on the Crowne Plaza Porto, a contemporary resort within the Boavista district. The realm is quiet and upscale, with easy accessibility to town middle, Ribeira Sq.. After an extended journey day, we checked in, unpacked, and received prepared for dinner and slightly little bit of tradition.
Day 1: Arrival, Dinner & Fado Present
After settling in, we kicked off the journey with dinner adopted by a Fado present at Casa da Mariquinhas, Portugal’s most iconic musical custom. It was the right solution to begin the journey and get a style of the nation’s wealthy cultural heritage.
Day 2: Porto Metropolis Tour & Gaia Sundown
We love hop-on-hop-off buses when exploring new cities, and Porto’s was no exception. We spent the morning taking in metropolis views on a hop-on-hop-off bus tour, which included a 6 Bridges Tour on the Douro River and wine tasting in Gaia.
The cruise sails underneath six of Porto’s iconic bridges, together with the Dom Luís I Bridge, designed by a pupil of Gustave Eiffel. Every bridge tells a bit of town’s historical past. We additionally stopped by the Wailing Ladies monument, which is a tribute to 152 fishermen who misplaced their lives in a storm at sea. Following the incident, there have been over 200 orphans and 70 widows, resulting in a rise in financial and social points within the area.
Within the afternoon, we crossed the Dom Luís I Bridge on foot to Vila Nova de Gaia, house to Porto’s well-known wine cellars. Gaia has a few of the finest sundown views within the metropolis, and also you’ll discover loads of waterfront bars and eating places to calm down at.
Our first cease was Burmester Caves for a tour of their getting old cellars earlier than heading to Calém for a wine tasting. We ended the night watching the solar set over the Douro River, with a glass of wine in hand. It was pure magic.
Day 3: Brunch, Harry Potter Websites & Dinner at SOMOS
After a morning photoshoot, I met up with my cousin to have brunch at Zenith Brunch & Cocktails. I cherished this restaurant on my journey to Lisbon, and was blissful to search out one in Porto. We had every had a Brazilian Açaí bowl and shared a French toast platter. It was a good way to gas up for a full day of exploring extra of Porto.
Porto can be recognized for uplifting elements of the Harry Potter collection. My cousin is a big fan and couldn’t miss the possibility to go to a few of the associated websites, so we did our personal mini Harry Potter strolling tour. We began at Fonte dos Leões, a fountain mentioned to have influenced the Gryffindor home crest, and made our solution to Livraria Lello, some of the stunning bookstores on the earth, mentioned to be the inspiration for the Grand Staircase at Hogwarts. The Clérigos Tower provides panoramic views of Porto and is alleged to have impressed the design of Hogwarts’ Astronomy Tower.
Simply across the nook, you’ll discover the Igreja do Carmo and Igreja dos Carmelitas, two church buildings separated by one of many world’s narrowest buildings. The Igreja do Carmo is certainly one of Porto’s most photographed landmarks, and tells biblical tales in its blue and white tilework.
We completed the night with dinner at SOMOS Restaurant, conveniently inside our resort and recognized for its up to date Portuguese delicacies.
Day 4: Wine Tasting within the Douro Valley
On day 4, we caught a morning practice from Porto’s São Bento Station, well-known for its blue-and-white azulejo tiles, to Régua, the center of the Douro Valley wine area.
The journey itself is scenic, with views of vineyards and the winding Douro River. You too can go for a river cruise or a guided bus tour by way of the valley, however the practice gave us an opportunity to calm down and soak within the views at our personal tempo.
As soon as in Régua, we visited Quinta da Pacheca, one of many oldest wine estates within the area. They provide tastings, excursions, and the possibility to remain in a single day in wine barrel-shaped rooms. When you have extra time, take a look at Quinta do Vallado or Quinta das Carvalhas for equally stunning experiences.
After a day of wine tasting and exploring, we returned to Porto for one final night time earlier than heading south.
Days 5–6: Discovering Lisbon
Attending to Lisbon & The place to Keep
On day 5, we took the practice from Porto to Lisbon, which took about three hours. As soon as in Lisbon, we checked into the Vacation Inn Categorical Lisboa – Av. Liberdade for one night time and stayed within the DoubleTree by Hilton Lisbon Fontana Park for the rest of our keep.
To kick issues off, we went straight to the Time Out Market, a must-visit meals corridor that includes a few of Lisbon’s finest cooks and native specialties. It’s the right place to pattern all the things from seafood to pastel de nata in a single spot.
We additionally took a stroll round Praça do Comércio, certainly one of Lisbon’s grandest squares, and walked by the Santa Justa Elevator, which connects the decrease streets of Baixa to the upper Carmo Sq. and provides stunning views over town.
Day 5 Continued: Exploring Lisbon by Evening
Since we had already visited Lisbon earlier than, this a part of our journey was all about discovering new spots.
After dinner, we explored Pink Avenue, recognized for its colourful pavement and nightlife. The realm is full of bars and a late-night power that captures town’s youthful vibe. One other nice nightlife district is Bairro Alto, the place individuals socialize outdoor and dwell music performs from the eating places and cafes.
Day 6: Day Journey to Sintra
You may’t go to Lisbon with out taking a day journey to Sintra. After checking into our second resort, we dropped off our luggage and went to Rossio Station to take a 40-minute practice journey to Sintra. As soon as we arrived, it felt like we had walked proper right into a fairy story, with its colourful palaces and misty hills.
Since I had already visited Sintra extensively on a 4-day journey to Lisbon, we took the Sintra 434 straight to the Pena Palace, certainly one of Portugal’s most well-known landmarks. The palace sits excessive above the city, providing stunning views of the encompassing countryside. Its daring colours, mixture of architectural types, and particulars make it some of the photographed spots within the nation.
Professional Tip: If you happen to don’t need to take the 15-20 minute stroll uphill, take the €3 shuttle for a journey from the Pena Park entrance to the palace.
After returning to Lisbon, we handled ourselves to a soothing therapeutic massage at EcoMassage Lisbon, the right solution to finish a busy journey day. For dinner, we headed to Rua Augusta, a energetic avenue for pedestrians full of eating places, outlets, and avenue performers.
Day 7: Farewell to Portugal
After every week of exploring, consuming, and studying, I felt that we had skilled a few of the finest that Portugal has to supply. When you have further time in Lisbon, you may embrace Cascais and Belem, two coastal cities which might be simply accessible from Lisbon by way of practice. Recognized for his or her historic websites and seaside eating places, visiting these cities brings a stability to town lifetime of Lisbon and the structure of Sintra, and offers a laid-back vibe.
Ideas for Planning a One Week Portugal Itinerary
If you happen to’re planning what to do in Portugal for every week, listed below are a number of fast ideas to assist make your journey smoother:
- Greatest Time to Go to Portugal: Spring (April–June) and fall (September–October) provide nice climate and fewer crowds.
- E-book Trains Early: Tickets between Porto and Lisbon are cheaper when booked upfront on the CP web site.
- Pack Layers: Portugal’s coastal climate can change rapidly, so carry a lightweight jacket, particularly for those who’re visiting in winter.
- Strive Native Dishes: Don’t go away with out tasting bacalhau (salted cod), francesinha (Porto’s signature sandwich), and pastel de nata (custard tart).
- Deliver Snug Footwear: Each Porto and Lisbon are hilly with cobblestone streets. Your toes will thanks.
Spending every week in Portugal gave us the right mixture of metropolis life, tradition, meals, and rest. From wine tasting within the Douro Valley to strolling up the hills of Lisbon, every day felt like a brand new journey.
Whether or not you comply with this actual 1 week Portugal itinerary or customise it to your personal pursuits, you’ll rapidly perceive why so many individuals fall in love with this nation. Portugal has rapidly grow to be certainly one of my favourite European locations, and I can’t wait to return. The individuals are heat, the meals is scrumptious, and the surroundings is well worth the journey.
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