A Week in Portugal
Porto, Portugal
Backstory
I originally asked my cousin Erin if she wanted to go to Portugal with me in 2019. After a series of unfortunate events delays (pandemic and Erin moving), we finally made the trip in May 2024. This trip was well worth the wait!
Lisbon, Portugal
Departure Details
I flew from Nashville to New York for a layover. Since Erin lives in New York, you might think that we flew out of New York together…hahaha, no. I flew with Delta Airlines out of JFK, and she flew with United Airlines out of Newark. We departed roughly an hour apart and landed in Lisbon, Portugal within 30 minutes of each other. Sometimes you have to stay loyal to your favorite airline even if it means not flying with your travel partner. :)
Douro Valley
Porto, Portugal
Upon landing in Lisbon, we hopped on the train for a 3 hour ride to Porto. We stayed in an amazing Airbnb that was within walking distance to everything that we wanted to see. One of the highlights was our wine tour to the Douro Valley. The Douro Valley is absolutely breathe taking and worth a day trip. Our tour guide was so amazing at providing interesting facts as well as entertaining us with his humor.
Porto, Portugal
Douro River
Porto, Portugal
Amarante, Portugal
That evening after the tour, we rushed from our Airbnb to catch the sunset by the river. In our rush, I rolled my ankle on the cobblestone sidewalk (I swear the wine wasn’t a factor in my fall). So heed my warning, be careful on the streets and sidewalks in Portugal!
We only planned a few days in Porto, which was not enough. I would have loved to spend a few more days just walking around and visiting more restaurants.
Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon, Portugal
We took the 3 hour train ride back down to Lisbon. Since my ankle was still a little swollen, we did get an Uber from the train station to our Airbnb so I could rest a bit. They don’t call Lisbon the City of Seven Hills for nothing!
Wine in Porto
Lunch in Lisbon
Lisbon, Portugal
I absolutely enjoyed Lisbon from the Fado show to the Tile Museum. There were so many fun things to do. However, all the uphill walking was intense.
It is important to note that we did not find out about some of the outdoor escalators in Lisbon until the end of our trip when we did a food tour. Another reason to have your food tours scheduled at the beginning of your trip instead of the end.
Cascais, Portugal
Cascais, Portugal
While staying in Lisbon, we took a day trip to Cascais. The 30 minute train ride made for an easy escape to the beach. The town is very walkable and has a lot of options for beaches. If you forget a towel, no worries, there are numerous vendors selling them for around 10-15 euros.
Lisbon, Portugal
Final Thoughts
Portugal was amazing! A week was definitely not long enough in Portugal. There are so many things that we weren’t able to see and do. I will return!
Check out the vlogs
Want more Portugal? Follow along in this two part vlog series of our week long adventure in Porto, Lisbon, and Cascais.
