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Best Itinerary to Tour Favorite Regions in Portugal

January 12, 2022October 12, 2024Arts & Culture, Portugal Artsy Traveler Leave a Comment

Last updated on October 12th, 2024 at 06:48 pm

We’ve traveled to Portugal several times and find it a compact country that packs a lot of sightseeing punch. You’ll be able to see most of lovely Portugal on a two-week trip.

I suggest picking up your car in Lisbon and then driving south to the Algarve. Spend a few days indulging in a bit of sun and fun and then start working your way north through the Alentejo region to Coimbra and from there west to the Atlantic coast near Nazaré and north to Porto and Braga before zipping back down to Lisbon and home.

The map below shows approximate locations of the main regions in Portugal that I recommend exploring.

map of Portugal for travel in Portugal — Regions in Portugal; Map by Google Maps

Sample Itinerary

Here’s a sample itinerary for a two-week trip to Portugal starting and ending in Lisbon:

Day 1: Arrive in Lisbon

If you arrive in the late morning, pick up your car at the airport. Depending on your energy level, either drive directly to the Algarve (about 3 hours) or drive south for about an hour to a beach town such as Melides or Sines to relax after your flight.

Days 2 to 4: Western Algarve

Spend three nights in a home base such as Luz or Lagos (I recommend Luz) and take a day trip to Sagres and a boat excursion from Lagos to see the spectacular rock formations. Become one with the beach.

Day 5: Eastern Algarve

Drive east to Tavira for a night. I suggest bypassing the middle section of the Algarve with all its resorts.

Days 6 & 7: Alentejo

Head north to Évora for two nights. Explore local towns such as Estremoz, wander among megaliths, and fall in love with cork.

Day 8: Coimbra

Drive west to delightful Obidos north of Lisbon, then drive north along the coast to spend a night in either Nazaré on the Atlantic Coast or inland in Coimbra. If you choose Coimbra, catch a fado performance in the evening.

Days 9 to 11: Porto

Drive north to Porto, then home-base in Porto and spend a day driving north to explore Guimarães or east to the Douro Valley.

Days 12 to 14: Lisbon & Sintra

Drive back to Lisbon and drop off your car at the airport. Take a taxi into the city and spend the rest of the day and the next day exploring Lisbon. On your last full day in Portugal, take a day trip to Sintra.

Another Option

Reverse the itinerary so you go first to central and northern Portugal and then south through the Alentejo to the Algarve for some beachy R & R before heading north to Lisbon and home.

The Algarve

This part of Portugal is vacation central and perfect for a spot of R & R—a gentle way to either ease into your vacation or relax before heading back to home and reality. You won’t do much artsy sightseeing, but the scenery is spectacular and the weather warm and inviting.

Explore the eastern Algarve around lovely Tavira and the western Algarve between Lagos and Sagres. Hurry past the middle bit with its phalanxes of high-rise resorts.

Even in the less touristy parts of the Algarve, you’ll be hard-pressed to hear anyone speaking anything other than English, German, or Dutch. British pubs have sprung up in the towns and pastel vacation homes blanket the countryside.

Read more about the Algarve in Exploring the Algarve and Alentejo.

Alentejo

Called the Tuscany of Portugal, the Alentejo takes up a good third of the country, stretching from the Atlantic in the west to the Spanish border in the east and from the Algarve in the south to almost halfway up the country past Lisbon.

We discovered the Alentejo when Gregg (husband and artist) had an exhibition in the white-washed and achingly charming town of Estremoz. The region is hot and arid with fabulous megalithic sites with menhirs, dolmens and ancient stone circles, rolling hills, vineyards, and my favorite thing of all—endless hectares of cork trees.

A plantation of cork oak trees in the Alentejo region of Portugal

The main town in the region is Évora, well worth at least two nights of your time.

For more information about how to spend your time in the Alentejo, read Exploring the Algarve and Alentejo and check out descriptions of the megalithic sites in Explore Seven of the Best Prehistory Sites in Europe.

Lisbon

Lisbon isn’t as funky as it used to be, but it’s still a great city to visit and enjoy. When we stayed there for two weeks way back in 2010, I rarely saw a souvenir store, and the narrow streets in the historic Alfama district slumbered in the heat.

On our latest visits, so much had changed. Lisbon has been well and truly discovered.

The Alfama district bristles with souvenir shops, tourists shuffle in a conga line through the narrow streets to the Castle Sao Jorge, and flocks of sightseeing tuk tuks dart in and out of the speeding traffic. And forget about getting a seat on one of the iconic trams in the middle of the day!

Consider visiting out of season when the crowds will be fewer and you may recapture at least some of the spirit of old Lisbon.

Day Trip to Sintra

Include a day trip out to picturesque and super-touristy Sintra to visit the quirky Pena Palace, the medieval Castle of the Moors (my favorite!), and the town itself with various palaces and gardens. If you have an extra day, consider staying overnight in Sintra.

I provide suggestions for enjoying Lisbon and lovely Sintra in Three Days in Lisbon.

Central & Northern Portugal

You could easily spend your entire two-week vacation in the central and northern regions of Portugal. My itinerary doesn’t do it justice!

Highlights include stately old Coimbra, pretty Nazaré and the nearby beach Praia Do Norte which gets some of the largest waves in the world, fun and funky Porto, and if you have time, fascinating cities like Guimarães and Braga, along with the stunning Douro Valley for a spot of port-tasting.

Read my suggestions for touring this top half of Portugal in Exploring North and Central Portugal.

Tours in Portugal

Here are some tours available through GetYourGuide:

What Regions of Portugal are Your Favorites?

Do you have a favorite region of Portugal that I’ve left out? Please share your recommends in the Comments below. Here are links to all my posts about lovely Portugal:

Exploring the Algarve & Alentejo

January 28, 2020November 15, 2024Destinations, Portugal Artsy Traveler 2 Comments

Last updated on November 15th, 2024 at 12:31 am

The Algarve gets a lot of attention as a primo travel destination, and it’s worth a visit, but for my money, the Alentejo region is more interesting from an artsy perspective.

I recommend you include both regions in your Portugal itinerary.

Visit the Algarve to explore spectacular scenery and bask on some of Europe’s best beaches.

In the Alentejo, experience the “Tuscany of Portugal” — hill towns, ancient megaliths, and amazing food.

Map of Portugal

Check the map below to get your bearings when planning your trip to the Algarve and Alentejo.

Map thanks to Wanderlog, a vacation planner app on iOS and Android

Algarve

The Algarve—holiday central—stretches along the southern coast of Portugal from the Spanish border in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west.

If spectacular scenery and sun ‘n fun are your thing, then include two or three days in your itinerary for chillin’ on a beach in the Algarve.

I suggest dropping in to Tavira (#1) in the east and then scooting along the highway to the western Algarve (or the other way around). I’ve spent more time in the western Algarve than the eastern, because the scenery is more gorgeous the farther west you go.

Eastern Algarve

The charming town of Tavira is worth a stop during your exploration of the Algarve. The town straddles the Gilão River and is close to long, sandy beaches and salt pans that attract flamingos, spoonbills, and other wading birds.

The Roman bridge makes for a great photo op, and the cathedral is worth popping into. Although a holiday town, Tavira feels much calmer and laid-back than other parts of the Algarve.

Roman Bridge spanning the river at Tavira in the eastern Algarve — View of Tavira in the eastern Algarve

Western Algarve

The western Algarve from the town of Lagos (#2) to the southwest tip of Portugal at Sagres is the least touristy and least crowded part of the Algarve. That said, it doesn’t feel particularly Portuguese. I think we were in the area for two days before we heard anyone speaking a language other than English, Dutch or German.

The big attraction in the Western Algarve is the scenery—rugged red rocks, secret coves, sea caves, and aqua ocean stretching south to Africa. We visited in July, and the weather was perfect, with a breeze always cooling us off.

Rocks and ocean near Lagos in southern Portugal — Beach near Lagos – Algarve region in Portugal

Luz

Find a town west of Lagos to settle into. We chose Luz (#3), a pretty town with a sandy beach, an attractive boardwalk, and a few good restaurants. The town also has a couple of British pubs, a sweet little church, and fabulously rugged cliffs.

You won’t find a whole heck of a lot to do in Luz apart from going for walks and lying on the beach or by the pool. But that’s why you visit, so take a break from sightseeing and lather on the sunscreen.

The Aparthotel Villa Luz, about a ten-minute walk along the cliff top from Luz, is a good choice—a spacious, breezy holiday apartment complex with a bar, a pool, and good breakfasts.

Lagos

Make time on one of your ‘relaxing’ days for a boat trip to see the incredible cliffs that have made the Algarve famous.

Several options are available—from large cruisers to teeny runabouts. We went for the teeny runabout.

Along with a couple from San Diego, we clambered into a small boat steered by a guide who was full of jokes and good humor. Once out of Lagos Harbor, he swung the boat to the right and headed for the cliffs.

The area buzzed with tour boats but didn’t feel crowded. Because we were in a small boat, we were able to enter many of the caves carved into the porous red rocks. The jade green water inside the caves is crystal clear and heavenly.

Gregg Simpson on a boat tour near Lagos in southern Portugal — Gregg enjoying the cliffs and caves on a boat trip near Lagos

Ask at your hotel about local boat tours, check brochures, and look online for options. I recommend going with a small boat so that you can venture into the caves. We enjoyed every minute of our trip.

Sagres

The southwest tip of Portugal is stunning and, in recent years, has been well-discovered by visitors. If you’re looking for a change of scenery from wherever you’ve chosen to home-base in the western Algarve, consider spending an afternoon on one of Sagres’ windswept beaches.

This area of the western Algarve is popular with surfers. In fact, Sagres (#4) is widely known as a surfing town. I enjoyed watching the surfers kitted out in black wetsuits paddling out to the rolling swells then jumping up and riding back in before wiping out.

Dip your toes into the crashing waves and you’ll realize why the surfer dudes wear wetsuits. The water’s freezing!

You won’t find much in the way of artsy attractions in Sagres. Go for the beaches, the scenery, and the surfing (or at least to watch the surfing).

Here’s a 360-degree view of the scene on a beach at Sagres.

The dramatic Sagres Fortress (Fortaleza de Sagres) is worth a quick look. Stroll the 1.5 kilometer cliffside walk inside the fortress, then check out the lighthouse and Henry the Navigator’s large wind compass (rosados ventos).

Tours of the Algarve

Here are some tours of the Algarve with GetYourGuide.

Tickets for Algarve Attractions

Purchase tickets for Algarve attractions with Tiquets.com

Alentejo

Visit the Alentejo (#5) to enjoy the “Tuscany of Portugal”. Like its Italian cousin, the Alentejo is famous for great food, beautiful countryside, medieval hill towns, olive oil, and wine.

The Alentejo hill towns are whitewashed and dazzling under the hot, blue sky, and the Alentejo has something that Tuscany does not—hectares and hectares of cork forests.

Cork has to be one of nature’s most amazing substances. We went crazy for cork on our first visit to the region and bought several items made from it.

Cork tree forest in the Alentejo in Portugal — A plantation of cork oaks in Portugal

TIP: Buy cork items in places such as Évora rather than waiting to do your shopping in Lisbon. Prices are lower, and the selection is much greater. Good options are handbags and purses, glasses cases, toiletry bags, and hats made from cork. You can even buy a cork umbrella. Cork items are lightweight and easy to pack, perfect to take home as gifts.

The first time we visited Portugal, we bought a cork item for every person on our holiday gift list.

Évora

Home-base in Évora (#6), the largest town in the region with the most to see. The main square includes the remains of the Roman temple known as Templo de Diana. The temple is well preserved and extraordinarily evocative, particularly when photographed against the brilliant blue sky.

Don’t miss the Cathedral of Évora, the largest cathedral in Portugal. I wasn’t able to visit it nor the Chapel of Bones when we were in Évora, but both look interesting.

The Chapel of Bones is a 16th-century chapel decorated with the bones and skulls of over 5,000 corpses. Sounds cheerful.

If you’ve been to the cathedral or the chapel, please add a comment below and tell me about your experience.

Gastronomic Tourism

The Alentejo is famous for its excellent cuisine. Go on a wine-tasting tour, sample local olive oils, and eat at least one meal featuring the region’s famous black pork.

Évora boasts several excellent restaurants. Consider eating at Fialho Restaurant—one of Évora’s most historic and famous restaurants that put Alentejo cuisine on the map. We enjoyed one of our best meals ever at Fialho.

A few kilometers out of town is the Almendres Cromlech, the largest megalithic complex on the Iberian Peninsula. I describe it in more detail in the Artsy Sightseeing section of the Portugal page.

Spend an afternoon driving around the area to see evidence of a civilization that flourished millenia ago.

Almendres megalithic enclosure near Evora in Portugal — The Almendres megalithic enclosure is the largest megalithic monument in the Iberian Peninsula and one of the oldest in the world.

Estremoz

We have a soft spot for this beautiful Alentejo hill town, because Gregg had an exhibition there a few years ago. The town still feels authentic and not at all touristy.

Visit the Museu Municipal Prof. Joaquim Vermelho to see a marvelous collection of local crafts dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Of note are the handcrafted clay figurines called the Bonecos de Estremoz.

The figurines are dressed in the regional outfits of the Alentejo and reflect the spirit, humor, work, and traditions of the region. The craftsmanship of these clay figures was recently added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

White-washed church in Estremoz, Portugal — Location of Gregg’s exhibition in Estremoz (#7): the poster is on the wall

Where to Stay in the Algarve and Alentejo

For accommodation suggestions in Tavira, the western Algarve, Évora, and Estremoz, see Where to Stay in Portugal: My Best Picks.

Have you toured the Algarve and Alentejo? Let us know your experience in the comments.

Here are more posts about Portugal on Artsy Traveler: