Portugal is a destination that lends itself to all types of travel: roadtrip, solo, couple, family, or with friends!
Porto is Portugal‘s second largest city, the gateway to the Douro Valley and the capital of Port, a sweet dessert wine. The city has plenty of choices for port wine tastings or factory visits.
This free tour of Porto will help you discover this magnificent city.
For hiking enthusiasts, it’s also possible to start the Camino de Compostela from Porto.
Finally, you could treat yourself to a cruise on the Douro River and watch the sunset from the sea.
Building an open-tour or multi-city itinerary is a great way to save time. You can arrive in Porto and depart from Lisbon during your trip to Portugal.
Most of Portugal‘s port and wine are produced in this mountainous region. The vineyards are located high up in the valley, allowing you to admire the breathtaking views as you sip your drink and sample some typical Portuguese cuisine.
Ideally, it’s best to rent a car to explore this UNESCO World Heritage region of Portugal , so you can discover as many vineyards as you like at your own pace.
On the other hand, multiple tours are available to explore the Douro Valley. You won’t have to limit your alcohol intake, as you’ll have your own driver!
Departing from Porto, discover the Douro Valley with this tour of two vineyards, including lunch and a cruise.
This small village near Porto has great relevance in the foundation of Portugal. It was here that the first Portuguese king, Afonso Henriques, was born.
The sites are very well preserved, including the Palace of Guimarães, the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza and the Historic Centre. This free tour of Guimarães will plunge you into the heart of its history.
Located south of Porto, the tourist city of Aveiro is an ideal location for a getaway from Porto or on the itinerary of a road trip in Portugal.
Aveiro is best known for its canals, colourful boats, and architecture. Don’t hesitate to book this free tour to discover the legends of Aveiro.
The Praia da Nazaré stretches for several kilometers and is one of the best beaches on the coast, sheltered from the currents and winds of the Atlantic Ocean. So it’s a great place to relax and for a family vacation.
On the other hand, in winter, the waves of Nazaré will satisfy surfers. You can see waves as high as 30 meters forming in this small corner of Portugal!
The small town of Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is set in the hills not too far from Lisbon. You can discover splendid castles through its pine forest and transport yourself into a fairy tale.
Sintra’s abundance of historical sites and beautiful scenery make it one of the most popular attractions in Portugal. In addition, a trip to Sintra is easily accomplished from Lisbon’s Rossio train station.
It’s best to stay for a few days to get a feel for the place as there are so many palaces and mansions to visit:
Discover its beauty on this guided tour of Sintra from Lisbon, including Pena Palace, Cabo da Roca and Cascais.
Lisbon has gained a lot of popularity in recent years, as the cost of living is very affordable and it’s a great place to live!
Portugal ‘s capital is a splendid place, offering breathtaking views. Tourist attractions include numerous museums, historic buildings, restaurants and cafés. You can also sample pastéis de nata, the emblematic tarts of Portuguese cuisine.
Among the activities to discover, we suggest this free tour of Lisbon and this pastel de nata workshop.
As well as Lisbon itself, a trip to Belém is a must. For lovers of Portuguese cuisine, Portugal’s pastéis de nata originated in Belém.
Check out our guide to the best things to do in Lisbon to plan your visit to the capital.
Hotels:
Our reviews:
In southern Portugal, the city of Évora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Évora is a destination for history lovers; unlike Lisbon, Évora was spared the great earthquake of 1755, and has a more authentic appearance.
Within its walls, we can observe a picturesque landscape with numerous public squares, Gothic art, Renaissance palaces and… a macabre chapel covered with human skeletons!
Although Nazaré’s beach is very beautiful, it’can’t be compared to what you’ll find in the Algarve’s other seaside resorts. The choice of beaches is enormous for beach hopping.
This region of Portugal is beautiful! The weather is perfect, the scenery utopian, and the villages are charming.
Faro and Lagos are important historical and cultural centres of the region. These are excellent bases to discover the Algarve.
Hotel: Pine Cliffs Hotel, a Luxury Collection Resort, Algarve
Before you leave, there’s no better way to prepare than with locations, recommendations from friends, books, websites, and forums. As always, excellent books to read are on the Ulysses Guides to Portugal website, also available in PDF versions:
Portugal is a beautiful destination to discover at any time. The best time to visit Portugal, taking advantage of the pleasant climate and the low tourist traffic, is in spring and autumn, i.e:
During the summer season, the weather can be very hot and visitor numbers soar, as Portugal is a very popular budget travel destination compared to other European destinations.
I did a one-week itinerary between Porto and Faro. However, it was a long road-trip (about 2,000 kilometres through the Douro Valley).
If, like me, you only have a week: focus on one or two regions when visiting Portugal. For example:
There are several options with Aeroplan to get to Portugal from Canada, including Air Canada and TAP.
Economy class flights start at 35,000 points for a one-way ticket between Montreal and Porto or Lisbon.
Portugal can also be combined with a trip in Morocco!
With Air Canada, the fare varies according to the market. On the other hand, choosing a flight operated by Air Canada can be a great advantage for families: you can benefit from free checked baggage for yourself and up to eight other people on the same reservation. Provided, of course, that you hold an Aeroplan credit card offering this benefit.
If you plan to use your Aeroplan points to travel on TAP, calculate your points’ value.
TAP often offers excellent prices between Montreal and Lisbon. It is best to apply travel points to your reservation (see next section), rather than using Aeroplan points.
With air fares to Portugal often being fair, it’s handy to have a bank of points that can be applied to travel purchases, such as NBC Travel Rewards points from the National Bank World Elite Mastercard®.
When you book an airline ticket on the NBC Rewards à la carte portal, you can use your NBC Rewards points directly on the purchase of the flight at the rate of 10,000 points per $100. This is the best redemption rate for these points.
And don’t forget that this card comes with travel insurance, and that you can use travel credits to select seats or add baggage!
A trip to Portugal is done well using public transportation, to get from one city to another using the train and bus network.
You can pay for bus and train tickets with a credit card. So, if you use a credit card with no conversion fees. You can save the 2.5% foreign currency fee. And, unlike cash payments, you’ll be able to earn points on these purchases!
Within cities, it’s usually possible to explore all the sights on foot, with public transportation or by streetcar!
The major cities of Lisbon and Porto can be seen easily without renting a car.
However, I recommend renting a car to explore certain parts of Portugal, especially if you are travelling with your family.
To pay off the bill for a car rental in Portugal, you can collect, without too much effort, lots of TD Rewards points with the TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card and make your reservation on the Expedia site for the TD.
You’ll have lots of choices; the prices are pretty competitive. Finally, on this platform, you can use your TD Rewards points at an optimal rate.
If your driving license was not issued in the European Union, it is best to obtain an international driving license. The rental counter will not require an international driver’s license, but you are putting yourself at risk for fines.
There are plenty of choices for reasonably priced hotels in Portugal. As this is a trendy country, demand will dictate the accommodation rates. So expect to pay a little more during the peak of the summer season; check out the youth hostels, which sometimes offer very good prices for private rooms.
However, it’s not uncommon to find bargains for hotel rooms throughout Portugal in the spring and fall.
If you want to spend your summer in Portugal, looking at VRBO’s house rentals could be interesting.
In fact, life in Portugal is beautiful, both in terms of temperature and gastronomy! You’ll never tire of pastéis de nata, fish and seafood dishes!
The prices of apartments on Airbnb in Portugal are affordable.
Families will also be pleased to know that there are plenty of Airbnb accommodation options in Portugal. Indeed, this country is an excellent destination for young children and having a kitchen and the opportunity to do your laundry is very convenient.
In Portugal, hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy program are widely present in the cities of Lisbon and Porto, as well as in tourist areas; there’s something for every taste and budget, as there are several brands.
We’ve visited these Marriott Bonvoy hotels in Portugal:
To earn Marriott Bonvoy points quickly, look for credit cards that are co-branded with the program or those that offer Membership Rewards points that are transferable to Marriott Bonvoy.
Finally, many hotels cost less than 35,000 points, while the cash rate can be more expensive. This way you can use free night certificates. These are annual benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card and Marriott Bonvoy® Corporate American Express®* Cards.
So, if you play your cards right, you can stay at expensive hotels for less money with certificates.
If you only have a week, focus on one or two regions when visiting Portugal. You could discover the two big cities, Porto and Lisbon, taste fine wines in the Douro Valley or admire the landscapes of the South as you travel through the Algarve.
The best time to visit Portugal is in spring and autumn, when the climate is pleasant and tourist numbers are low.
Your budget will depend on the period you choose, your accommodations and your activities. To save money when traveling, use credit card points. A travel points strategy can provide a great deal of flexibility when it comes to renting, especially a car or Airbnb accommodation.
The Douro Valley is one of Portugal’s joys. The vineyards are located high up in the valley, allowing you to admire breathtaking views while sipping a glass of wine.
You could visit the Expedia website and select “All-inclusive hotels – Portugal”. Then simply click on the hotel of your choice to see its location.
Savings are here:
