Portugal 2 week itinerary (3 EPIC options)

14 days is a great time to explore Portugal.
You can have a taste of most of the regions including beaches, mountains, cities, palaces, monasteries and old towns…
Below are 3 suggestions for your Portugal 2 week itinerary (with all my favorite places to visit, where to stay, driving times…).
Find the right one for you!

Before my tips + photos, here are my favorites for Portugal:

My favorite platform to rent a car in Portugal: DiscoverCars

The unmissable boat tour: Benagil sea cave from Portimao

My favorite excursion from Lisbon: Sintra Pena Palace and Cabo da Roca

My favorite places to stay:

Lisbon: see best rated hotels – e.g. Santiago de Alfama boutique hotel
Porto: see best rated hotels – e.g. Descobertas Boutique Hotel
Lagos: see best rated hotels – e.g. Uma Cas A Beira Sol

Content

How to spend 2 weeks in Portugal

FAQs about planning a 2 week trip around Portugal

OPTION 1 – Portugal 2 week itinerary – a little bit of everything

OPTION 2 – Portugal road trip 2 weeks – In depth South

OPTION 3 – Portugal itinerary 14 days by train

Extra tips to create your own Portugal two week itinerary

How to spend 2 weeks in Portugal

Are 2 weeks sufficient to travel around Portugal?

Portugal is narrow but long.
2 weeks will allow you to explore a little bit of everything but not deep dive into the regions, unless you choose just one.
It is a fantastic timeframe to get a feel for the country, but it means making choices as you don’t have enough time to see everything.
To give you some perspective, here is an idea about the main driving times (when using motorways):

Where can I go with 14 days in Portugal? How can I spend them?

There are a multitude of options to spend your 2 weeks.
You can focus on one region or rent a car and drive around several of the regions.
In the article below, I am sharing 3 detailed itineraries to spend 2 weeks in Portugal:

Option 1 – A taste of everything: lots of driving but a snapshot of all the regions: Lisbon, Sintra, Center, North, Alentejo, Algarve…
Option 2 – In depth South: less driving with some of the most famous locations and beaches in Portugal (Lisbon, Sintra, Algarve, villages…)
Option 3 – Portugal by train: if you don’t want to drive, you can spend time in various cities connected by train and book day trips.

Best way to get around Portugal in two weeks: road trip

Renting a car is really the best option to be able to explore the country.
Portugal has so much to offer with beaches, palaces, monasteries, mountains… only the main cities are connected by train. And with only 2 weeks, public transportation will slow you down.

To rent your car:

All major brands of car rental are available at the airports
Compare car rental prices on my favorite platform: Discovercars.com – one of the best rated sites!
Choose the car and company you prefer (remember the villages have narrow streets, so don’t choose a car too big)
Consider their full coverage option – I always take it for peace of mind!
Book early to have a large choice of vehicles
See all my 36 tips in my Portugal car rental article.

Can you do 2 weeks in Portugal by train?

Yes, of course.
The main towns in Portugal are connected by train.
Just know that you will be limited in what you can see. But it can be a more relaxed trip.

Can I include the Portuguese Islands?

With 2 weeks, you can already be quite busy with the mainland.
Trying to fit the Azores or Madeira would be way too much.
However, if you are more interested in the islands, you could combine a few days in Lisbon with 10 days in Madeira for example. Learn more about Madeira in my guide here.

Find great car rental deals in Portugal

FAQs about planning a 2 week trip around Portugal

Before I share my detailed itineraries, here are some tips to keep in mind when planning a trip to Portugal

Best time to road trip around Portugal

Portugal is a great destination all year round.
It offers beautiful sunny days, especially in the Southern regions.
However, note that during winter and spring, the water is not very warm – it is the Atlantic Ocean after all…

In my opinion, the best months to visit Portugal (for good weather and smaller crowds) are May and October.

You should also understand the following:

There can be quite a difference in temperature between the coast and inland, and between North vs the South.
July and August are very busy with European tourists as well as locals on holidays
Smaller attractions are closed in the Winter
You will have longer days to drive around and see the sights if you visit in Spring rather than in Autumn.

Where to land in Portugal / Where to start: Porto, Lisbon or Faro?

The main airports in Portugal are Lisbon, Porto and Faro (Algarve).
Don’t dismiss Porto and Faro, just because Lisbon is the capital. They can have some really good options.
The itineraries below start from Lisbon, but you can adapt them to start from Porto or Faro

Compare flight prices on Skyscanner

All 3 have a large offering for car rentals:

Lisbon airport car rental – see deals
Porto airport car rental – see deals
Faro airport car rental if visiting the Algarve – see deals

Itinerary planning tips

Here are some of my top tips for planning an itinerary in Portugal:

Don’t plan too much driving every day – there are many places to see and visit
The country is narrow – Don’t do zigzags, do a loop going North on one side of the country and South on the other side.
If you want to plan your own itinerary and not follow the ones below, check out my eBooks:

Plan your dream trip to Portugal with my guides!

13 easy-to-plan maps
120+ pre-selected locations
GPS coordinates
Useful planning tips
200+ large photos

Discover it

8 easy-to-plan maps
65+ pre-selected locations
GPS coordinates
Useful planning tips
110+ large photos

Discover it

Is it easy to drive around Portugal?

Yes, it is overall easy. Roads are in very good conditions in general.

It is on the right side of the road
Driving in Portugal is actually quite easy. There are many good quality motorways.
Road signs are clear
Just be careful with the tolls in the South where you cannot pay cash

Learn more (with video and photos) in my Driving in Portugal article

And compare car rental prices on my favorite platform: Discovercars.com – one of the best rated sites!

OPTION 1 – Portugal 2 week itinerary – a little bit of everything

Introduction

Below is my suggested itinerary if you want a snapshot of every region: North, South, cities, palaces, mountains, beaches…
You will get to see some of the most amazing sights in the country!
However, know that:

You have to be very selective and choose 1 or 2 of each before changing location
It requires quite a lot of driving to cover most of the territory
You rarely sleep twice at the same place
Compare car rental prices on my favorite platform: Discovercars.com

Summary of the Portugal 2-week itinerary

Day 1 – Lisbon
Day 2 – Lisbon
Day 3 – Sintra
Day 4 – Obidos and Batalha
Day 5 – Aveiro & Porto
Day 6 – Porto
Day 7 – Braga & Douro Valley
Day 8 – Estrela mountains (Manteigas)
Day 9 – Monsanto, Marvao
Day 10 – Alentejo drive, Evora to Mertola
Day 11 – Algarve East
Day 12 – Algarve West
Day 13 – Algarve West
Day 14 – South-West Coast with Porto Covo

Day 1 – Lisbon center

Stop 1 – Lisbon Sao Jorge Castle with beautiful views over the cities
Stop 2 – The Santa Justa Elevator – for its architecture, history and views of the city
Stop 3 – Stroll in the city, taste the local delicacy, listen to the music… just soak in the beautiful atmosphere

Check out the best rated accommodations in Lisbon

Extra tip – or check out my article about the best things to do in Lisbon

View from Lisbon's castle — **View from Lisbon’s castle**

Day 2 – Lisbon & Cabo da Roca

Stop 1 – Admire Belem Tower by the river – visit outside or climb inside – but if you have to choose, visit the monastery rather than the tower
Stop 2 – Visit the Jeronimos monastery – stunning!
Drive to Cabo da Roca – 45min
Stop 3 – Cabo da Roca, with its beautiful cliffs, the westernmost point of Mainland Europe
Drive to Sintra – 30 min

Check out the best rated accommodations in Sintra

Extra tip – if you have time, before heading to Sintra, you can enjoy the view over Magoito beach. And impressive long dark cliff over a sandy beach.

Day 3 – Sintra

Stop 1 – visit the magnificent Pena Palace – book ticket in advance. It requires a lot of walking.
Stop 2 – explore the ruins of the Castle of the Moors – you need to be quite fit, lots of stairs and amazing views.
Drive to Obidos – 1h15
Watch sunset from the walls of Obidos and taste the local liquor

Check out the best rated accommodati ons in Obidos

Extra tip – visit as early as possible to avoid most of the traffic.

Day 4 – Obidos & Batalha

Stop 1 – Explore stunning village of Obidos, its fortification walls and charming streets
Drive to Batalha – 1h
Stop 2 – Explore the Batalha Monastery (visit is quite long) with the stunning architecture and the unfinished chapels (one of the country’s architectural masterpieces with Gothic style and Manueline decors) – Unesco site
Stop 3 – If you started early, you could add the visit of the Knight Templars’ Convento de Cristo in Tomar (40min drive away) – but it will be quite a long day!

Check out the best rated accommodations in Batalha

Day 5 – Aveiro & Porto

Drive to Aveiro = 1h30
Stop 1 – Enjoy the waterways of Aveiro
Drive to Praia da Costa Nova
Stop 2 – Discover Praia da Costa Nova, an Atlantic-side beach in Portugal with sand dunes and colorful houses
Drive to Porto = 1h
Stop 3 – Stroll along the river in Porto or go for wine tasting of both

Check out the best rated accommodations in Porto

Day 6 – Porto

Explore Porto, its views, churches and historical buildings.
My favorites are: the Sé Cathedral, the view from Serra do Pilar, the tile work on the side of many buildings

Check out the best rated accommodations in Porto

Extra tips –
The hop on hop off bus in Porto is very practical – get tickets
Or you can book a guided tour – see options

Day 7 – Bom Jesus & Douro Valley

Drive to Braga = 1h
Stop 1 – Explore the Bom Jesus do Monte church and staircase in Braga – take the funicular up and walk down the famous staircase
Stop 2 – Drive around the Douro Valley, choose one section (as the river is quite long) – great viewpoints include Miradouro Sebolido, Miradouro de Catapeixe, Miradouro de Casal de Loivos, Miradouro de Sao Salvador do Mundo…

Choose from the best rated Douro Valley accommodations

Extra tip – if wine is not your thing, you can replace with a visit of Guimaraes, a unesco site with medieval buildings.

Day 8 – Estrela Mountains

Drive South East through the Estrela Nature Park – You can include:

Zezere Valley, a glacial valley
Senhora da Boa Estrela
Cavao Cimeiro
Lagoa Comprida
…

Check out the best rated accommodations in Covilha, past the mountain roads

Day 9 – Monsanto & Marvao

Drive to Monsanto = 1h10
Stop 1 – Explore the famous boulder village of Monsanto listed as the “most Portuguese village of Portugal” even though it is quite unique
Drive to Marvao = 2h
Stop 2 – Explore Marvao, its fortification wall, historical streets, castle and enjoy the views all over the region

Check out the best rated accommodations in Marvao (book early, there are not many options)

Extra tip – if you are tired of driving, skip Monsanto and drive directly to Marvao.

Day 10 – Alentejo drive to Mertola

Drive from Marvao to Mertola. Driving in the Alentejo region is beautiful and relaxing, in my opinion.
2 route options:

Option 1 – via Town of Evora and Beja Castle (3h30 drive) – if you enjoy history and architecture
Option 2 – via countryside and the white village of Monsaraz at the border with Spain (4h drive) – my favorite option
Visit the white village of Mertola and enjoy the views over the river

Check out the best rated accommodations around Mertola

Day 11 – Algarve East

And then you drive down to the famous Algarve region.
The East and the West are very different.
To the East, the beach are rather flat with lots of sand.

Stop 1 – Tavira with its beautiful white houses, waterway and beaches
Stop 2 – Stroll along Praia da Manta Rota beach
Alternative – head to the Ria Formosa Natural Park for bird watching

Check out the best rated accommodations in Albufeira

Day 12 – Algarve Center and West

West Algarve is rich in smaller beaches with impressive cliffs.
There are so many stunning ones, it can be difficult to choose.
Here are my suggestions:

Stop 1 – Praia da Falesia, my favorite beach in Portugal with orange and white cliffs
Stop 2 – Benagil to take a boat tour and see the cliffs and caves – learn more
Stop 3 – Praia da Marinha, the most famous of the Algarve beaches

Check out the best rated accommodations in Portimao, or the best rated accommodations in Lagos

Extra tip – Check out the tide to plan your day – Marinha should be visited at low tide and Benagil is better at mid tide

Day 13 – Algarve West

And we continue further west on the Algarve with more beaches and cliffs.

Stop 1 – Praia dos Tres Irmaos with the double arch
Stop 2 – Camilo beach
Stop 3 – Ponta da Piedade with the magnificent arches and cliffs – great at sunset
Stop 4 – Visit the Sagres fortress, a 16th century sea fort with a famous compass rose on the ground.

Check out the best rated accommodations in Portimao, or the best rated accommodations in Lagos

Extra tip – once again you should check out the tide, visit the beaches at low tide and the cliffs and fortress at high tide

Day 14 – South-West Coast

Drive back up to Lisbon:
Lagos to Lisbon (via motorway inland) = 3h drive
OR via the coast = 3h30 drive

Stop 1 – Odeceixe with the drive along the river and the beautiful bay
Stop 2 – Porto Covo and its beautiful rocks and low cliffs
Stop 3 – if you have time, you could also stop at Sines and its promontory

Find great car rental deals in Portugal

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OPTION 2 – Portugal road trip 2 weeks – In depth South

Intro

As we have seen in the itinerary before, there is a lot of driving involved in covering the entire country.
Some of the most famous sights are located in the South half of the country.
Therefore, below is a detailed 2 week road trip itinerary in Portugal focussing on the South:

you can visit more palaces, beaches and monasteries
there is less driving
You can sleep twice at the same place to slow down the pace
Compare car rental prices on my favorite platform: Discovercars.com