How do I get from Porto to the Algarve?

Fly Porto to Faro (1h, Ryanair from €30 — cheapest option). By train — Porto to Faro is 6h30 with changes, €40–60. By car — 5h on the A1 motorway south.

Should I rent a car for this itinerary?

Only for the Algarve section. In Lisbon and Porto, a car is a liability (narrow streets, paid parking, no advantage over train and metro). In the Algarve, a car unlocks the best beaches and smaller towns.

Can I fit Évora into this itinerary?

Add a half-day stop in Évora between Lisbon and the Algarve if travelling by car. By public transport, Évora is 1h30 from Lisbon by bus — better as a dedicated day trip than an en-route stop.

What's the total budget for 10 days in Portugal?

Budget travellers spending carefully can manage €700–900 per person (excluding international flights) staying in hostels and eating at tascas. Mid-range runs €1,200–1,600. Comfortable with a few splurges runs €1,800–2,400. The Algarve is the most expensive section.

10 Days Portugal Itinerary | The Portugal Guides

Ten days allows you to cover the three main regions of mainland Portugal: Lisbon and its surroundings, Porto and the Douro Valley, and the Algarve coast. Days 1–4 in Lisbon, Days 5–7 in Porto, Days 8–10 in the Algarve. For a dedicated Algarve exploration beyond what fits in 3 days, see our 7-day Algarve road trip.

Budget Overview

Before diving in, here’s what to expect at each tier as of 2026:

Budget	Accommodation	Food	Activities	Daily total
Budget	Hostel dorm €25–40	Tascas + supermarket €20–30	Free sights + 1 paid/day €10–20	€55–90
Mid-range	Double room €80–140	Mix of local and mid-level €40–60	1–2 paid activities €30–50	€150–250
Comfortable	Boutique hotel €140–220	Good restaurants €60–90	Full activities €50–80	€250–390

Days 1–2: Lisbon

Where to Stay in Lisbon

Budget: Yes! Lisbon Hostel (Rua de São Julião, €28–35/dorm, €70–85/double) — central, well-run, near Alfama. Or Home Lisbon Hostel in the Chiado area (similar prices).

Mid-range: Memmo Alfama (Alfama, €110–160/night) — small boutique hotel carved into a hillside with a rooftop terrace and Tagus views. Solar dos Mouros (also Alfama, €100–140/night) is smaller and quieter.

Comfortable: Bairro Alto Hotel (Chiado/Bairro Alto, €220–380/night) — the best address in central Lisbon. Torel Avventura (Intendente, €180–280/night) for something more design-focused.

Day 1: Alfama and Belém

Morning: Alfama — São Jorge Castle (€15, opens 9am), the viewpoint at Portas do Sol, wander the Mouraria neighbourhood below. Allow 2.5 hours.

Midday: Lunch at Tasca do Chico (Rua do Diário de Notícias 39) — bifana (pork sandwich, €4) and house wine in a standing-room tasca. No reservations at lunch; arrive before 1pm.

Afternoon: Tram 15E or Uber (€6–8) to Belém. Jerónimos Monastery (€14, 2 hours — UNESCO, Portugal’s finest Manueline architecture). Torre de Belém (€8, 30 minutes — can skip the interior; the exterior and river setting are the point). Pastéis de Belém (Rua de Belém 84) for the original custard tart (€1.50 each — eat at least two).

Evening: Return to Alfama for fado. Tasca do Chico (reservations required, book 1–2 weeks ahead in summer, €25–35/person including wine) or Sr. Fado (similar price, slightly larger venue). Both are legitimate fado houses, not tourist shows.

Day 2: Museums and LX Factory

Morning: Museu Nacional do Azulejo (Intendente, €10, 2 hours) — the definitive collection of Portuguese tile art in a former convent. MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, Belém, €9) for contemporary art in a riverside building worth seeing architecturally.

Afternoon: Chiado for coffee and browsing — Café A Brasileira (1905, terrace in Largo do Chiado) for espresso (€1.20 at the counter, €2.50 at a table). LX Factory (tram 15E, 15 min) — industrial complex with independent shops, book market (Sundays), and the restaurant Cantina (good lunch, €15–20/person).

Evening: Dinner at Taberna da Rua das Flores (Chiado, reserve ahead) — traditional Portuguese small plates, approximately €35–45/person with wine.

Day 3: Sintra

Trains run every 20 minutes from Rossio station to Sintra (40 min, €2.55 each way). First train at 6:55am — aim to arrive in Sintra by 8am to beat the crowds.

Pre-book tickets online: Quinta da Regaleira (€10) and Pena Palace interior (€20) — book skip-the-line tickets at least 3 days ahead, essential in summer. A guided Sintra tour from Lisbon covers transport and timed entries if you prefer not to self-organise.

Morning: Quinta da Regaleira (9:30am opening) — 1.5 hours for the initiation wells and garden follies.

Midday: Piriquita bakery (Rua Padarias 1) for travesseiros (almond puff pastry, €2.50) and queijadas (cheese pastry). Walk or take the shuttle bus (€3.50) up to Pena Palace.

Afternoon: Pena Palace (2–3 hours). Optional: Moorish Castle walls adjacent (combined ticket approximately €18). Return train to Lisbon by 6pm.

Transport total for Sintra day: approximately €5.10 (train) + €3.50 (shuttle) = €8.60, plus entry fees.

Day 4: Évora Day Trip (or Cascais)

Option A (Évora): Early bus from Lisbon Sete Rios (1h30, €13–15 each way, Rede Expressos). Roman Temple, Chapel of Bones at Igreja de São Francisco (€5), Évora Cathedral (€5). Lunch in Praça do Giraldo — Restaurante Fialho (Travessa das Mascarenhas 14, the best address in Évora, €30–45/person) or cheaper tascas around the square (€12–18/person). Optional: hire taxi for 1h to see Cromlech of Almendres megalith site (15km from Évora, approximately €25 return by taxi). Bus back to Lisbon by 7pm.

Option B (Cascais and Cabo da Roca): Train to Cascais (40 min, €2.55), walk to Boca do Inferno coastal rock formation, Bus 403 to Cabo da Roca (30 min stop — westernmost point of continental Europe), bus on to Sintra (45 min) for Palácio da Vila (the original royal palace, €12), train back to Lisbon.

Day 5: Lisbon to Porto

Alfa Pendular train from Oriente station (2h45, book early for approximately €25–35; full-price tickets reach €45–60). Book via CP (cp.pt) at least a week ahead in summer.

Afternoon: Check in to Porto. Evening: walk to Vila Nova de Gaia for port wine tasting — Graham’s Lodge or Taylor’s Lodge both open to 6pm. Entry + tasting approximately €20–28 per person.

Where to Stay in Porto

Budget: Gallery Hostel (Rua Miguel Bombarda, €30–40/dorm, €75–90/double) — Arts District location, design-focused, good communal areas. Porto Lounge Hostel (Aliados, €25–35/dorm) for pure budget.

Mid-range: Torel Boutique Porto (Cedofeita, €100–150/night) — quiet neighbourhood, comfortable rooms, breakfast included. Guest House Douro (Ribeira riverside, €110–160/night) — location is the selling point.

Comfortable: Yeatman Hotel (Vila Nova de Gaia, €250–450/night) — wine hotel with Michelin-starred restaurant and panoramic views of Porto. The most indulgent stay option on this itinerary.

Day 6: Porto

Morning: São Bento station interior (free) — the azulejo tile murals covering the entrance hall are some of Portugal’s finest. Livraria Lello bookshop (€8 entry credited against book purchase — buy something, it’s worth it). Clérigos Tower (€8, city views from the 76m baroque bell tower).

Midday: Lunch at Cantina 32 (Rua das Flores 32, Baixa, approximately €20–25/person) or the more traditional Tasca da Foz (Foz do Douro, €15–20/person) if you’re heading west later.

Afternoon: Palácio da Bolsa (€12, guided tour every 30 minutes, the Arab Room alone justifies the visit). Ribeira riverside walk. Ferry across to Gaia (€3.40 return) for the cable car back.

Evening: Dinner in Matosinhos — the seafood neighbourhood 6km west of Porto (Uber approximately €8). Restaurante Shis (Rua Roberto Ivens 608) or A Marisqueira de Matosinhos for grilled whole fish, percebes, and ameijoas (expect €25–40/person).

Day 7: Douro Valley

Train from Porto Campanhã to Pinhão (2h15, €14 each way — book ahead). The train follows the Douro through dramatic gorges and terraced vineyards — one of Europe’s finest rail journeys.

In Pinhão: Quinta do Crasto (book ahead for a tasting, approximately €15/person) or simply walk the village and take the scenic return train.

Alternative: A guided Douro Valley day tour from Porto (approximately €65–95/person including transport, wine tasting, and lunch) saves logistics but removes the freedom of the train journey.

Return: Train back to Porto, dinner in Ribeira. Budget approximately €40–60/person for the Douro day including train, tasting, and lunch.

Day 8: Porto to Algarve

Morning flight Porto → Faro (Ryanair, ~1h, from €30 — book well in advance). Collect hire car at Faro airport.

Car hire at Faro: Compare car hire rates before you fly — expect approximately €30–50/day for a compact car including insurance as of 2026. Local Faro-based operators like Zest Car Rental and Auto Jardim often undercut the international chains.

Afternoon: Check in near Lagos (45 minutes west of Faro).

Where to Stay in the Algarve

Budget: Rising Cock Hostel (Lagos, €25–35/dorm, €65–80/double) — popular, near the old town. Hostel Lota (Portimão, €20–30/dorm) for a quieter base.

Mid-range: Dona Ana Beach Hotel (Lagos, €90–140/night) — beach access, good location near Praia Dona Ana. Hotel Carvi Beach (Lagos, €80–120/night) is reliable and central.

Comfortable: Vivenda Miranda (Portimão area, €200–350/night) — clifftop boutique hotel with pool overlooking the sea. Monte da Quinta Suites (Quinta do Lago, Algarve east, €300–500/night) for a resort-style stay.

Lagos afternoon: Ponta da Piedade — the sea cave and sea arch complex 2km south of Lagos town. Boat tour (€20, 45 minutes) or kayak tour (€35–50, 2 hours). Late afternoon walk along the cliff path above the arches.

Evening: Dinner in Lagos old town. Dom Sebastião (Rua 25 de Abril 20, €25–35/person) for cataplana (seafood stew for two, approximately €45) or A Forja (Rua dos Ferreiros 17, similar price range) for grilled fish.

Day 9: Algarve — Beaches and Sagres

Morning: Praia do Camilo (107 steps, cave-framed — one of the Algarve’s most photographed beaches) and Praia Dona Ana. Both walkable from Lagos town. No entry fees.

Afternoon: Drive 30km west to Sagres (30 minutes). Fortaleza de Sagres (16th-century fort, €4, 1.5 hours — the wind-swept Atlantic views are worth the drive alone). Praia do Beliche (small, sheltered beach below the fort). Cabo de São Vicente lighthouse (10 minutes from Sagres, €3 — southwesternmost point of continental Europe, dramatic 60m cliffs).

Total driving this afternoon: 60km, approximately 1 hour. Petrol cost approximately €8–10.

Evening: Back in Lagos for dinner. If you want a change from seafood: Meu Limão (Rua Silva Lopes 46, Lagos) for Portuguese meat dishes, approximately €20–30/person.

Day 10: East Algarve and Departure

Drive east from Lagos to Tavira (1h30, 130km). The drive through the eastern Algarve passes some of the coast’s quieter beaches.

Morning: Ilha de Tavira — ferry from Quatro Águas pier (€1.50 each way, 10 min). Long, calm Atlantic beach. 2 hours.

Midday: Tavira old town — Roman bridge, Igreja da Misericórdia (€2), riverside lunch at Restaurante Bica (Rua Almirante Cândido dos Reis 24, fresh clams and grilled fish, approximately €20–30/person). Tavira is one of the least touristy Algarve towns — it repays slow walking.

Drive to Faro airport (30km, 30 minutes). Return hire car. Flight home.

What this itinerary skips

Alentejo interior: Évora fits as a day trip on Day 4. The full Alentejo (Beja, Mértola, Monsaraz) needs 2–3 additional days.

Madeira/Azores: Neither island fits in 10 days alongside the mainland. Plan a dedicated island trip (minimum 5 days per archipelago).

Northern Portugal: Viana do Castelo, Guimarães, Braga — add 2–3 days before Porto.

Costs Summary

Item	Budget	Mid-range	Comfortable
International flights (return, from UK)	€80–150	€150–300	€300–500
Porto–Faro internal flight	€30–60	€50–80	€80–120
Train Lisbon–Porto	€25–35	€35–45	€45–60
Accommodation (10 nights)	€300–450	€900–1,400	€1,600–2,500
Food + drink	€250–350	€450–650	€700–1,000
Activities + entry fees	€80–120	€150–200	€200–300
Car hire (Algarve, 3 days)	€70–90	€90–130	€130–180
Total (excl. international flights)	€755–1,105	€1,675–2,505	€2,755–4,160

Prices as of 2026. Book trains and accommodation at least 2–3 weeks ahead for best rates.

10 Days in Portugal — Lisbon, Porto & Algarve Itinerary