By Monika
Best Places to Visit Between Lisbon and Porto: How to Plan an Epic Road Trip.
If you’re planning a trip to Portugal and thinking about traveling between Lisbon and Porto, you have to make it a road trip.
Trust me – this stretch of Portugal is packed with charming towns, beautiful monasteries, medieval castles, and some of the prettiest spots that most travelers tend to skip right past.
I’ll walk you through the absolute best places to visit when driving from Lisbon and Porto and show you why – instead of rushing straight up the highway – you should give yourself time to explore.
Let’s plan an epic road trip!
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- Best Places to Visit Between Lisbon and Porto: How to Plan an Epic Road Trip.
- How to travel between Lisbon and Porto
- Is it easy to drive from Lisbon to Porto?
- How long is the drive from Lisbon to Porto?
- What to see between Lisbon and Porto?
- How long do you need to complete this road trip?
How to travel between Lisbon and Porto
This guide will focus on driving from Lisbon to Porto, but you can also visit most of the places on this list by train – it’s possible, just not as convenient and much more time-consuming.
And of course you can fly, but then you don’t get to explore the amazing destinations I’m about to tell you about!
Is it easy to drive from Lisbon to Porto?
Yes! Driving between the cities is easy – the roads are very well-maintained and marked, so just follow your GPS and you’ll have no problems!
Helpful hint: to stay connected in Portugal, I recommend an eSIM like Airalo or Saily, or – if you have multiple devices to connect – rent a Wi-Fi hotspot from Portugal Internet. Super easy and very convenient!
During our recent trip we rented a car at the airport in Lisbon, took a day to explore the stops along the way, and returned the car at the airport in Porto. I don’t recommend driving in the cities – just walk or take the metro – but it is great to have a car for this road trip.
How long is the drive from Lisbon to Porto?
If you drive from Lisbon to Porto, without making any stops, it will take you about 3 hours (315 km).
What to see between Lisbon and Porto?
So what should you see between Lisbon and Porto? I’ve got the list for you!
Just follow the stops on the map below and be prepared to be amazed by nature, history and beauty of Portugal!
1. Sintra
Sintra is a magical mountain town filled with palaces, gardens, and fairytale forests.
From the vibrant Pena Palace, historic Moorish Castle to mystical Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra is one of Portugal’s most enchanting destinations and an absolute must on any Portugal itinerary.
Drive time from Lisbon: 30 minutes
How long to spend in Sintra:
Sintra really needs its own full day to explore. There is just so much to see there!
And if you choose to include it in your road trip, please choose an accommodation that provides parking, so you can leave your car there and then get around Sintra using other options, like buses or Uber – you’ll have a much more enjoyable experience!
Helpful hint: if you have time, you can take a quick detour from Sintra to Cascais and/or Cabo da Roca. Both are quick by car. While I haven’t been to Cascais (you guessed it – it’s on my list!) I did visit Cabo da Roca from Sintra in an e-car – loved both the place and the adventure!
2. Óbidos
This storybook medieval village, wrapped in ancient castle walls, Óbidos is a must-see.
Stroll along cobblestone streets, stop by the local shops, taste the famous cherry liqueur (ginjinha), and climb on the town walls to soak up all the amazing views of the castle and all the postcard-worthy charm!
It’s one of my absolute favorite stops on this itinerary.
Park your rental car in a large free lot across the street from the steps to the main gate and go explore!
Drive time from Sintra is almost exactly the same as driving directly from Lisbon: about 1 hour (85 km)
How long to spend in Óbidos:
You can easily spend half a day there, even a whole day, but to see the highlights you should plan to dedicate at least 2-3 hours to explore.
3. Nazaré
Known worldwide for its record-breaking waves, Nazaré is a perfect mix of dramatic ocean views and classic Portuguese coastal life.
Visit the Seca do Peixe with the traditional wooden fish drying racks and the colorful fishing boats at the beach, then take the funicular up to the Praia do Norte giant waves lookout, the São Miguel Arcanjo Fort and the lighthouse.
Don’t forget to grab some delicious seafood along the lively seaside promenade.
Drive time from Óbidos: 30 minutes (40 km)
How long to spend in Nazaré
Just like in Óbidos, at least half a day is ideal.
For parking information and tips on how to plan your day, read my detailed guide to Nazaré.
4. Alcobaça Monastery
The Monastery of Alcobaça is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of Portugal’s most important Gothic monuments.
At 100 meters long, it’s famous for being the largest church in Portugal.
The monastery’s stunning architecture and the tombs of tragic lovers Pedro and Inês you’ll find inside, make it both a visually impressive and a very romantic stop!
There is a free parking lot right next to the monastery, but you do pay a small fee to enter the church.
If you love history and beautiful old buildings, Alcobaça is totally worth a spot in your itinerary.
Drive time from Nazaré: 15 minutes (16 km)
How long to spend at Alcobaça Monastery
Typically, 30 minutes to 1 hour should be enough to see the monastery.
5. Batalha Monastery
Another UNESCO masterpiece, Batalha is famous for its soaring Gothic architecture and intricate stonework. It’s really stunning!
The monastery is also free to enter, but a paid ticket is required to enter the Founders Chapel, the cloister and the roofless “unfinished chapels”. You can buy the tickets onsite.
Helpful hint: you can also buy a combo ticket (onsite is the easiest) that offers a discount to enter Alcobaça Monastery, Batalha Monastery and also the Convent of Christ in Tomar.
There is free parking nearby, just next to this cool sign.
We had a packed itinerary, so we just explored the free areas and felt it was totally enough.
Drive time from Alcobaça Monastery: 25 minutes (21 km) – this drive is super scenic, through some mountain roads (nothing scary!) and countryside villages.
How long to spend at the Batalha Monastery
Just walking around the monastery will take you a solid hour, but I recommend allowing some extra time to explore the area around it, especially a very nice gift store, where you can get souvenirs, but also taste and purchase local wines and crafts. I can’t recall what the store’s name was, but you’ll find it on the way back to the parking lot.
Good to know: free entrance to all ticketed areas in both monasteries is included in the Lisbon Card,so if you’re planning to explore Lisbon before you start this road trip, it may be worth purchasing it!
6. Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima
As one of the most significant Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world, Fátima offers a peaceful, spiritual atmosphere.
Even if you’re not religious, the sanctuary’s scale and serenity make it a unique and a really meaningful place to visit.
With the two churches: Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima (the original church) and Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima (the new one) framing the two ends of a large center plaza (the prayer area), just walking through is an experience.
Don’t miss the Chapel of the Apparitions (Capelinha das Aparições) and the special candle burning area where you can light a candle for your intention.
Learn more about the sanctuary on the official website.
Good to know: There is a large free parking lot right next to the sanctuary.
Drive time from Batalha Monastery: 25 minutes (18 km)
How long to spend at the Fátima Sanctuary
Allow an hour to just look around but add time to attend the mass or other services if you wish.
7. Aveiro
Often called the “Venice of Portugal” Aveiro is such a cute stop – think colorful canal boats (called “moliceiro”), pretty Art Nouveau buildings, and the traditional local pasties, called ovos moles, which you definitely have to try.
We visited at the end of a cold and rainy April day, so we weren’t able to take a moliceiro boat ride, but we saw the last ones of the day passing us on the canal, and it looked like a lot of fun.
We did stroll along the canal, enjoyed the little shops and of course tried the ovos moles (adorable looking and delicious!)
We had every intention of going to the village of Costa Nova (considered a part of Aveiro) to see the iconic beachside colorful striped houses, but it was getting late, and we still had to get to Porto and return our car, so we saved it for next time.
But if you have time and the weather cooperates, definitely make the short drive to visit!
Good to know: I have to admit we had some trouble finding our way to Aveiro and the right place to park, however, after some serious trial and error, we found a perfect spot to park that was only a short walk from the canal and the town center. So avoid driving around as we did and put Estacionamento – Ponte dos Botirões in your GPS. You’ll get to a nice, large, free lot near a pedestrian bridge that will take you right to the heart of Aveiro.
Drive time from Fátima: 1 hour 25 minutes (135 km)
How long to spend in Aveiro
You can hit the highlights, including the moliceiro boat tour in half a day, but you can easily spend a whole day here exploring at a more relaxed pace.
And that is your last stop before getting to Porto.
Drive time from Aveiro to Porto: about 1 hour (75 km)
Bonus stop: Coimbra
Full disclosure – we ran out of time to visit Coimbra on our road trip, but it’s definitely on my list for next time. But if you plan better than us (meaning do not overschedule your day!), it will be the stop between Fátima and Aveiro.
Here is why you should visit: it’s home to one of Europe’s oldest universities and the famous Joanina Library. It offers a perfect blend of historic charm and stunning architecture with lively student energy. I’ve heard from someone who visited that it is truly beautiful.
Learn more on the official website.
How long do you need to complete this road trip?
I would recommend taking at least 3 days to complete this itinerary:
Day 1: Sintra (+Cascais and Cabo da Roca) – stay in Sintra or Cascais
Day 2: Óbidos and Nazaré – stay in Nazaré
Day 3: Alcobaça, Batalha, Fátima and Aveiro – stay in Aveiro
Optional day 4: Coimbra and Aveiro, then arrive in Porto
You can start this road trip from Lisbon (like we planned it in this guide) or from Porto (and just reverse the order of sights).
If you only have one day
Start your day early and see the highlights of Óbidos, Nazaré (the wooden fish drying racks are a must!), Alcobaça and Batalha monasteries, and depending on how much time and energy you have left, visit Coimbra or Aveiro (or both!).
I would skip Sintra – unless you’ll make it your only stop. It’s just impossible to choose what to visit in a couple of hours… Maybe you can plan it as a day trip from Lisbon by train (like we did during our first visit to Portugal).
I’d also skip Fátima – while historically significant and beautiful, a visit there will take up a lot of your day, and the other two monasteries are much more manageable and simply stunning.
Road-tripping between Lisbon and Porto is a great way to experience Portugal.
Whether you’re into history, food, beaches, or just discovering places with a ton of charm, this route will show just how much variety fits into such a small stretch of the country.
If you have the time, don’t rush it. Pick the stops that genuinely excite you and enjoy them at your own pace!
And if you’re anything like me, you’ll finish this trip already planning the next one – Portugal has a way of doing that!
Let me help you plan your trip!
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About Monika
An avid traveler and a passionate trip planner, mildly obsessed with being organized and prepared 🙂
Well aware of how precious travel time is, I’m here to share my experience and help you get the most out of your vacation time.
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