1 week only in Portugal. Where would you go?

It's obrigaga not gracias in Portugal!

You could spend some time in the Douro then make your way down the coast to Lisbon or you could head inland to places such as Coimbra, Tomar etc or go to Extramadura if you want mountains. I assume you will have a car to get the most out of your trip.

Difficult to advise without any knowledge of your interests.

It's actually "obrigada" if you are a woman.

"obrigado" if you are a man.

I'm a port wine fan, so I loved Porto - the old part of town that rises from the river is beautiful. We spent some time in the Douro valley as well. I hope you enjoy your trip.

Hey Karen! In November 2013, I spent 2 weeks driving thru Andalusia and Portugal and I'd go back to Portugal in a heartbeat. A scenic, historic country with very friendly people. Here's a link to my drive on Google Maps. Most of the highways required the use of a transponder to pay tolls so if you're renting the vehicle in Portugal, make sure to get one from your rental company. I picked my car up in Madrid and it was registered in Spain. Though I tried, I was unable to get a transponder and just cruised through the tolls. The manager of the B&B I stayed at in Salema said, tourists always have a heck of a time trying to comply with the law but if your car is not registered in Portugal, they don't come after you for the tolls you missed.

I started in the little fishing village of Salema and then visited "Land's End" in Sagres before heading to Evora.Next stop was in Castelo Rodrigo (pop. 50) where I stayed in a wonderful B&B called Casa da Cisterna. Ana. the wonderful lady who runs it, offers evening tours to visit the Coa Nature Preserve to view the paleolithic rock carvings - a truly WOW and Back Door experience. One of the highlights of my trip. From there, I drove through the Douro valley stopping at one of the vineyards on my way to Porto. From Porto, I ambled on south to Obidos with short stops in Coimbra, Batahala and Alcobaca along the way. Then on to Lisbon via Sintra for my final two nights in Portugal. (Cities in bold were my overnights.)

I will admit that this is a fast-paced trip and might not be for everyone. There were very few sights that I wanted to see that was unable to because of time constraints or those caused by too much vinho!

Don't hesitate to PM me if you want any additional info. Boa viagem!

Ola Karen,

With just a week, I'd stay 2 nights in Porto, 3 nights in Lisbon and 2 nights in Evora. If you want to see the beach, then I'd skip Lisbon and stay a few nights in Nazare between Porto and Evora.

We recently returned from a month long car trip to Spain and Portugal. In Portugal, we followed Rick Steves' guide book and felt we saw the best of Portugal. We spent two nights near Lagos in a smaller town; one night in Evora; two nights in Coimbra; two nights in delightful Porto ; one night in Nazare; four nights in Lisboa. If we were to do it again, we would add another night in Nazare. (It was quiet when we visited.) The Douro valley is beautiful! Wish I could recommend Sintra but it was so crowded on a Friday, we were unable to see most of the sights. (We took the train.) The Hop On/Hop Off bus route in Sintra was not operating on a full schedule. We were afraid to get off fearing we would wait hours to find room on a bus. Many people at the stops were disgusted with this lack of service. We hired a private guide in Lisboa and glad we did. Enjoy your time in Portugal! It is a wonderful country!

PS. If you can avoid driving in Lisboa, do so! It is insane! Don't miss Belem district in Lisboa. Plan to arrive early and spend at least half day.

I would fly to Porto and spend 2 nights there.
Take the train towards Lisbon (2 hr trip to Lisbon). I would stop in Portugal's Venice, Aveiro. The town has canals, and a lovely beach called Costa Nova.
Then to Lisbon.
There, visit the town. Go to Belem. Go to Sintra.
Extra time, the beach communities of Cascais and Estroil (35 minute train ride from Lisbon).
Have a great trip!