Planning an 8 day trip (not including flight days) to Portugal in late May 2025. The best flight deal I found flies into Porto and out of Lisbon. I noticed most itineraries end in Porto. Is there any reason I wouldn't want to begin in Porto and end in Lisbon? Also, would 8 days allow a visit to Salema? Any additional advice is welcome. Thank you!
Posted by
Brooklyn, NY
4228 posts
The best Portugal itinerary is the one that works for you and your flights.
We returned from our Portugal trip 2 weeks ago. We spent 3 nights in Porto and 6 in Lisbon. You could do 3 and 5. We visited the smaller towns, Obidos, Tomar, Fatima, and Alcobaca. If you miss any of these places it won’t affect your trip, they are really, really small towns, not high on my ‘must see’ places in Portugal. Many people like Coimbra but we didn’t make it there.
Posted by
Irving
3181 posts
The reason you can fly in and out of Porto is because it’s the jumping off point for the Douro Valley. The valley is known for river cruising because it’s where the dessert wine vineyards grow. You’ll have plenty of opportunity to drink port wine no matter where you are in PT.
I would sleep in Porto for two nights while you recover from jet lag. From Porto take a direct train to Lisbon and stay in Lisbon the remainder of your time. Good day trip options are Sintra and Évora. You do not have time to visit the Algarve which is also an outlier.
Posted by
Cascais, Portugal
1796 posts
I agree with the previous poster, you do not have time for the Algarve.
No reason not to start in Porto and end in Lisbon.
Posted by
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
4499 posts
We just got back 2 weeks ago. Started in Lisbon and ended in Porto, but I don't think it matters where you start. Depending on your interests 8 days doesn't leave much time for Salema. We spent 5 full days in Lisbon which included day trips to Sintra and Cascais. In hindsight we could have used a 2nd day in Sintra. From Lison we rented a car and drove to Porto, stopping in Obidos and Fatima on the way and arriving in Porto in the late afternoon. That left 3 full days in Porto.
Posted by
OP
6 posts
Thank you all! I've booked our flights - flying into Porto and leaving from Lisbon and still working on the itinerary. Is the below itinerary too much? I included Sesimbra to give us some relaxing beach days in an area still close to the airport. I'm not planning on renting a car. Relying on trains and Uber/Bolt.
5/24/25 Porto (Arrival) 10:40AM
5/25/25 Porto
5/26/25 Porto -> Douro Valley
5/27/25 Douro Valley
5/28/25 Douro Valley -> Lisbon
5/29/25 Lisbon
5/30/25 Lisbon - Day trip to Sintra
5/31/25 Lisbon -> Sesimbra
6/1/25 Sesimbra
6/2/25 Sesimbra (Depart Lisbon airport)