citytripo

Portugal

Portugal in 5 days

5 days through Lisbon and Porto. Each city follows its own plan from the stop base, and the trains in between are counted.

  • 2 cities
  • 25 stops
  • 2 h 48 by train
  • €355 to €431 per person

Data checked on October 7, 2026

The route at a glance

  1. LisbonDays 1 to 3
  2. 2 h 48
  3. PortoDays 4 to 5

Lisbon comes first because it has the larger airport and the longer list of sights, and Porto follows to the north as the quieter end of the trip. You can fly into Lisbon and out of Porto, or the other way round, so there is no need to travel back down the line.

Days 1 to 3

Lisbon

Lisbon is built on steep hills above the Tagus. The old centre is compact, but the sights are spread across four zones: the castle and Alfama, Baixa and Chiado, Belém by the river, and the modern east side. Trams, funiculars and the metro link them, and you will still climb a lot.

Free walking tour of Lisbon

  1. Day 1Belém · Avenidas Novas

    Open this day's route in Google Maps

  2. Day 2Castle, Alfama and Graça · Baixa, Chiado and the waterfront

    Open this day's route in Google Maps

  3. Day 3Parque das Nações · Castle, Alfama and Graça

    Open this day's route in Google Maps

The full 3-day plan for Lisbon

Lisbon to Porto: 2 h 48 by train

Lisboa Santa Apolónia to Porto Campanhã · CP, Comboios de Portugal (Alfa Pendular)

Take a train early in the morning or the evening before, so the day in Porto starts on time.

Days 4 to 5

Porto

Porto climbs from the Douro in steep granite streets, and its old town and riverside quarter are on the UNESCO list. Most of the main sights sit within a short walk of each other, with the port cellars on the opposite bank in Vila Nova de Gaia. Serralves, the Casa da Música and the sea at Foz lie further west. The weather is cooler and wetter than in Lisbon, so a plan for rain is worth having.

Free walking tour of Porto

  1. Day 4Clérigos and Bolhão · Boavista

    Open this day's route in Google Maps

  2. Day 5Clérigos and Bolhão · Sé and São Bento

    Open this day's route in Google Maps

The full 2-day plan for Porto

What to book for the whole route

These stops on the route need a ticket bought ahead.

  • Lisbon

    Belém Tower

    Entry is by time slot. Book your slot online on the official site before you go.

  • Porto

    Livraria Lello

    Buy a timed ticket online before you go, because same day tickets are limited. Visitors with disabilities, people aged 65 and over, pregnant women and carers with infants have a separate priority queue.

    See tickets

What the route costs

Per person: tickets for the stops on the route, food and local transport. Trains between cities and the hotel are not included.

CityDaysTicketsTickets, food and transport
Lisbon 3 €119.90 €240 to €285
Porto 2 €51.95 €115 to €146

Stops with a ticket whose price we could not confirm are left out of the sum.

Trains between the cities

The Alfa Pendular is CP's fastest train between the two cities and runs direct from Lisboa Santa Apolónia to Porto Campanhã, with a stop at Lisboa Oriente. A seat reservation is compulsory on it, so a ticket means a fixed seat on a fixed departure. Slower Intercidades trains run on the same line. Buy once your dates are fixed, because every seat is assigned and a full departure cannot take more passengers.

When to go

May and September give the best mix of mild weather and smaller crowds in both cities. Midsummer is hot in Lisbon and busy in both, and from November to March rain is frequent, especially in Porto.

Before you go

  • Book the Lisbon to Porto train as soon as you know which day you are moving, and choose the departure around your hotel checkout.
  • Porto Campanhã is on the eastern edge of the city, so plan a short metro or taxi ride to the old town after you arrive.
  • Pack for rain in Porto even when Lisbon is dry, because the north gets noticeably more of it.
  • Both cities are steep and cobbled, so bring shoes with a proper grip rather than smooth soles.

Other lengths