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By Monika

How to Plan a Trip to Portugal in 7 Easy Steps.

Portugal is a beautiful country, known for stunning landscapes, rich history, and incredible food! It has recently become a very popular travel destination.  

Are you thinking of visiting, too, but aren’t sure where to start? Well, you found the right article!

From choosing the best time to visit to mapping out must-see spots and figuring out transportation, I’ll cover essential tips, must-know info, and everything you need to plan the perfect Portugal adventure with ease AND without the overwhelm I felt when planning our first trip!

Let me save you some time and research, and most importantly, save you from making mistakes I made the first time around and show you how to plan a trip to Portugal in this step-by-step guide!

Side note – I just planned my second trip to Portugal using these EXACT steps and it was a breeze!

So – let’s do it together!

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 1. Choose the best time to visit Portugal

Portugal is amazing in any season, however, if you’re not up for high temperatures and crowds, I recommend avoiding the peak summer season, which typically includes June, July, and August.

My first trip was in April, and it was great – the weather was gorgeous, and you could see a lot of tourists already but even very popular places, like Sintra or Belém attractions, weren’t extremely crowded.

My second trip is also planned for April, so, as you can tell, spring and fall are my recommended seasons to visit Portugal, but I’ve heard from others who went in the winter that it’s also really nice – still good weather and definitely no crowds.

2. Decide how much time to spend in Portugal

Do you only have a few days? A week? Two weeks? The amount of time you are able to spend visiting Portugal will likely determine what you will be able to see.

If you have a few days (2-4 days)

I would stay in Lisbon. Explore the city and take a day trip or two, to Sintra and/or Cascais or Óbidos.

You can also just choose Porto and spend your time exploring the city, the wine cellars and take a day trip to Douro Valley vineyards or to see the 516 Arouca Suspension Bridge.

But if you’ve never been to Portugal before I recommend visiting Lisbon first.

If you have a week (5-7 days)

With that amount of time, you have some choices. You can do what we did during our first trip and divide your time between Lisbon and the Algarve (the southern region of Portugal, known for beautiful beaches, dramatic cliffs, and hiking trails).

Need some inspiration? Check out our easy-to-follow Lisbon and Algarve itinerary!

Sample itinerary: 2-3 days in Lisbon and 2-4 days in Algarve OR 2-4 days in Lisbon and 2-4 days in Porto.

If that doesn’t suit you, you can visit Lisbon and Porto, Portugal’s two main cities, each charming in its own way.

If you have two weeks or more

You can see it all! Lisbon, Porto, Algarve plus day trips to Sintra, wineries, famous monasteries, and charming small towns.

Sample itinerary: arrive in Porto, spend 4 days in Porto, 4 days in Lisbon and the remaining time in the Algarve, fly out of Faro OR arrive in Lisbon, spend 2 days in Lisbon, go to Porto to spend 4 days, head to the Algarve for 4-5 days, head back to Lisbon for 2 days, fly home from Lisbon.

Need ideas for what to do in Porto? Check out this flexible 2-4 days Porto itinerary!

Lisbon vs. Porto vs. Algarve – Which One is Right for You?

If you’re not sure which areas/cities to choose for your first trip to Portugal, here is a quick comparison:

Lisbon

Porto

Algarve

3. Plan your Portugal itinerary

First, decide where you’ll start and end your trip.

If you’re staying in Lisbon, of course, you’ll just fly in and out of Lisbon airport.

If you’re visiting both Lisbon and another region, do some airfare research and decide if you’ll book round-trip tickets to Lisbon and travel to Porto or the Algarve from there or if you’re planning to visit all three areas, you may be able to fly into Porto and out of Faro (in the Algarve) or the other way around.

Decide based on convenience and airfare prices and book your flights.

Helpful tip: if you choose to book a round trip to Lisbon and travel from there, plan to be back in Lisbon the day before your flight just for peace of mind!

Helpful tip: If you choose to visit the Algarve, most likely you’ll need a rental car – more on that later in the post.

4. Book your accommodation:

The kind of accommodation you book really depends on your preferences, travel style a,nd budget.  So I’ll leave this part of your Portugal trip planning to you, but I will give you a few tips:

• in Lisbon look for accommodation near Rossio Square or Restauradores Plaza, where you’ll be within walking distance of the major attractions and have easy access to the train and metro.

I don’t recommend staying in the Alfama historic neighborhood – read my “Lisbon Travel Tips guide” to find out why!

• in Porto it’s best to choose your hotel in the city center to be able to walk to all the iconic sights.
• in the Algarve I recommend staying in Albufeira, Carvoveiro or Lagos area to be close to the major attractions, like the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail, Algar Seco, and Carvoeiro Boardwalk, and of course the famous Benagil Cave.

If possible, try to book accommodation with free cancellation as close to your travel dates as possible. It will give you flexibility if anything changes in your itinerary.

I recommend using Booking.com and Expedia.com to find the best deals on places to stay.

5. Decide how you’ll get around during your trip.

Do you need to rent a car in Portugal? It depends on where your itinerary takes you.

If you’re spending your time in Lisbon and/or Porto, you don’t need a car, and you actually shouldn’t rent a car! I explained why in my “Things to know before traveling to Lisbon” guide I mentioned above. It also applies to Porto.

Trains:

Traveling between Lisbon and Porto (and within Portugal in general) is very easy by train – check connections here.

The trip will vary from 2 hrs 40 min. to 3 hr 15 min., depending on the type of train and ticket you book. It is usually a direct train ride.

Helpful tip: I recommend booking on the Omio website – it offers flexibility to reschedule your tickets if your plans change and a convenient app if you need to make changes on the go.

Train schedules are usually published between 60-90 days ahead and I recommend booking your tickets about a month in advance to be sure they don’t sell out (yes, the popular routes can sell out!)

Rental car:

I recommend renting a car if:

• you’re planning to visit the Algarve from Lisbon. While you can take the train from Lisbon to Lagos or Faro, getting to beaches, trails and other attractions of the Algarve is much easier with a rental car. Public transportation isn’t as convenient there and you’ll be dependent mostly on Uber or Bolt rides without your own car.
• you’re planning to take day trips from Lisbon or Porto to Óbidos, Nazaré, Aveiro, Fatima or other small towns and do not want to book a tour. That’s what we did the first time we visited. The next day we headed for the Algarve.
• you’re planning to visit the towns I mentioned above on your way from Lisbon to Porto or from Porto to Lisbon. That’s what we decided to do during our second trip – pick up our car after arrival at the Lisbon airport and travel to Porto, visiting the towns we didn’t get to during our first trip. We returned the car that evening and traveled back to Lisbon at the end of our trip by train.

READ MORE: Best Places to Visit Between Lisbon and Porto: How to Plan an Epic Road Trip.

Helpful tip: arrange your pick-up/drop-off at the airport. The car rental agencies are located inside the terminal and have more convenient operation hours than the local city offices.

➡️ Need a rental car? Explore Expedia Car Rentals or Discover Cars for great deals!

READ MORE: Driving in Portugal Made Easy: My Best Tips for a Safe Road Trip.

6. Book your tours and/or attractions tickets.

Once you have your itinerary all planned out, decide if you’ll be taking any organized guided tours and try to book them at least a month in advance. For some more popular ones, I recommend two months ahead or more.

They usually have a generous cancellation policy and some even offer a “book now pay later” option.

Tours to book ahead:

• Sintra (from Lisbon)
• Óbidos  (from Lisbon)
• Fado performance in Lisbon
• Douro Valley (from Porto)
• 516 Arouca Suspension Bridge (from Porto)

Some attractions in Lisbon and Porto have timed entries and those you definitely want to purchase tickets in advance:

• Sintra’s Pena Palace, Moorish Castle, and Quinta de Regaleira (if you’re not visiting with a tour)
• Livraria Lello in Porto
• Wine cellars in Porto

My go-to tour booking websites are GetYourGuide and Viator – super easy to browse all your tour choices in one place, many with a convenient “book now, pay later” option!

7. Buy travel insurance

I can’t stress that enough – please buy travel insurance.

It will help you recover the cost of any non-refundable expenses like attractions, hotels, and car rental in case of any travel interruptions, flight delays, etc. It also gives you medical coverage.

I use Travel Guard for all my international travels.

It came in handy many times, especially in recent years, when our flights got canceled or delayed, or when we got to our destination or back home late. We recovered costs and were able to make decisions calmly, knowing that we had this benefit in place.  

If you’d like more options, click here or just fill out the form below to compare quotes:

A few more things to consider

• Staying connected – check your options for international calling/data plans with your cell phone provider but also consider an eSIM like Airalo, Saily or Sim Local. You can also rent a portable Wi-Fi hotspot from Portugal Internet. I usually get the hotspot as I can connect multiple devices to it, but both options work great.

• Bring some cash (€) – while credit cards are widely accepted, some smaller stores and street vendors require cash payment.

Also, most hotels ask for a city tax due for your stay to be paid in cash.

• if you’re coming from the US, you may need an International Driving Permit to rent and drive a car. Always check with your car rental company.

• at the time of writing this post there are no visa requirements for traveling to Portugal from the US.

ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) implementation was postponed until 2026. Check for updates on their official website.

• Pack light – you don’t want heavy bags to carry onto the train and rental cars in Portugal are smaller than what we’re used to in the US. What is considered a “midsize SUV” in Portugal is definitely not the same as in the US!

That’s it! Your trip is planned!

I hope this guide helped you plan your trip to Portugal easily and hassle-free!

By following these seven steps, you can create an itinerary that fits your travel style, budget, and interests – whether you’re exploring Lisbon’s historic streets, sipping wine in the Douro Valley, or soaking up the sun in the Algarve.

Safe travels and enjoy every moment in beautiful Portugal!

👉 To learn about my trusted travel planning resources that help me (and will help you too!) plan trips easily and save money, read this guide: How to Plan a Trip to Europe: My Favorite Travel Resources Revealed.

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