The map at a glance
We do not reproduce any publisher or tourist office map: the official rail network is on the national company's site, cp.pt, and airports are listed below.
| Region | Towns and sights | Suggested base | Best season |
|---|---|---|---|
| North | Porto, Braga, Guimarães, Viana do Castelo, Peneda-Gerês | Porto | April to October |
| Douro | Amarante, Régua, Pinhão | Pinhão or Régua | September to October (harvest), April to June |
| Centre | Aveiro, Coimbra, Fátima, Nazaré, Óbidos | Coimbra or Aveiro | April to October |
| Lisbon and Sintra | Lisbon, Sintra, Cascais | Lisbon | March to November |
| Algarve | Faro, Lagos, Albufeira | Lagos or Faro | June to September (beach) |
Distances and travel times from Porto
| Destination | Distance | Time | Best way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Braga and Bom Jesus | about 55 km | 1 h | train or car |
| Guimarães | about 55 km | 1 h | train or car |
| Aveiro | about 75 km | 1 h | train |
| Viana do Castelo | about 75 km | 1 h | car or train |
| Amarante | about 60 km | 1 h | car |
| Coimbra | about 120 km | 1 h 15 to 1 h 30 | train, see Porto - Coimbra |
| Douro valley (Pinhão) | about 110 km | 1 h 45 to 2 h | train, car or excursion, see which excursion |
| Peneda-Gerês | about 120 km | 2 h | car |
| Fátima | about 175 km | 2 h | excursion or car |
| Nazaré and Óbidos | 230 to 260 km | 2 h 30 to 2 h 45 | excursion |
| Lisbon | about 315 km | about 3 h by car; 2 h 45 to 3 h 15 by train | Alfa Pendular train |
| Faro (Algarve) | about 560 km | direct flight of about 1 h 10; train about 5 h 40 | plane |
The North and the Douro
From Porto, the safe bets are Braga, Guimarães and the Douro valley. For the valley, compare which excursion, car rental and route and where to sleep in the Douro.
The Centre, Lisbon and the Algarve
Between Porto and Lisbon, Aveiro, Coimbra, Fátima and Nazaré and Óbidos make good stops. To choose between the two cities, read Porto or Lisbon. For the beach, see Porto to the Algarve.
Airports and stations
Porto (OPO) is the airport of the North; Lisbon (LIS) and Faro (FAO) complete the offer. To reach the centre from the airport, see Porto airport and the centre; for stations, see São Bento and Campanhã and, in case of strikes, CP train strikes.
Sample itineraries
- 1 week: Porto, Braga or Guimarães, and a day in the Douro; see Porto in 3 days.
- 10 days: add Aveiro, Coimbra and Lisbon.
- 2 weeks: extend to Sintra, the Alentejo and the Algarve; walkers can follow the Portuguese Way of St James.
Entry rules and season
The new entry rules for the Schengen area are described in ETIAS and EES. Porto is pleasant from April to October; see the best time to visit Porto.
Going further
Sockets: plugs and voltage in Portugal. To stay connected: eSIM in Portugal.
