Portugal might seem like a small country, but boy does it pack a lot of beauty, adventure and things to see in that space. You could spend weeks exploring the country and still not experience it fully. However, if you only have four or so days in Portugal, here’s some good ideas of ways to spend those days!
Getting to and around Portugal
Since Lisbon is such a big city, it offers the largest airport and therefore most flight options in the country. It’s very easy to get in and out of, and it’s an easy ride from the airport to the downtown area of Lisbon.
There are also some other smaller airports that offer options for quicker flights, like the Faro airport and the Porto Airport.
Once in Portugal, transportation is pretty easy! I found it incredibly easy to call Ubers to get around each city. The public transportation in Lisbon is also very easy to use. I chose to use Flixbus and Alsa buses for the longer transports and they were very easy, inexpensive and clean. You can also choose to rent a car for even more freedom to explore! Just be aware that the automatic car options are typically double the price of the manual options (as is the case in most European countries.)
Day 1: Explore Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city of Portugal and the biggest city in the country. Because of this, there is a ton to see! Spend your first day wandering the city, and make sure to hit these sights:
- Tram 28
- São Jorge Castle
- Lift of Santa Justa
- Catch a sunset overlooking the city from a rooftop bar, or from the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara.
If nightlife is your thing, Lisbon has a lot to offer you! It has a bustling nightlife that will have you out dancing until 3 or 4 am (if you want to!) Check out some bars in the Cais do Sodre neighborhood (look for Pink Street!) or in Barrio Alto.
Day 2: Day Trip to Sintra
Sintra is a small mountain town that’s just a 30 minute train ride from Lisbon. There are many sights to see on the mountain and there are even some walking or tuk-tuk tours that will guide you around all of the main sights like:
- Pena Palace: Pena Palace is the most iconic landmark in Sintra offering a vibrant mix of architectural styles and colors. Perched on a hilltop, it offers panoramic views of the surrounding area.
- Quinta da Regaleira: This mystical estate is a UNESCO World Heritage site and features a palace, beautiful gardens, and an intricate network of tunnels and wells. The “Initiation Well” is a popular highlight, as it descends deep into the ground.
- Castelo dos Mouros: The Castle of the Moors, as it’s also known, is a medieval fortress with stunning views of Sintra and its surroundings. The castle walls, watchtowers, and battlements are impressive to explore.
- Sintra National Palace: Located in the heart of the town, this palace is easily recognizable by its two large chimneys. It’s the best-preserved medieval royal palace in Portugal and boasts beautiful tile work and intricate ceilings.
Day 3: Head to Lagos & Take a Walk Along the Cliffs
Lagos is about a 3 hour bus ride or drive south of Lisbon. Try to catch an early bus there so you can spend most of the day in Lagos.
Once you get there, explore the cliffs! There is a hike that goes along the coastline on the cliffs that allows for some of the most beautiful views you will ever see (in my opinion at least.) The entire hike is about 7 miles but you don’t have to do the whole thing to get a lot of the best views. Try starting around Praia do Pinhão and walk until Ponta de Piedade.
There is an easy path that goes the whole way that’s made up of some boardwalk and some paved path and is more of a walk. But to get the best views, try going out on some of the trails that take you closer to the cliff edges. Hiking shoes aren’t necessary for this, but make sure to have some sort of sneaker with good traction.
After the hike, get some fresh seafood dinner at a local restaurant (and maybe catch a beautiful sunset while you’re at it.) We ate at O Camilo and it was delicious! It’s right on the path along the cliffs so it was easy to do on our way pack from Ponta de Piedade.
Day 4: Kayak or Boat Tour of Benagil Cave
The Benagil Cave is about a 45 minute drive from Lagos, but is a must see in the area. There are a few ways that you can see this natural beauty:
- Kayak or Paddle Board to the cave from Benagil
- Many of the kayak tours of the cave begin in the town of Benagil. So this requires a 45 minute drive / Uber / bus to the town. But from there, you can hop on a kayak or paddle board and head to the cave. This is a great option because this is the only way to be able to actually stand on the beach inside of the cave. You will kayak or paddle board up to the beach and get off to walk around for about 10-20 minutes. This is such a beautiful way to see the entire cave and bask in its beauty for a bit.
- Take a boat tour from the marina in Lagos
- This is very easy because it doesn’t require any driving or other transportation if you are staying in Lagos. You can just head to the marina and off you go on the boat tour! You’ll also get to see other caves along the coastline as you ride to the Benagil Cave.
- The downside to this option is that you aren’t able to get off the boat and onto the beach inside the cave to walk around. It’s a quick drive into the cave, look for about 5 minutes and then exit the cave.
- Boat to Kayak ride to the cave
- This option starts in the town of Portimão which is a quick drive / uber / bus ride from Lagos. I liked this option because it combines the best of all worlds! You don’t have to travel as far by car / bus from Lagos and you get a short tour of other caves along the coastline in the boat trip to the Benagil Cave and you get to kayak into the cave and stand on the beach inside.
- The kayaking portion is about 1 mile and if it’s a pretty calm day on the water, it’s not too hard. So it’s very beginner friendly.
- We did this tour and loved it!
After you return from whichever tour you choose, take some time to relax on one of the beaches along the coast in Lagos! Most of these are accessible via stairs from the walking path along the cliffs. The Porto Mós Beach does not require stairs to reach and is more of a local’s beach. The way the cliffs are positioned around it blocks much of the wind and keeps the beach warm (especially nice in early and late season.)
At night, take some time to explore the old town center of Lagos. It’s pretty small so easy to walk in a short amount of time. There are many restaurant options for dinner here (and bars for nightlife if you’re interested!)
Have More Time?
There are so many other things that I wish I could have done on my trip to Portugal, and I will definitely be going back for them at some point. Here are some ideas of things to do if you have some more time to spend in the country:
- Visit the city of Porto
- Day trip to Cascais from Lisbon
- Visit the lighthouse at São Vicente and watch the sunset. This is the most southwestern tip of all of Europe! And said to have some of the best sunset viewing points.
- Take a boat tour around the Ponta de Piedada in Lagos