Slow Travel8 days, 7 nightsPortugal

Portugal in 8 Days: Slow Travel Route

Two bases, Lisbon and Porto, with day trips by train and whole mornings spent doing very little.

Destination

Portugal

Travel style

Slow Travel

Duration

8 days, 7 nights

Approximate budget

Approx. 1,100 to 1,600 EUR per person, excluding flights

Best time to travel

April to June, September to October

Route overview

Eight days, two apartments, one train journey between them. That is the entire logistical plan, and it is why this route is one of our favourites.

Both cities work as bases. From Lisbon you can reach Sintra in 40 minutes, Cascais in 35 and Setubal in under an hour. From Porto, the Douro valley and Guimaraes are both easy day trips by train.

The rhythm matters more than the list. Coffee in the same place each morning, one outing a day, an afternoon rest during the hottest hours, and dinner late like everyone else.

Day by day

Day 1
Arrive in Lisbon
Metro from the airport to an apartment in Alfama, Graca or Principe Real. Walk to a miradouro for the sunset, and eat wherever is nearest.
Day 2
Alfama and the tram that is not the 28
The 28 is famous and packed. Walk the same route instead, uphill through Alfama to the castle, then take tram 12 back down. Afternoon at the Fado museum or on a terrace.
Day 3
Sintra, but only two sights
Train from Rossio. Pena Palace with a timed ticket, then Quinta da Regaleira, and skip the rest. Three sights in Sintra is a route march.
Day 4
Belem and a slow afternoon
Tram or train west. The monastery, the tower from outside, and pasteis de nata straight from the oven. Back by mid afternoon with nothing else planned.
Day 5
Train to Porto
Under three hours on the Alfa Pendular. Check in near the Bolhao market or Cedofeita, then walk down to the Ribeira as the light goes.
Day 6
Port cellars and the river
Cross to Vila Nova de Gaia. One cellar tour and tasting is enough, they are broadly similar. Afternoon on the water in a rabelo boat or on a bench with a book.
Day 7
Douro valley day trip
Train along the river to Pinhao, which is one of the most scenic rail lines in Europe. Lunch at a quinta, then the afternoon train back.
Day 8
Departure
Metro to Porto airport, around 30 minutes from the centre. If the flight is late, spend the morning at Livraria Lello early, before the queue forms.

Portugal: Cafe scene in the Belém district of Lisbon, Portugal

Accommodation approach

Apartments in both cities, four nights and three nights. A kitchen matters here, because market shopping is part of the experience and Portuguese produce is excellent and cheap.

Getting around

Trains for everything, including both day trips. City transport by metro, tram and funicular. No car needed at any point unless you want to explore the Douro back roads.

What to eat

Pastel de nata, warm, with cinnamon
Grilled sardines and bacalhau in neighbourhood restaurants
Francesinha in Porto, once, if you are hungry enough
Vinho verde at lunch, port in the evening

Planning tips

Buy a rechargeable Viva Viagem card in Lisbon on day one, it works on metro, tram and train to Sintra.
Book Pena Palace online with a time slot, the on-site queue can run past an hour.
Lisbon's hills are steep and the pavement is polished stone. Shoes with grip, especially in rain.
Restaurants often bring bread and olives you did not order. They are charged for, and you can decline them politely.