2 Weeks in the Algarve + Porto & Lisbon by Train

Suggestion for the day: Downtown Porto 

Porto's historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, small enough to cover on foot in a single day. 

Don't Miss: 

• Ribeira District: The riverfront old town, colorful houses stacked above the Douro, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its own right. 
• Dom Luís I Bridge: A double-decker iron bridge with panoramic views over the river and Vila Nova de Gaia's port wine cellars on the opposite bank. 
• Livraria Lello: A neo-Gothic bookstore with a carved wooden staircase, among the most photographed in the world, expect a line and a timed entry ticket. 
• Torre dos Clérigos: 225 steps up a baroque bell tower for the best 360-degree view of the city. 
• Sé do Porto: The city's Romanesque cathedral, the oldest church in Porto, with a cloister covered in blue and white tile work. All suggestions are optional.

Suggestion for the day: A Slower Day, or a Trip to Aveiro 

• A good day to slow down after two full days out, or an optional day trip to Aveiro, a canal town often called the Venice of Portugal, known for its colorful Moliceiro boats and striped houses at nearby Costa Nova. This can be added as a paid tour; contact the Portugal Getaways team in advance. All suggestions are optional.

Transfer from your Porto hotel to the train station and from Lisbon's station to your hotel are both included. The train covers roughly 310 km (193 mi) between the two cities. 

Suggestion for the day: A First Walk Through Lisbon 

• Start in Chiado, then walk down into Baixa toward Praça do Comércio, the grand waterfront square at the heart of the lower town. In the evening, Bairro Alto's narrow streets fill with bars and fado music. All suggestions are optional.

Suggestion for the day: Belém 

A riverside district that tells the story of Portugal's maritime golden age better than anywhere else in Lisbon. Don't Miss: 

• Mosteiro dos Jerónimos: A UNESCO World Heritage monastery built to commemorate Vasco da Gama's voyage to India, its stonework is the finest example of Manueline architecture anywhere. 
• Torre de Belém: A fortified 16th-century tower on the Tagus, one of Lisbon's most recognizable landmarks.
• Padrão dos Descobrimentos: A monument shaped like a ship's prow, commemorating the era of Portuguese exploration.
• Pastéis de Belém: The original custard tart bakery, open since 1837, still using a recipe kept secret to this day. All suggestions are optional.

Sintra, Cabo da Roca and Cascais Tour. From 9 AM to 5 PM. Pick-up at your hotel.

Small group of up to 8 travelers.

The tour starts at Pena Palace, a 19th-century royal summer residence known for its distinctive architecture and gardens with viewpoints over the mountains and the Atlantic. From there, the tour continues into the medieval town of Sintra, with time to walk the historic center, try local pastries like travesseiros and queijadas, and stop for lunch.

After lunch, the route heads west to Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe, often described as the place where the land ends and the sea begins. The drive continues through the Sintra mountain range to Guincho Beach, known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, with a stop at Boca do Inferno, a rock formation carved by the Atlantic. The tour then reaches Cascais, a coastal town with a history as a residence of European nobility and royal families in exile, known for its fishing port and beaches.

The return to Lisbon follows the coastal road past Casino Estoril and the beaches of the so-called Portuguese Riviera, along the mouth of the Tagus River.

• Pena Palace's architecture and gardens
• The historic town of Sintra
• Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe
• Guincho Beach
• Boca do Inferno
• Cascais

❌ Not included:

• Monument tickets
• Lunch

Suggestion for the day: Alfama 

Lisbon's oldest neighborhood, a maze of narrow streets that survived the 1755 earthquake largely intact. Don't Miss: 

• Castelo de São Jorge: A hilltop Moorish castle with the best panoramic views over the city and the Tagus river. 
• Miradouro das Portas do Sol: One of several Alfama viewpoints looking out toward the river. 
• Tram 28: The historic tram route winds through Alfama's steepest streets, though it can get crowded, walking covers much of the same ground. All suggestions are optional.

Transfer from your Lisbon hotel to the train station and from the Algarve station to your Lagos hotel are both included. The train covers roughly 280 km (174 mi). Settle into your studio or aparthotel accommodation, the base for the next 14 nights.

Suggestion for the day: Lagos 

A short walk around the marina and old town center is enough for a first evening; save the rest for tomorrow. All suggestions are optional.

Suggestion for the day: Lagos

• Spend the day exploring Lagos's historic center and marina, getting to know the streets around your base before ranging further afield. Remnants of the old defensive walls are still visible around the old town, a reminder of Lagos's past as a major port. All suggestions are optional.

Suggestion for the day: Ponta da Piedade 

A cluster of golden limestone cliffs, arches, and sea caves just outside Lagos, among the most photographed coastlines in Portugal. Don't Miss: 

• The clifftop walk: Reachable on foot from central Lagos, with viewpoints along the way. 
• Boat tours into the grottoes: Small boats depart regularly from the marina to explore the caves from the water, no advance booking usually required outside peak summer. All suggestions are optional.

Ponta da Piedade Boat Tour. Departures from 9 AM to 6:15 PM, about 1 hour 15 minutes. The meeting point is the BlueFleet office, Shop 1, Lagos Train Station, Estrada de São Roque, 8600-318 Lagos.

Groups of up to 50 travelers.

Departing from Lagos Marina, a boat trip through Ponta da Piedade's caves and rock formations, some resembling recognizable shapes like the Titanic, the Elephant, and the Cathedral. Certified local guides share the coast's history along the way, and the boats are sized to allow entry into the caves comfortably and safely.

Suggestion for the day: Beach Day 

• Lagos has several beaches within easy reach: Praía Dona Ana and Praía do Camilo are small coves near Ponta da Piedade, while Meia Praia is a long, wide stretch of sand on the other side of town, better suited to a full lazy day. All suggestions are optional.

Suggestion for the day: Tavira

Known as the Venice of the Algarve, Tavira sits further east than most of this itinerary's stops, worth the longer trip for its quieter, more traditional character. Don't Miss:

• Roman Bridge: A stone bridge over the Gilão river connecting the two halves of the old town, believed to have Roman origins beneath later rebuilding.
• Igreja de Santa Maria do Castelo: Built on the site of a former mosque, with views from the adjacent castle ruins over the town's rooftops.
• Tavira Island: A long barrier island beach reached only by a short ferry crossing, a different feel from the mainland Algarve beaches.
• The old town itself: Whitewashed houses and traditional four-sided tiled roofs, less developed than the resort towns further west.

All suggestions are optional.

Suggestion for the day: Faro 

The Algarve's capital and airport town, easy to overlook but worth a proper visit. Don't Miss: 

• Arco da Vila: The Moorish-era gate into Faro's walled old town, Vila Adentro. 
• Sé de Faro: The city's cathedral, with a bell tower you can climb for views over the old town and the Ria Formosa lake.
• Mercado Municipal: A lively covered market, good for lunch or local produce. 
• Ria Formosa: The lagoon system right at the edge of town, worth a look even without a boat trip. All suggestions are optional.

Suggestion for the day: Silves and Monchique 

Two inland stops that pair naturally, about 30 to 40 minutes apart by car or organized tour. Don't Miss: 

• Castelo de Silves: A red sandstone castle with commanding views over the town and the Arade river, among the best preserved Moorish fortifications in Portugal. 
• Fóia (Monchique): The highest point in the Algarve at 902 meters (2,959 feet), with views stretching to the coast on a clear day. 
• Caldas de Monchique: A small spa village in the valley below, with thermal springs used since Roman times. All suggestions are optional.

Suggestion for the day: Sagres and Cabo de São Vicente 

The far southwestern corner of Portugal, associated with the Age of Discoveries and dramatic Atlantic cliffs. Don't Miss: 

• Fortaleza de Sagres: A clifftop fortress historically linked to Prince Henry the Navigator. 
• Cabo de São Vicente: The southwesternmost point of mainland Europe, with a still-active lighthouse, popular for sunset. All suggestions are optional.

Suggestion for the day: Praía da Marinha and Benagil 

Regularly ranked among Europe's best beaches, and the starting point for the region's most famous sea cave. Don't Miss: 

• Praía da Marinha: A cliff-backed beach reached by a steep staircase, with a boardwalk above for those who'd rather stay up top. 
• Algar de Benagil: A sea cave with a natural skylight opening, often called the Benagil Cathedral, reachable by an optional boat or kayak tour. All suggestions are optional.

Suggestion for the day: Albufeira 

One of the Algarve's most visited towns, with real history behind the modern resort development. Don't Miss:

•  Rua 5 de Outubro: The pedestrian heart of Albufeira's old quarter. 
• Praía dos Pescadores: The old fishermen's beach, where boats still pull up onto the sand. All suggestions are optional.

Suggestion for the day: Seville, Spain

An optional cross-border day trip to Seville, Spain's Andalusian capital, a longer day out given the distance but a common add-on from the Algarve. Don't Miss:

• Seville Cathedral and Giralda Tower: The largest Gothic cathedral in the world, built on the site of a former mosque, with the Giralda bell tower offering sweeping views over the city.
• Real Alcázar: A royal palace complex blending Mudéjar, Gothic, and Renaissance styles, still in use by the Spanish royal family today.
• Plaza de España: A grand semicircular square built for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition, often used as a backdrop in films.
• Santa Cruz Quarter: The old Jewish quarter, a maze of narrow whitewashed streets, orange trees, and small plazas.

We recommend booking a guided tour for this excursion rather than doing it independently, given the distance and border crossing involved. Contact the Portugal Getaways team to arrange it in advance. All suggestions are optional. 

Suggestion for the day: Alvor 

A fishing town built around a lagoon known for birdlife rather than a single big beach. Don't Miss: 

• Igreja Matriz de Alvor: A Manueline-style church with a notable carved stone doorway. 
• Ria de Alvor boardwalks: Wooden walkways cross the lagoon and salt marshes, good for an easy walk. All suggestions are optional.

Suggestion for the day: Souvenir Shopping 

A final morning to pick up souvenirs, whether it's local ceramics, cork goods, or a bottle of Port to take home, followed by an afternoon to simply enjoy Lagos one more time before packing. All suggestions are optional.