Looking for a quick Portugal trip itinerary? I've got you covered!!
As you know, Kevin and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary in Portugal in October of 2021. We brought Ollie boy (who was 7 months at the time). Because our other children were at home with grandparents, and we didn't want to leave them for too long, we had about a week in Portugal to celebrate...and what wonderful days those were!
I wanted to break down all the information for you in case you wanted to follow a similar outline!
The Algarve
We started our Portugal adventure on the sunny southern coast called the Algarve. You may ask the reason for not starting in Lisbon, and here it is...since it was the Fall (October), I wanted to maximize the sunshine while we were going to be at the beach! So we started in the Algarve instead (and much to our delight it was sunny the entire time!)
Getting to the Algarve: Kevin and I flew directly in to Faro, the main airport in the Algarve. However, if you are already in Portugal, you can easily take the train down from Lisbon.
Days needed: We spent 3 nights and 4 days in the Alagarve. There is so much to see and do here, so you can absolutely stay longer if you have the time! But because it takes a bit to get to the Algarve, I would suggest staying at least 3 days to make your time worth it.
Where to stay: There are lots of options along the coast, ranging from cheap hostels to expensive resorts. We did a mix of both! We stayed 2 nights in the most INCREDIBLE Airbnb in the sleepy beach town of Salema, and then splurged for our last night (as an anniversary present) at the fabulous Vilalara Thalassa right on the cliffs with it's own private beach.
To read more about our time in the Algarve, check out my posts below:
Porto
With a punch of personality and it's namesake port wine, you literally can't go wrong in Porto! We had so much fun admiring the colorful tiled city on the water, marveling at the intricate bookshop of Livraria Lello, dining on the waterfront Ribiera, and touring the Port wine sellers on Vila Nova de Gaia. It was a feast for the senses!
Getting to Porto: We flew from Faro to Porto, which actually ended up being the quickest and cheapest option for us.... however you can also take the train or rent a car and drive.
Days Needed: We stayed 2 full days in Porto (3 nights there) before taking the train to Lisbon. Porto is an easy city to walk to all the main sites from, so you can see a lot in a day. If you stay longer in Porto, you can also take day trips to the wine region and other areas.
Where to Stay: Porto has some incredible Airbnb's. We stayed here (an Airbnb that we absolutely loved). It was located in the University area, a few minute walk from Livraria Lello and Carmo & Carmelitas Churches (the blue and white painted tiled churches). We really loved this location, as it was easy to get anywhere on foot.
To read more about our time in Porto, check out my posts below:
Lisbon
A wonderful way to cap off our trip was soaking in Portugal's capital city of Lisbon. The colors and effortless beauty captured my heart...I really loved the city charm. While it rained almost the entire time in Lisbon, it still was a bright spot on our trip with it's class and character!
Getting to Lisbon: Generally, if you are flying internationally, you will fly directly in and out of Lisbon. It would therefore make sense to either see Lisbon on the front or backend of your trip. We opted to see Lisbon on the backend, which made it a convenient launching pad back home.
Days Needed: We had one full day and one half day in Lisbon. Ideally I'd suggest at least 2 full days, but we were strapped for time. My favorite part of Lisbon was the Alfama. So beautiful!
Where to Stay: Lisbon is also a treasure trove for Airbnb's. Because we booked our trip last minute, we didn't get a budget option, but we actually really enjoyed where we stayed. The lovely hotel in Chiado is linked here. They offered free walking tours from the hotel which was a fun addition!
Lastly, if we would have had more time in Lisbon I would have taken a day trip to Sintra, and then spent time exploring Belem. But alas, given the short amount of time we had I felt we spent it well!
To read more about our time in Lisbon, check out my post below:
As a final note...Portugal is an extremely kid friendly country. I was actually shocked at how many people went out of their way to honor us because we had a child. At the airports and at museums, we were always ushered to the front of the line because we were holding a baby. As you can see from the picture below, I had to nurse at all hours of the day, and the Portuguese were so understanding and embraced our baby life. If you are on the fence about whether you should bring the kids...DO IT!!
I hope this helped gain an idea for where to go and what to see. Portugal truly is a special country...beautiful, colorful, and blessed with the most amazing food!
Enjoy!
No comments :
Post a Comment
I LOVE hearing from you friend:) Your comment will make my day!