Portugal is one country I find underrated. The food, in my opinion, is some of the best in the world and does not get nearly enough credit. Given how convenient European trains are, instead of choosing between cities, we did the only logical thing: Porto and Lisbon. Two cities that are not to be missed in one’s lifetime.
One thing people don’t warn you about is just how hilly these two cities are, so keep this in mind when booking your trip!
Five days. Two cities. A lot of walking, a lot of eating, and even more drinking. Here’s how it all went down.
Day 1: Arriving in Porto
Then head to São Bento Station, which is genuinely one of the prettiest train stations I’ve ever seen. And I know what you’re thinking – you’re telling me to visit a train station? No but seriously, the building is simply stunning, lined with gorgeous the blue-and-white tiles. It’s a very “okay, I’m on holiday now” moment. I feel this is the ultimate introduction to Porto. If even the train station looks like this, just imagine what you’re in for next!
Also adjacent to the station is Igreja de Santo António dos Congregados. This church is stunning and worth taking a stop to browse at.
Moments later, we wandered over to Porto Cathedral (EUR 3). We spent just over an hour here. Before entering the Cathedral, take a moment to just wander around the grounds of the Cathedral outside, where you will likely find buskers playing acoustic instruments adding to the charm of the area. The cathedral itself is far more charming inside than it may appear on the outside. It is one of the city’s oldest monuments, standing at over 900 years old. Inside you’ll find traditional blue-and-white tiles lining the entire building, and the closer you climb to the top, the more magnificent it becomes, with stunning gold rooms and an incredible rooftop with views over the city. This may be one of the most unique cathedrals I have ever seen, and it is not one to skip!
Before leaving the area, make sure to soak in the views from Terreiro da Sé, which boasts some of the best views of the entire city. Make sure to take some snaps on the stone staircase with views of the Douro River.
By early afternoon, hunger kicked in, so we walked downhill to the Douro River and had lunch along the Cais da Ribeira, right under the Dom Luís I Bridge.
Yes, it’s popular. Yes, it’s busy. And yes, it’s absolutely worth it. Here you’ll find buskers singing all along the river, creating such a lovely ambiance.
Some lunch options here:
- Bacalhau – traditional and delicious
- Jimao Tapas e Vinhos – if it’s open during the day
We opted for Bacalhau and it did not disappoint. Sangria in hand, traditional Portugese dishes like Francesinha and Bacalhau (delicious!), deep-fried octopus and prawns, and much more. A must recommend for great local cuisine when in Porto.
Mid-afternoon, we did an hour-long Douro River cruise, which was the perfect way to give our legs a break whilst seeing all the city sites. Porto from the water is next level. The colourful buildings and beauty of the Douro is truly amazing. Finish riding back through the Dom Luís I Bridge and explore the attractions along the river front before making your way to Torre dos Clérigos, an observation deck in Porto old town. If you’re brave enough to climb it, the views are insane. Nearby, we stopped at Base Porto, an outdoor bar ideal for a chilled afternoon drink in the sun.
We then headed to Livraria Lello, aka the bookshop everyone loses their mind over. Yes, it’s busy. Yes, you should book a skip-the-line ticket which comes with a free book!. And yes, it really is magical. It’s rumoured to have been J.K. Rowling’s inspiration for Harry Potter’s library in Hogwarts.
We headed back to get ready and had dinner at Gruta. If you are a seafood lover, then this is a must! Reservations are definitely recommended as this place was tiny but incredible. We had oysters, prawns, octopus ceviche, fried prawns and squid (a local delicacy), the seafood risotto (big must!), langostines (must!), and seabass. It is also situated in a side street off the most beautiful blue church. Fish-lovers only as they do not sell meat!
We then went out around Galerias de Paris, which is basically Porto’s nightlife hub. The surrounding streets are filled with lively bars.
Some of our favourite spots:
- Alma – disco, soul music ● Plano B
- Casa do Livro – live music that turns lively
- FE Wine Club
Day 2: Half day in Porto and a Train to Lisbon
We were out by 10am (heroic behaviour, honestly) to make the most of our final half day in beautiful Porto. Following a quick breakfast stop, first up was Igreja de São Francisco, which is well worth the entry price, and is absolutely gorgeous. This was followed by a 30 minute guided tour of Palácio da Bolsa, the old stock exchange, which is well worth it. It was beautiful and super interesting. We then walked to Miradouro da Vitória, which has one of the best viewpoints in the city and is perfect for photos.
Lunch was booked for 12:30pm, and you really can’t go wrong with The Door.
After lunch, we headed to Lado Wine Tasting for an hour of sipping and pretending we knew what we were talking about. No but seriously, this was a great experience and the host was super friendly. I don’t personally love Port wine as sweet wine isn’t really my thing, but my friends who love Port loved this experience, and I was even shown a few I didn’t mind so much. They explained the different regions for the level of sweetness, and it was a really fun thing to do in our last few hours in the city!
Porto → Lisbon
Now for our next destination – Lisbon. We booked our trains using Omio and the whole process was seamless.
We grabbed our bags and caught the 4:32pm train from Campanhã to Lisbon. Arrival was 7:30pm, and yes, we did our makeup on the train so we could go straight out. Efficiency.
Where we stayed: We stayed on Rua do Norte at a beautiful AirBnB which was ideal for exploring and close to bars. You can check out where we stayed here: (Link)
We got a cab to our accommodation, freshened up and booked dinner for 9.15 at Oficio, which was only a few minutes from our place. Now this is a must for any Lisbon itinerary. The restaurant is phenomenal and boy, what a welcome to Lisbon this is!
We had the mushrooms (so good we ordered twice!), oysters, duck, beef, mussels, beef tartare, both raw fish dishes, and more. Every single dish was phenomenal. This place is a must.
After that, we headed to Cais do Sodré, Lisbon’s party district, otherwise known as the home of Pink Street. Top spots here:
- Pensao Amor (iconic for a reason – ex brothel, with all the quirks of its history very much still in place)
- Toca da Raposa
- A Capela
- Oslo Bar – disco music
Day 3: Exploring Lisbon
We had more sleep this morning after a busy two days. We had lunch booked at Prado. You’ll start to realise if you haven’t already, just how unique and incredible the food is in Lisbon! Another small plates restaurant which does not disappoint.
We then wandered to Commerce Square, and just explored the streets of Lisbon. Live music, sunshine, and beautiful colourful buildings – what more could you want? We stumbled upon a market at Praca da Figueira which did lethal but delicious sangrias to take away at an irresistible price.
We got ready for our night out after a leisurely day exploring the city.Then it was drinks at Park
Rooftop (one of Lisbon’s best) before heading out to Praia Irmão, about 40 minutes away by Uber. We had tickets already, which you must book online. They host incredible beach parties every Saturday in summer from 7pm–1am, and they are not to be missed. Ubers are insanely cheap in Lisbon so despite the journey being far, it is only around £20 for the trip. If there’s a few of you it really works out well.
After that? If you’re looking to continue the party check out Lux Frágil, an iconic club with a rooftop. If you know, you know. If you don’t, find out!
Day 4: Sunday in the City
Sunday was all about slower Lisbon. We grabbed breakfast on the way to the Pantheon, then visited the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora, which is €4 and absolutely worth it. The views from the rooftop overlooking the Pantheon and the city are not to be missed, and are certainly worth the trip up the stairs.
Lunch was at Cervejaria Ramiro. This is a fish restaurant, and you will have to pre-pay a deposit of €25pp when booking, which seems steep. However the restaurant itself is not expensive, and we didn’t end up paying much more than this by the time the bill arrived. Here you should try the famous delicacy, Barnacles. This looks hideous but tastes great. You should absolutely make the most of the incredible quality of fish they have for sale!
In the afternoon, we headed to LX Factory, which is great for wandering, shopping, and catching a flea market if you’re lucky. They have live music and drinks on offer to walk around and take it all in. A really lovely experience for a Sunday afternoon!
That evening, we had rooftop drinks at Portas do Sol, followed by dinner at Taberna Sal Grosso – a must if you want family-run traditional Portuguese food. The restaurant is tiny and has really limited seating so be sure to book in advance! We then checked out Toca da Raposa – a cave-esque cocktail bar with dim lighting. This is lovely for a relaxed environment and good drinks!
Day 5: One For the Road!
On our last day, we stored our bags and headed to Carmo Convent. History lovers will enjoy the guided tour of this, but I went with a couple of friends who didn’t love this as much, so could be one to skip! What we did see which was cool was real mummies.
We had lunch at Timeout Market. Although there’s a lot of hype over Timeout Market, I would skip this if I were to visit again. The local food and restaurants are exceptional and this didn’t do justice to the quality of the food we had experienced for the rest of the trip. The one good thing I have to shout about is Manteigaria for a Pastel de Nata.
We ended the trip with drinks at Java Rooftop before heading to the airport for our 8:40pm flight home. This was a gorgeous spot with great drinks. It was the perfect way to complete a food-filled trip!
If you’re thinking about Portugal and can’t decide between Porto or Lisbon, don’t choose. Do both. If I could change anything, I would have considered a day trip to Sintra whilst in Lisbon.
Both of these cities are stunning and are must visits! 10/10 would do it all again.
