The capital and its hills
Lisbon is where most trips begin: seven hills of tiled houses, yellow trams, viewpoints over the Tagus, fado in the old quarters and the monuments of Belém. Less than an hour away by train, Sintra is a forested hill town of romantic palaces, castles and gardens, and the beaches of Cascais sit just beyond.
The north
Porto, Portugal's second city, climbs steeply above the Douro River. It has azulejo churches, port cellars across the river in Gaia, a lively food scene and easy day trips into the terraced vineyards of the Douro Valley, as well as to Braga and Guimarães, where the country was born.
The south coast
The Algarve is Portugal's sunny southern shore: golden cliffs, sea caves and coves in the west around Lagos, long sandy islands and lagoons in the east around Tavira, and a wild Atlantic coast for surfers and walkers.
The islands
Madeira is a green volcanic island far out in the Atlantic, with mild weather all year, mountain hikes along old water channels called levadas, flower gardens and a charming capital in Funchal. The Azores, further west, are wilder still and well worth a second trip.
How to link them
A classic ten day route is Lisbon with a day in Sintra, then the train to Porto and a day in the Douro Valley, flying home from Porto. With two weeks, add four nights in the Algarve by train or bus from Lisbon, or fly from Lisbon or Porto to Madeira for a few days of hiking. Book Sintra palaces and summer trains ahead, and use the free trip planner to shape your route.