How to Spend One Week In Porto and Lisbon
- Chris
- May 29, 2023
- 19 min read
Updated: Jun 7, 2023
Bom dia! I went to Portugal right after my backpacking excursion across Spain back in November of 2019 and then again 4 years later in April of 2023. I spent 5 days between Porto and Lisbon, but I'm here to tell you that 5 days is definitely not enough to truly soak in the Portuguese experience. Allow me to help advise you on places you should definitely visit and the tourist places you should absolutely avoid.
But first, some interesting and fun facts about the country. Did you know, the oldest bookstore in the world is located in Lisbon?! It is called the Livraria Bertrand and it was established in 1732. Separately, there is another Portuguese bookstore named Livraria Lello in Porto and it is deemed as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world (more on this one later, though).
One of the oldest European universities is located in Coimbra, a city halfway between Porto and Lisbon. Established in the late 1200s, the campus is now classified as an UNESCO World Heritage site and is worth stopping by if you are taking the bus or train between the two larger cities.
Lastly, as we continue the oldest fun fact trend, it should then be no surprise if I share that Portugal is the oldest nation-state in Europe. There is some debate to this title as to which country was really the oldest, but that is for a totally different article and will not belong on a travel blog.
In this post, we will first begin up north in Porto where I will share my experience and offer recommendations on places to visit and avoid. Next, we will quickly make our way down to Lisbon and help you see everything you need in 3 days.
Spend 2 Days in Picture Perfect Porto
Did you know, Portugal was named after the city, Porto?
Porto was originally called Portus Cale during the Roman times and is now known for the production of port wine, a dessert wine that I did not take a liking to, sadly. The city is small enough to walk around and I really think you can learn about a city the most when you get to walk on foot and experience the rich history around you rather than taking a cab or shared ride. The hostel I stayed at was part of the Yes! Hostel chain, but unfortunately they have since closed. However, there are several hostels near Centro Historico that are highly rated and extremely affordable, with prices ranging from 13 - 22USD a night. I would recommend staying as close to the historic center as possible to minimize your walking distance from the main sightsees. What was great about exploring Porto was that you do not have to spend that much $$$ to enjoy the city; you can walk around and marvel at the beautiful scenery.
3 FREE things you can do in Porto:
1) Admire and walk across the Ponte Luis I
This is the double decked steel bridge that crosses over the Douro River (another fun fact: the bridge was designed by someone who had worked under Gustave Eiffel, the same guy that did the Eiffel Tower). If you want a great photo of the bridge in the foreground with the Douro River in the back, check out the Google Maps I embedded at the end of the post and look for the pin "Kitty Hill Viewpoint." I stumbled upon this while I was trying to make my way up to the hill from the bottom of the bridge, and it is off the beaten path and close to the edge. I called it the Kitty Hill because there was a bunch of stray cats living here.
2) Catch the sunset along the Douro River
There are several spots where you can do this. Type in "Cais da Ribeira de Gaia" in Google Maps and you will find yourself next to the river facing the colorful buildings. It makes for a great photo right here. You can get here by walking on lower level of the Ponte Luis I bridge. If you want a higher viewpoint (and frankly want to burn some calories), find your way up to the Jardim do Morro. This is where the photo below was taken and it offers one of the best views of the city in my opinion.
3) Stop by the Azulejo sites
Azulejos are blue ceramic tiles found on facades of various types of buildings in Portugal, although they are most notable in Porto. The Portuguese first used simple geometric shapes on the azulejos, but they soon began to decorate the tiles in more complex designs. Some of the Azulejos depict stories about Portuguese history and culture. The below are just some of the sites worth checking out:
Igreja de Santo Ildefonso
Capela das Almas (Chapel of Souls)
São Bento Train Station
Igreja do Carmo
One other comment before we move on to Lisbon. I promised to revert back to the Livraria Lello. This bookstore was built in 1906 and is deemed one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world. In fact, the neo-Gothic architecture drew inspiration for J.K. Rowling's portrayal of Hogwarts. I've always enjoyed learning the history and architectural features of buildings, but for some reason I did not have a positive experience here. My hostel was just down the street so I walked all of the two blocks. There was already a long line of folks even before the bookstore was open. Furthermore, there was an entrance fee of €5, of which you can apply to a purchase.
There is no question the interior is absolutely stunning; I think the idea of not being able to walk around freely rubbed me the wrong way. It was extremely crowded when I went and felt a little uncomfortable. As you can see in the photo on the left, it is a tiny bookstore. I cannot say I would not recommend checking the bookstore out. However, what I would say is that if you want a better experience here, try and visit the bookstore during the week when it first opens. Perhaps the crowd is smaller and thus more comfortable to enjoy the architecture and the history of the bookstore inside.
3-Day Travel Itinerary for Lisbon
Historians say that the city was likely founded around 1200 BCE by the Phoenicians. The city was originally called Olisipo, which may have been derived from the Phoenician phrase "alis ubbo" (delightful little port). As one of the oldest cities in Europe, Lisbon has witnessed a fair share of historical events in its lifetime, from various conquests from the Moors and the Portuguese to a devastating earthquake that wiped out numerous buildings throughout the city and killed thousands on November 1, 1755.
The city (and the surrounding area) has since recovered. Now, Lisbon is the most populous city in Portugal, with over 500,000 people living in the capital. It is a bigger city compared to Porto, so you may have to take public transportation or ride-share to get to some of the places I'm going to recommend down below. I believe 3 days is enough to get a taste of the city without overstaying, although this is purely coming from the perspective of an individual backpacking around Europe.
Day 1
There are two hostels I highly recommend based on my own experience and my interactions with people I had met in the city: Yes! Lisbon Hostel and Home Lisbon Hostel. Both have 6-person mixed rooms for ~€45 per night (as of April 2023) and both are located in the heart of Lisbon. You can easily walk to many of the sightsees and the folks who work there provide walking tours and bar crawls at night so you can mingle with fellow travelers. On your first day, I would recommend doing your own walking tour and check off the following:
Santa Justa Lift
The 45-meter lift was completed in 1902 by a man named Raoul Mesnier du Ponsard, who also drew inspiration from Gustav Eiffel (wait... didn't I already mention him already earlier in the post?!) The lift meant to provide an efficient way to transport people to and from the Baixa district and the Bairro Alto district. While the lift still remains a means of transportation, it now also serves as a popular tourist attraction, as there is a viewing deck at the very top overlooking the Baixa district. You can pay €5 to take the lift, and an additional €1.50 to access the viewpoint. I personally find the price of admission to be outrageous, but there is one way to "get around" it if you intend on using public transit throughout the day.
The lift is a part of the public transportation network, which means that this lift can be covered by a 24-hour metro transport ticket, which you can purchase for €6.40 at any metro station. This metro ticket includes buses, metro services, and even the historic trams!
Rossio Square
Praça do Rossio, or Rossio Square, is arguably the most famous and the liveliest town square in all of Lisbon. There is the Column of Pedro IV, which you can see in the right-most part of the photo below. There is Café Nicola, a popular cafe overlooking Rossio Square; it makes for a great spot for lunch and is known for its steak and egg. The Rossio Railway Station is also located near the square, and I will elaborate on this later but you can take the train to Sintra from this train station.
There is also some significant history in this square. The square was used as a place for public executions, revolts, and celebrations, but thankfully now it is known as a popular meeting place for tourists and Lisbon natives. I also really like how the square is paved with cobblestones in a wave-like pattern. Definitely unique!
There are two more food-related places you should check out while you're here: Fábrica da Nata and A Ginjinha. You cannot leave Portugal without trying pasteis de nata. These are Portuguese egg custard tarts that will make your tummy happy. I did not try the Pasteis de nata here but people have recommended this place for a quick bite! Lastly, walk back towards the square and stop by A Ginjinha, a tiny standing room only bar that serves Ginja, a sweet cherry liqueur. Legend has it that a shot of Ginja will cure all illnesses, and although I was not a fan of it, you should pay the EUR 1.20 and try the drink to see if you feel any better afterwards!
Miradouro da Graça
Miradouro da Graça is the perfect stop after the square because you can either walk off the food you just ate or take the famous 28 tram up the hill. What is the 28 tram, you ask?
These are the iconic tram cars that take you around some of the popular Lisbon neighborhoods, and they are still an integral part of the public transit system here because they are able to navigate through tight turns and narrow streets whereas regular buses cannot. These cable cars started operation in the early 1900s and have remained around despite the technological advances in the 20th century. There is typically a long queue during the day, so if you really want to snatch a seat, be sure to ride it early in the day or late in the evening. However, with this itinerary, you would take this tram in the afternoon after lunch time, so it is up to you if you're willing to wait in line or prefer to walk uphill to Miradouro da Graça. I opted for the latter since I wanted to traverse the cobblestoned streets and soak in the liveliness of Lisbon.
It was a cloudy afternoon when I went, but there is plenty of shade for you to comfortably enjoy the stellar view. You can see the Ponte 25 de Abril (25th of April Bridge) and the Tagus River in the background and the colorful buildings in the foreground. It also overlooks the Castelo de Sao Jorge, a historic castle worth checking out if you have time later on in the day.
Two other sightsees I recommend to complete your day in the city are Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara and Museu Nacional do Azulejo (National Tile Museum). The former is a garden that offers another beautiful panoramic view of the city. Some might say that this garden is one of the more romantic parts of the city. The Museu Nacional do Azulejo is back over by the Santa Apolonia grand train station on the eastern part of the city. You can learn more about the traditional Portuguese tilework and explore one of the largest ceramics collection in the world. This is where you can put the 24-hr metro transport ticket to good use!
It's always hard to provide food recommendations because each of us have different tastes and price points. With that said, since Day 1 is all about exploring the city, you should definitely check out Príncipe Real for dinner options. This neighborhood is just north of Bairro Alto and is known for different types of food, such as Peruvian ceviches, pizza, and ramen, so it has something for everyone. Plus, you are still walking distance from your lodging/hostel if you decide to stay in the city center.
Day 2
The 2nd day is where we venture outside the city and explore the beautiful town named Sintra. This city is roughly 17 miles (28km) northwest of Lisbon, and makes for a great day trip. Assuming you did not rent a car, there are two affordable ways to get to Sintra: 1) Train from Estação do Oriente or 2) Train from the Rossio Station. Take the first route if you're coming from the airport or if you're coming from the north. Otherwise, as I stated above, if you are already in Lisbon, take the train that departs every hour from Rossio Station. It takes about 40 minutes to get there and I would recommend taking public transit there so you can fit all the sightsees in one day. I would even recommend staying a night here if you have the time!
Palacio Nacional da Pena
The first sight of Sintra you should see is the Palacio Nacional da Pena. his 19th-century palace was built by Ferdinand II for Queen Maria II and is known for its architectural features and the vast forested area that surrounds the palace . It was damaged in the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, but it was restored to the condition to what you see above. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995 and is also considered as one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. Entrance to the Pena Palace and the park will cost you €14 (~$16USD) and anticipate spending at least 2 hours here. This is the crown jewel of Sintra and should be your first stop because it will get extremely crowded in the afternoon when the rest of the tour groups arrive.
To get here, I recommend you take the 434 Sintra tourist bus. Be sure to look for the sign "Circuito da Pena" as there are two different bus routes. Assuming you you took the train to get to Sintra, the bus stop is located on the street to the right after you exit the train station turnstile.
The €11.50 round trip ticket is the best way to experience your day in Sintra because it allows you to hop on and off at the main attractions for the full day. Otherwise, you would have to either 1) painfully hike up and down to each sight-see or 2) overpay for a tuk-tuk or Uber. Even so, many Uber drivers refuse to drive there due to lack of parking and the fact that it is a one way circuit, so it is difficult for them to idle around waiting for requests.
Couple of noteworthy suggestions:
Book your ticket in advance on their website. They operate under a ticket-timed entry system. Otherwise, if you get your ticket at the entrance or miss your time slot by a significant amount of time, you may have to wait upwards of 2 hours!
The ticket entrance time is for the castle entrance, not the park entrance. Therefore, plan accordingly, starting from which train you should take at Rossio. To avoid getting there late, be aware of the following:
Takes 40 minutes by train from Lisbon to Sintra
Takes another 25-30 minutes on the 434 bus from the Sintra station to Pena Palace park entrance
Additional 25-30 minutes from the park entrance to the castle entrance, which is what the your ticket time is for. Therefore, I recommend you to budget for 2 hours just to arrive to the palace without risking of losing your time slot.
Your ticket includes the park grounds, but if you are pressed for time, skip it completely. It's a lot of walking for some mediocre views in my opinion.
Across the palace is the Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle), a castle that once defended the entire region back in the 8th-12th century. It was subsequently abandoned by the 16th century as the castle's strategic importance waned and left to decay through fire and the earthquake of 1755. It was only in 1840 when Ferdinand II came to rescue and decided to make repairs on the castle. An entrance fee of €8 ($9USD) will offer spectacular views high above Sintra; expect to spend at most 1 hour here. I did not get a chance to go in here due to time constraints; however, if you want to do this after the Pena Palace, simply walk out of the Pena Palace and head back down because as you recall on the bus map earlier, the Castelo dos Mouros was the first stop on the one-way 434 tourist bus circuit.
Afterwards, take the same 434 tourist bus back down to Sintra as this should take you to lunch time. I do not have a plethora of food recommendations in Sintra, but a place you absolutely MUST stop by is Casa Piriquita. This is one of the best bakeries in town everyone must try a Travesseiro, which is a puff pastry with eggs and almond cream inside. They also have savory sandwiches and hot beverages at your disposal. I recommend this cafe for lunch as well, but the line might be too long for a sit-down and might disrupt the tight schedule. Once you're done with lunch, you can make your way to the next destination. Quinta da Regaleira.
Quinta da Regaleira
Quinta is Portuguese for estate, and after spending a few hours here, the closest thing I can associate this UNESCO world heritage site to is a miniature Portuguese Disneyworld.
The site was commissioned by a wealthy and peculiar Brazilian-Portuguese businessman named Antonio Augusto Carvalho Monteiro. It was rumored that he was a Freemason and had a passion for the natural sciences, so the combination of his interests and beliefs resulted in the fascinating Quinta da Regaleira. As you can see from the map, the estate is larger than you think and some of the sightsees are quite far apart. I recommend spending 1.5-2 hours here so it is likely that you will not get to see everything listed on the map, but be sure to visit the palace, caves, and the garden. However, the most famous attraction here is the Poço Iniciático, or the Initiation Well.
This well certainly was not used to fill water but rather was built probably for symbolic reasons. The well was designed to contain 9 platforms and alludes to the nine circles of Dante's Inferno. Once you snap a photo from the top of the well, make your way down to the bottom. There is a passageway that leads to a series of tunnels beneath the garden.
One of the exits requires you to step over stones over a tiny lake. Now you understand why I describe this as Disneyworld?! It's like an adult playground. This exit takes you to the Lago da Cascata. Feel free to walk back up to check out the Portal dos Guardiães (Gate of the Guardians), which holds a different exit from the Initiation Well.
From here, you can quickly make your way back down to the last stop: the castle. You can explore the inside before walking downstairs to the walkway where you snap some photogenic photos in front of the castle. I recommend you do this last because there are fewer people here near closing time and the park exit is right by this area.
We have so far visited three of the top sightsees in Sintra, and if you're a photographer like me, you will want to add this last item for the day. Assuming you spent about 2 hours at Quinta da Regaleira, you should still have enough sunlight to visit Cabo da Roca.
Cabo da Roca
There are two logical options to get to Cabo da Roca from Sintra:
Public bus. From Quinta da Regaleira, walk twenty minutes north to Ponte Redonda, where you will catch Bus 403 to Cabo da Roca. This is where you will have to do some planning; the bus typically runs once every half hour, so you can either time it well or have a hard stop at Quinta da Regaleira and make sure you have enough time hop on the bus to catch the sunset. The ride is close to an hour and the sun typically sets some time past 5pm during the winter, and much later during the summer. Cabo da Roca is worth the trek especially if you're a photographer (see the very first photo on this post!)
Uber. I actually recommend this option in this situation if you want to save some time for an excursion around the cliffs. There are also plenty of Uber drivers waiting around the parking lot in the area, so it is not as difficult to order one since you will have people coming from Cascais or Sintra.
Cabo da Roca is the westernmost point of mainland Europe, so you would figure that at one point in history people thought this was the edge of the world. You come here for the dramatic views and the beautiful sunset that will light up the ocean. You can walk along the coast but do be careful as it can get windy and some trails do take you extremely close to the edge. If you visit here during the spring or summertime, you can even take the trail down to the Praia da Ursa beach right where the sea pillars are located. Walk back towards the lighthouse along the road and you will see a distinct trail that will take you down the cliff.
After the sunset, you have two options:
1) Uber back to Sintra and get dinner there before the train home to Lisbon. There is a wine bar called Incomum Wine Gallery right by the Sintra train station I highly recommend! They offer an extensive list of Portuguese wine and there are some highly rated restaurants in the area as well.
2) Uber to the town of Cascais and enjoy a seafood dinner with a view. If you want to explore a new coastal town, then you can take the 25-minute ride south to Cascais. It is a bit touristy and the cost of food is a little bit inflated compared to Lisbon, but I still enjoyed walking around the town. You won't be disappointed in the number of dinner options at your disposal.
Day 3
Day 2 was packed full of fun and covered a lot of ground; Day 3 will consist the same adventures but we do not have to venture out too far for today's agenda nor do we have to wake up super early. After breakfast, you can either take an Uber to Torre de Belem, or take the E15 tram to Belem. What Pena Palance means to Sintra is what Torre de Belem means to Lisbon. This is the most recognizable structure in the city and is another UNESCO World Heritage site. I did not go inside due to the long queue, but if visiting the inside interests you, €8.50 will get you inside the fort.
The fort was build in the early 16th century as part of a defense system that protect the city from incoming raids along the Tagus River. It later became a lighthouse and even a prison. I went on a rainy day so I did not linger for too long but on a good day, be sure to relax on the grass and watch hundreds of people wait in line to get in or watch people take photos in front of it.
There is even a wine bar at the park near the fort if you want to get a buzz going for the day. Once you're finished with the area, make your way back east on Av. Brasilia. You will then see another symbolic Lisbon structure, Padrão dos Descobrimentos. This monument was commissioned to celebrate the Age of Discovery and the Portuguese explorers and visionaries of the 15th-16th centuries. When you view the monument from the side, it looks like the individuals are on the front of the ship with the leader holding a boat. The arches on the side of the monument represent the sails. If you look at the monument from the back, you can see a giant cross that also looks like a sword. This might be some kind of symbol that represents the relationship between religion and war.
There is also another entrance fee to view the exhibits and the viewing platform, but I opted to just admire the monument from the outside. The next item on the itinerary is just across the main road. Walk over to the Praça do Império Garden and the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos. The garden is notable in that it was built to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Portuguese independence. In the middle of the garden is the Monumental Fountain, known for the light effects made with the lights and water. Behind this garden is the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos (Jeronimos Monastery), another Gothic-style monument on the UNESCO World Heritage site. Entrance fee is €10 and if you were to pick a site to spend an entrance fee on, it should be the monastery. Both the monastery and the Tower of Belem fall under the Manueline architectural style that became well represented in the 16th century. The style incorporates maritime elements and is characterized by the complex ornaments in the windows, columns, and portals. We can talk talk more about the Manueline style but I would rather not go down that rabbit hole. It was absolutely a pleasure to see some of these buildings in person.
Remember the pastéis de natas I mentioned earlier in the post? If you loved them and want to get another batch of the pastry, then you're going to like the next place I recommend you to go after the monastery. Head one block east and you will see Pastéis de Belém, the first cafe ever to sell pastéis de natas. The cafe was opened by a businessman named Domingos Rafael Alves, who had owned a local sugar cane refinery. The monks were actually the first to make these custards, and Domingos bought the recipe from the monks over at the monastery and the recipe remains a top secret to this day. You can order the egg custards to go or grab a sit-down and enjoy other pastries as well. I went here late at night so there was no line but I've read that it can be a wait during the day, but it is worth it!
Continuing on our journey back towards Lisbon. If you want to explore the art scene or do some shopping, then stop by the LxFactory. This little industrial area has a series of restaurants, stores, and other amazing artistic showcases you can explore. It is a 12-minute bus ride from the Jeronimos Monastery or a 30-minute walk if you wore your gym shoes out and want to walk off the pastéis de natas.
My last two Lisbon recommendations are actually something you can do every night if you want, but I think for me it made a lot of sense to check these two places out on Day 3's itinerary. The Time Out Market is a wonderful option for dinner. As it stands, there are a number of Time Out Markets around the world, but the one in Lisbon was the very first one, having opened back in 2014. The market houses a number of the city's top restaurants and there are a variety of food to select from, which makes it a great spot if you're in a big group and have trouble deciding what to get. Each individual can venture off and purchase whatever pleases them. I went here twice for dinner because it was just too good and to the point where it was a bit overwhelming since there were just so many amazing options.
Lastly, what better way to end the night than getting libations on Pink Street, just blocks away from the Time Out Market. The street is literally painted pink (thus the nickname) but the area used to be where sailors would hang out. People have said that Pink Street was the red light district of Lisbon. However, it has since changed its moniker and the area now contains numerous bars, nightclubs, and restaurants. My favorite bar is called the Pensão Amor because of the drinks and the interesting environment. Others may find this bar bizarre since it used to be a brothel and it has a sex shop in the basement. Nevertheless, I liked the fact that there is a lounge area where you can sit and enjoy the music and a separate room if you want to dance.
Final Word
I hope this post provided some insights on things to do and avoid in the two cities. Here is a summary of the places I mentioned above for your 1 week adventure in Porto and Lisbon:
Porto
- Admire and walk across the Ponte Luis I
- Catch the sunset along the Douro River
- Stop by the Azulejo sites
Lisbon
Santa Justa Lift | Cabo da Roca |
Rossio Square | Torre de Belem |
Fábrica da Nata and A Ginjinha | Padrão dos Descobrimentos |
Miradouro da Graça / 28 Tram | Mosteiro dos Jeronimos |
Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara | Pastéis de Belém |
Palacio Nacional da Pena | LxFactory |
Castelo dos Mouros | Time Out Market |
Quinta da Regaleira | Pink Street |
I have also provided my Portugal Google maps below to give you a visual of where the places are. Feel free to reach out and email me if you have any comments or questions!
-Chris
Comments