What to do with 5 extra days after the 12 day RS Portual tour that ends in Porto

We did this tour in 2022, and honestly, there is a LOT more to do in Porto (and Lisbon) than the tour will get to. We stayed extra days in Porto after and did a tuk-tuk tour, went to the "Harry Potter" bookstore, went to Taylor's port lodge (there are tons of them, take your pick!), took a bus to the beach, walked to Afurada fishing village for lunch...you get the idea. I think there is also a one-day Douro River tour - maybe with Viking? I don't think you'll have any trouble filling some days.

Thanks for your reply. Do you have an airbnb recommendation as I'm on a tight budget? Also curious if you made it to Viana do Castelo? I might train there for 2 nights.

There's Guimarães and Braga that are day trips from Porto. That will take up 2 of the days.

There's a Pousada in Viana do Castelo you can take a look at, but that might be outside of your budget. I've only done Viana do Castelo as a day trip from Ponte de Lima and I had a car.

Thanks Gail! Would you recommend staying overnight in Viana do Castelo?

I'm not sure how to answer regarding Viana do Castelo. I found it pleasant, but didn't spend a lot of time there since we had a few things planned that day and didn't get there until the afternoon. But, it depends on what you like.

Below is a link to the Julie Dawn Fox blog that lists some of the things to do there. I find her recommendations helpful. https://juliedawnfox.com/things-to-do-in-viana-do-castelo/

Don’t make the long trip to the Algarve. Too many things to see and do in Porto or between Porto and Lisbon. If the tour doesn’t cover Coimbra, it’s an easy stop between Porto and Lisbon. Braga and Guimarães make good day trips from Porto. A night in Pinhao is good if you’re into wine at all. Everything is pretty easy and very safe for a solo traveler.

We just stayed at the tour hotel (NEYA Porto Hotel) afterwards...it was pricey but the location was great with modern rooms and a beautiful rooftop bar. We did not do any day trips other than taking the bus to Matosinhos (beach), which was not a full day. But we also like starting and finishing tours by doing our own stuff at our own pace, so weren't looking to completely fill our days.

We have booked the same trip as you for September and have done exactly as you have (2 extra nights in Lisbon and 5 extra at the end). I added one night at the hotel in Porto and then we are taking the train to Sintra for the other 4 nights. We are hoping it will be a nice place for a mental rest and some hiking. We haven’t been there before but this way we will have time to spread out the sites and get some exercise. I know it will be busy during the day but often trails are not crowded so we are hoping for the best. Not sure this would be your idea of a good time but it’s an idea!
I’m sure anything you pick will be great! Portugal looks like a great country to have extra days in.

We added two days to the tour, took a train to Valenca across the river from Tui, Spain, and enjoyed both towns. Valenca is well known for linens.