If you’re visiting Portugal for the first time, you're going to want to see and do the top things without running yourself ragged, so allow for about 10-12 days in order to see it at a reasonable pace including Algarve, Lisbon, Porto and Douro Valley. If you want to do it well, then allocate about $12,000 USD for two people, double occupancy for the bespoke itinerary at the hand-picked hotels, memorable private tours and guides arranged. Also if you’re traveling with kids or elders, it’s critical to pre-plan a lot so you can handle the steep hills and sheer crowds in some of these places.

For our trip, we made sure to book end the dates with two weekends. We flew overnight on the nonstop from Newark, which is running regularly now between Lisbon and Porto with TAP Air, as well a good a connection for anywhere else in the US.

You can really go in either direction, however, we really liked arriving and starting at a slow pace by the beach. Alternatively, you can save the Algarve for the end to reflect and relax after a busy itinerary throughout Portugal.

Since I’m a fan of self-drive vacations, we made it into a big road trip. There’s always the train and private transfers for anyone not interested in navigating the roads. That itinerary would shift slightly in dynamic but all is possible! Ask me for a quite and enjoy our journey through the beaituful country.

Algarve - Two Nights

We deplaned and were escorted with a VIP meet & greet to our rental car pick up. While we didn’t take much of a beat after our overnight flight, you might want to make a planned stop between Lisbon and the 3.5 drive to Algarve. We pulled up to our chateau by the sea Bela Vista Hotel, a 5-star Relais & Châteaux in Praia da Rocha, and the hotel exceeded my expectations.

Sitting on the cliff, the property has a panoramic view of the sweeping beach and tranquil seas in front. I selected this hotel for it’s incredible design, tile work and gastronomy. On location, they have VISTA, the 1 Michelin Star restaurant led by Chef João Oliveira, and an incredible relaxed bistro on the terrace. The Eggs Benedict are to die for! The pool surrounded by the towering plam trees and L’Occitane spa to enjoy two tranquil nights along the seaside.

With one full day, we made our way to Lagos for a private boat ride along the ragged shoreline from Bengali Cave and Ponta da Piedade. After returning, we ate the famous seafood market and restaurant on the roof.

Lisbon - Three Nights

Onward to Lisbon, we were ready for city life as we pulled up to our chic H10 Duque de Loule. For the first afternoon, we went on a quest to get our first proper Protuguse tart at famous Pastéis de Belém as well as visit the Ajuda Palace and see the rest of the Belém area. For our first night, we spent the golden hours on the tiled rooftop terrace at H10 overlooking the city.

The following full day, we went to Sintra and Cascais. This is a day trip that needs to be planned out and best if you have a guide to navigate the crazy lines and traffic in the small town. Sintra’s surrounding lush green gardens and the Pena Palace was a real favorite with it’s colorful facade and cozy interiors of that time. That night, we had a reservation at Rocco, a restaurant in The Ivens Hotel, which I had on my radar from an influencer I follow on Instagram. It lived up to the social media hype with three ornate rooms and excellent service.

On our final day, we did the quintessential tile making class, and walking tour to have tastes of Portuguese traditional bites and drinks like Vinho Verde, Ginjinha, local meat sandwich and croquettes. On the last night, I made a reservation at the trendy Bairro do Avillez at Pateo.

Douro Valley - Two Nights

If you’re a true oenophile, two nights might not cut it. However, it’s a great start to get a taste of the valley! We checked in at the Octant Hotel, closer to the start of the valley. It’s design and layout is that of a terraced winery as it scales the hillside with pools in each area for the guests. The elevator is actually a funicular.

The following day we arose early to greet out driver to take us out into the heart of the Douro Valley. A quick boat ride and lunch at the ever-so-idyllic Quinta de Ventozelo was such a treat. We topped it off with a final stop at the Quinta do Panascal, Fonseca Port, overlooking the neatly laid vines, hills and valleys. After lots of port, we still managed for a delightful dinner on the terrace at the fine dining restaurant at Octant.

Porto - Three Nights

For our final stop, we made it to the smaller port town but no way lesser than it’s southern capital city Lisbon. In fact, I quite liked walking around Porto. It felt easier and fun to marvel at the architecture at every turn — especially our gorgeous stay at Torel 1884 Suites & Apartments. The vaulted ceilings and intimate quarters made it feel like staying in your rich friend’s townhouse in the heart of town.

On our tour around town, we visited the world-renowned Lello Bookstore (which you must book a ticket in advance) and wander the pews to look at the intricate gold laid S. Francisco Church. On the following day, we set out to test our skills at a private cooking class at a trendy restaurant in Porto with local chef Sara Verde, followed by walking off our lunch around town. That evening we went to dinner and a Fado show. It was really fun. lovely vocalists and we were stuffed to the gills!

On the last night, we dined at another Torel property and restaurant Digby with the perfect table overlooking the city. It was the perfect way to end our trip!

If you’re interested in following our footsteps or create one perfect for you. There are many options but if I know your preferences, this planning part is going to be so much fun together!

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