15:00–15:30
1Check in at Lisbon hotel Rest
Drop bags and settle in before exploring; hotel sits close to the Baixa for easy walking.
Trips planned by Robin · Lisbon, Portugal
Portugal Itinerary: Lisbon, Coimbra & Porto in 7 Days.
Seven days, three cities, one railway line: Lisbon gets three nights for the Alfama, Belém and its miradouros, Coimbra gets one honest night for the gilded Biblioteca Joanina and a chapel-turned-café, and Porto closes with two nights of Ribeira, port lodges and the Douro's six bridges. No car, no backtracking, every hop under two hours on the main line. It is the classic first Portugal trip in its most comfortable shape.
Robin planned this trip forFirst visitThree cities by trainBalanced paceEarly SeptemberChange these assumptions →
Planned by Robin
7 days · 36 stops
Every place is real, planned with the same verified data that Robin uses in the app. How these itineraries are made
7-day Lisbon itinerary at a glance
1arrive Lisbon→Alfama at dusk→Taberna da Rua das Flores
2Jerónimos→Pastéis de Belém→Torre de Belém→MAAT→fado at A Baiuca
3São Jorge castle→tram 28 route→Ramiro→Senhora do Monte sunset
4train to Coimbra→Biblioteca Joanina→Café Santa Cruz
5train to Porto→Casa Guedes→Livraria Lello→Clérigos→Ribeira
6Palácio da Bolsa→Douro cruise→Graham's port lodge→DOP
7Crystal Palace gardens→one last unhurried lunch
- Best for
- First-time visitors who want the whole country's greatest hits without driving
- Car needed
- No. Three walkable cities and two train rides connect everything
- Where to stay
- Baixa/Alfama in Lisbon, the university quarter in Coimbra, Ribeira or Baixa in Porto
- Best months
- May to June and September to early October
- Pace
- Balanced
- Robin recommends
- Book the two train legs as soon as dates are fixed; reserved seats on the morning expresses cost little and make the whole route feel effortless
Your 7-day route
All stops, numbered by day order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
Day 1 · Monday
Day 1: Lisbon at dusk
Ease into Lisbon with a check-in, then let the Alfama's steep lanes and blue-tiled façades be your first taste of the city as evening light comes on.
Stops in walking order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
↓820 m · ~10 min walk
17:00–17:45
2Alfama Wander Walk
Lisbon's oldest quarter, narrow lanes, laundry overhead, and fado drifting from open doors as evening settles in.
↓1.3 km · ~16 min walk
18:00–19:30
3Taberna da Rua das Flores Eat
Small, no-menu tasca serving whatever's fresh that day, a real neighbourhood classic to start the trip.
Day 2 · Tuesday
Day 2: Belém's stone & the first fado
Belém day, the monastery's stone lacework, the tower guarding the river mouth, and of course the original custard tart, warm from the oven.
Stops in walking order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
09:30–11:00
1Mosteiro dos Jerónimos Culture
Manueline stonework so intricate it took a century to finish; arrive early to beat the coach crowds.
Praça do Império, 1400-206 Lisboa
↓360 m · ~5 min walk
12:00–13:15
2Pastéis de Belém Eat
The original custard tart bakery since 1837, eat yours warm, still dusted with cinnamon, right at the counter.
↓1.7 km · ~21 min walk
13:33–14:48
3Torre de Belém Sight
Climb the narrow spiral stairs to the ramparts for a river-mouth view, the same one that greeted sailors home from the East.
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↓2.5 km · a short ride
15:14–16:44
4MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology) Culture
A curving riverside building whose roof you can walk across, striking modern counterpoint to the monastery.
20:00–22:00
5Fado at A Baiuca
Tiny Alfama tasca where locals themselves sing fado between courses, the real ritual, not the tourist show.
Robin's tip. Eat your pastel de nata at the Belém original while it is still warm, then order a second before you regret it in line; the queue moves faster than it looks.
Day 3 · Wednesday
Day 3: The castle, the tram route & Ramiro
Up into the castle for views over the rooftops, then down through Alfama's alleys to a legendary seafood lunch, closing with sunset from one of the city's best miradouros.
Stops in walking order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
09:00–11:00
1Castelo de São Jorge Sight
Walk the ramparts for the best rooftop panorama in the city, then linger by the peacocks in the quiet inner gardens.
↓530 m · ~7 min walk
11:15–12:30
2Alfama & Tram 28 Route Wander Walk
Follow the historic tram's route on foot down through the maze of Alfama, spotting azulejo façades as you go.
↓1.4 km · ~18 min walk
13:00–14:30
3Cervejaria Ramiro Eat
Legendary seafood house, the garlic shrimp and bread-soaked juices are the stuff locals queue for.
↓790 m · ~10 min walk
16:00–16:20
4Miradouro da Senhora do Monte Nature
The highest, least-crowded viewpoint in Lisbon, arrive as the light turns gold over the castle and river.
18:00–19:30
5Prado Mercearia Eat
Farm-to-table restaurant near the cathedral built around whatever the market brought in that morning.
Day 4 · Thursday
Day 4: The train south-to-north begins
A late-morning train carries you to Coimbra, leave time to settle in, then wander the ancient university and its gilded library before dinner by the river.
Stops in walking order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
08:00–09:00
1Pack up & checkout, Lisbon hotel Rest
Leave time to settle the bill before heading to Santa Apolónia/Oriente for the 09:30 train.
09:30–11:15
2Lisbon → Coimbra train Transit
Comfortable express train along the Tagus and then inland, window seat recommended.
11:30–12:00
3Check in at Coimbra hotel Rest
Drop bags before heading up into the old university quarter.
↓500 m · ~6 min walk
13:00–14:30
4Zé Manel dos Ossos Eat
Cramped, cheerful tasca famous for hearty regional dishes like alheira and roasted meats, go hungry.
↓490 m · ~6 min walk
15:00–17:00
5University of Coimbra & Biblioteca Joanina Culture
The gilded 18th-century library still uses resident bats at night to protect the books from insects, a genuinely rare sight.
↓450 m · ~6 min walk
17:30–18:30
6Mondego Riverside Walk Nature
Stroll the Parque Verde along the river as students punt small boats past. Coimbra's own evening ritual.
↓740 m · ~9 min walk
19:00–20:00
7Café Santa Cruz Eat
Set in a former chapel beside the Igreja de Santa Cruz, a striking spot for a light bite before an early night.
Choose your Coimbra travel morning
If you like arriving with the day aheadkeep the 09:30 express: checkout is early but you are eating alheira at Zé Manel dos Ossos by one, with the whole university afternoon intact
If you want one more Lisbon morningtake a midday train instead, spend the saved hours at a miradouro you missed, and accept a shorter Coimbra evening; the library still fits
If you are unsure Coimbra earns a nightask Robin to reshape days 4–5 as one long Lisbon-to-Porto day with a Coimbra stopover; you trade the evening for a simpler trip
Ask Robin to personalize this day →
Day 5 · Friday
Day 5: North to Porto
One more Coimbra morning before the train to Porto, where Lello's spiral staircase and Clérigos' bell tower await, with the Ribeira waking up at dusk.
Stops in walking order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
08:30–09:30
1Pack up & checkout, Coimbra hotel Rest
Leave by 09:30 to reach the station comfortably before the 10:00 departure.
10:00–11:15
2Coimbra → Porto train Transit
Short scenic ride north, have your bags ready, arrival platform is a quick walk from central Porto.
11:30–12:00
3Check in at Porto hotel Rest
Drop bags before heading into the historic center on foot.
↓6.4 km · a short ride
13:00–14:00
4Casa Guedes Eat
Famous for its pork-and-cheese sandwich, a beloved Porto lunch institution since 1987.
↓5.9 km · a short ride
15:00–16:00
5Livraria Lello Culture
One of the world's most beautiful bookshops, its carved wooden staircase said to have inspired Harry Potter's, go for the architecture.
↓190 m · ~2 min walk
16:15–17:15
6Torre dos Clérigos Sight
Climb the 240 steps of Porto's baroque bell tower for a full rooftop panorama over the Douro.
↓790 m · ~10 min walk
18:00–19:00
7Ribeira Waterfront Wander Walk
Follow the riverfront as fishing boats and lights come on beneath the Dom Luís I bridge. Porto's evening ritual.
19:15–20:45
8Taberna dos Mercadores Eat
Tiny riverside tasca in a converted merchant's house, serving classic Portuguese dishes with Douro views.
Day 6 · Saturday
Day 6: The Bolsa, the bridges & the port
A full Porto day: the Stock Exchange Palace, a glide along the Douro, and a hands-on taste of how port wine is actually made in Gaia's cellars.
Stops in walking order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
09:30–11:00
1Palácio da Bolsa Culture
Porto's opulent 19th-century Stock Exchange Palace, with its Arabian Hall dazzling in gold leaf, book the guided tour, the only way in.
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↓570 m · ~7 min walk
11:30–12:30
2Douro River Cruise Nature
A short boat ride under Porto's six bridges, the classic way to see the Ribeira's colorful houses from the water.
↓1.1 km · ~14 min walk
13:00–14:00
3Café Majestic Eat
Belle Époque café with mirrored walls and carved wood, a grand, unhurried lunch stop in the Baixa.
↓1.8 km · ~22 min walk
15:30–17:30
4Graham's Port Lodge Tasting & Cellar Tour Eat
Cross into Vila Nova de Gaia for a hands-on cellar tour and tasting, learn how vintage port is actually blended and aged.
18:00–19:30
5DOP by Rui Paixão Eat
Elegant Douro-driven menu in a restored medieval building near the Ribeira, a fitting last proper dinner in Porto.
Day 7 · Sunday
Day 7: A garden goodbye
A gentle last morning, the Crystal Palace gardens for one final river view, before you head off, no rush needed.
Stops in walking order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
09:00–10:00
1Pack up & checkout, Porto hotel Rest
No fixed departure booked yet, enjoy an unhurried final morning.
10:15–11:45
2Jardim do Palácio de Cristal Nature
Terraced gardens above the Douro with peacocks roaming free, the west-facing terrace gives one last river view.
↓357 km · ~362 min drive
12:00–13:00
3Cantinho do Avillez Eat
Relaxed bistro from a well-known Portuguese chef, good for a final light lunch of local classics before heading out.
Bucket-list foods in Lisbon
Pastel de nata at the source
The custard tart was born next to the Jerónimos monastery and the original bakery still dusts them with cinnamon at the counter.
On this trip: Pastéis de Belém, day 2, baking since 1837
Garlic shrimp at a cervejaria
Bright lights, cold beer, bread dragged through garlicky shellfish butter; Lisbon's most joyful institution of a meal.
On this trip: Cervejaria Ramiro, day 3 lunch
The francesinha's rival: Casa Guedes' pork sandwich
Porto lunch at its most honest, slow-roasted pork and melting cheese on a soft roll, eaten elbow-to-elbow.
On this trip: Casa Guedes, day 5 lunch
Port, where it sleeps
Tawnies and vintages tasted over the barrels that age them, across the river in Gaia.
On this trip: Graham's lodge, day 6 afternoon
A proper francesinha
Porto's molten sandwich-and-beer-sauce monument is missing from this plan by mercy, not oversight. Ask Robin to swap one into a Porto lunch and it will.
Where to stay for this itinerary
Stay in Lisbon: Baixa, Chiado or the Alfama edge if…
- you want days 1–3 walkable from your door
- evening fado and tasca dinners are the point of Lisbon for you
Stay in Coimbra: the lower town near Santa Cruz if…
- one bag-friendly night close to the station suits the itinerary
- you want the university hill climbable and the riverside walk at hand
Stay in Porto: Ribeira or Baixa if…
- you want the riverfront, Lello and the bridges on foot
- a room with Douro light justifies its price to you
Before you go
Do you need a car?
No. All three centers punish cars and reward shoes. The intercity trains do the distance work: Lisbon to Coimbra in under two hours, Coimbra to Porto in about one.
How do the train legs work?
Both legs run on the main Lisbon–Porto line with reserved seating; book online ahead for the cheap fares. Note the Coimbra quirk: expresses stop at Coimbra-B, a short connecting shuttle or taxi from the old town.
What must be booked ahead?
The trains, the Biblioteca Joanina's timed entry, and Graham's cellar tour. Lello sells timed tickets online that credit against a book. Ramiro takes no shortcuts; go at opening or expect a wait.
Is a week enough for three cities?
Yes, because the geography cooperates. What it leaves out is a beach day and the Douro valley proper; both are what an eighth and ninth day are for.
Which city should get any extra time?
Porto. Lisbon's three nights are well judged here, and Coimbra is a deliberate one-night interlude, but Porto rewards a third night with Gaia's other lodges, Foz's ocean end and the azulejo churches this plan only brushes.
9–10 days
Have 9–10 days?
First, give Lisbon its day trip
Sintra's palaces and the Pena gardens absorb a full day from Lisbon; go early on what becomes day 4 and push the whole train sequence back.
Add the Douro valley from Porto
The riverside rail line to Pinhão is one of Europe's great train rides; taste at a quinta and return by evening, or sleep among the terraces.
End at the ocean
Give the last morning to Foz do Douro, where the river meets the Atlantic, tram 1 gets you there, and a seafront lunch sends you home properly.
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