You have a week’s holiday and want to get to know Portugal for the first time?

Then this article is for you!

But we already said that 7 days in Portugal is a very short time because there is a lot to see and do. So this itinerary will be a bit rushed, but in the end it will give you time to enjoy a lot and will leave you wanting more.

Arriving in Lisbon

Arriving at Lisbon airport you have these options to get from the airport to the city:

The metro red line/airport station

To access the metro you need to get out of the terminal, but as soon as you get out there is already the entrance to the metro, so it is quite easy to find.

Bus

It is the aerobus, which you can catch in front of the terminal as well.

Uber or Taxi

You can also take uber or taxi from the airport. There is also the option of hiring a car at the airport, but this is not a good option because Lisbon has very complicated traffic and depending on the area of the city where you will park the car, it can be very expensive.

Which Neighbourhoods should I choose to stay in Lisbon?

When it comes to accommodation, Lisbon has a lot of hotels spread all over the city. So we will give you some tips here on which places and neighbourhoods we recommend you to stay.

Chiado neighbourhood

The first option is the neighborhood called Chiado, which is one of the main districts of the city. There you have several attractions of the city nearby, so being there and waking up in this region already guarantees you feel the atmosphere of Lisbon.

Lower Quarter

Another neighbourhood is Baixa, right next to Chiado. It also has many attractions, is easy to get around and is also a good place to stay.

Avenida Liberdade

Around Avenida Liberdade, which is one of the most beautiful areas of Lisbon.

Marques de Pombal

And also, near the Marquês de Pombal roundabout, it is very beautiful, it has an incredible view. Nearby there is El Corte Inglês, a shopping mall where you can buy several things.

On this itinerary we do not recommend you to stay near the airport or the nations park, because it is a region a bit far from the city attractions, so you would take too much time moving around and on this itinerary we do not want you to waste time.

First day in Lisbon

On the first day in Lisbon we recommend that you walk around the historical centre, because most people think of Lisbon as old, those old and narrow streets, so start at Praça do Comércio. You will walk through Rua Augusta, which has many nice shops, until you get to Rossio Square. Go up the Elevador de Santa Justa and if you can, catch the sunset at the Castelo de São Jorge.

Second day of Lisbon

On the second day in Lisbon, take the tram and go to the Belém area, where you can find the famous Pastel de Belém. That is where you will find the Pastéis de Belém pastry shop that you may have heard of.

The entrance to the shop is tiny, but inside you’ll be surprised by the huge hall, with lots of places to sit, you’ll enter, sit at a comfortable table and taste the authentic and original “pastel de Belém”.

Jerónimos Monastery

Next to the pastéis de Belém, already with a full belly, you go to your first attraction which is the Mosteiro dos Jerônimos, and leaving the monastery of Jerônimos you will make a light walk and you will reach the edge of the Tejo River. There are two attractions that you can not miss, the Torre de Belém and the Padrão Descobrimento, one of the other is more or less 1km away, but there is a nice area for you to walk, it is a nice, quiet walk.

Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology

And after that there’s also a museum. If you like the arts, there is the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, which is in a beautiful building, and there is also an observatory nearby, which if you like to watch the stars you will also enjoy.

In the end you will go back to the hotel as you will be tired.

Third day in Lisbon

You still have your third day there. We recommend you to go to the modern part of Lisbon, called Parque das Nações, it was there in 1998 that the Expo 98 happened, a gigantic exhibition that changed the whole region. In this exhibition the theme was ‘the oceans’, there was also built the oceanarium that you will visit and that is the most visited cultural attraction of the city.

Leaving the oceanarium, take the cable car that will travel along the entire riverfront and the images are very beautiful, it’s worth it. On the cable car you will have a privileged view of the whole region and of the imposing Vasco da Gama Bridge. After leaving the cable car, if you want to do some shopping, you can go to the mall that is right there in the region and the name is Shopping Vasco da Gama.

Day four: Going to Porto

On the fourth day you go to the city of Porto, and you have a few options to do this.

The first option is to fly, the flight from Lisbon to Porto takes about 50 minutes, but remember that the boring and bureaucratic process of arriving at the airport, going through security and arriving some time before.

The second option is to go by bus, which takes about 3:30 to 4 hours.

The third option is to go by train, it is the most recommended option, by train it takes between 2:40 to 3 hours to reach the city of Porto. It is a very beautiful tour, you discover part of Portugal, its geography, amazing places.

Arriving in the city of Porto, you check into your hotel and take the opportunity to eat some ‘francesinhas’. Francesinha is a typical dish of the city of Porto, it is a sandwich filled with lots of tasty stuff, with melted cheese on top and sauce. There are several restaurants in the city that serve this delicacy.

Try to stay in places that make you feel in Portugal, look for hotels in the Ribeira area and around São Bento station. You can also choose in the region of Avenida dos Aliados or around the Bolhão Market.

Fifth day: Porto

On your first full day in Porto, walk around the Ribeira area, which is close to the Douro River.

Dom Luís I Bridge

Lisbon has the River Tejo and Porto has a River Douro. Take the opportunity to walk over the famous bridge D. Luís I and get to the other side which is the city of Vila Nova de Gaia. In Vila Nova de Gaia take the opportunity to go on one of the many Port Wine tours there.

After that, you can head to the cable car, take a rest and see how beautiful the Douro River and the city of Porto are from above. The cable car gives you a view of both Vila Nova de Gaia and the city of Porto on the other side.

Day 6: Historical part of Porto

On the sixth day you will visit the historic area of Porto. Start at Livraria Lello, it was opened in 1881 and its staircase is so beautiful that it served as inspiration for J.K. Rowling, the creator of Harry Potter, to make the staircases of Hogwarts. It is very beautiful, but it is crowded, it usually gets crowded.

Clerigos Tower

After the bookshop, walk to the Torre dos Clérigos, which is certainly one of the historical points of the city of Porto that you must have seen more pictures. Right next door you can eat a codfish cake with cheese from Serra da Estrela, it is very tasty.

Walking through this region you will go down an avenue that has there, reaching the São Bento station, which is one of the most beautiful stations.

And to finish your day, at sunset you can go to one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the city, the Miradouro da Vitória, where you can see a bit of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia.

Portuguese word guide

Bus: Autocarro

Bus Stop: Paragem

Train: Comboio

Legal: Fixe

A lot: Bué

Bullet/sweets: Rebuçado

Toilet flushing: Autoclismo

Bonito/Bonita: Giro/Gira

Sandwiches: Sandes

Teenager/young man: Puto

Pedestrian Lane: Passador

Bathroom: Casa de banho