Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Portugal: Lisbon, Porto and the Douro Valley
9 days from Lisbon to Porto: Sintra and Cascais, Óbidos and Nazaré on the road north, three nights in Porto and two in the Douro Valley with a quinta lunch and a river boat.
9 days · Lisbon to Porto · up to 12 guests
Porto's Ribeira from the Gaia side of the Douro Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:View_of_Porto_from_Marginal_de_Gaia,_20250605_1614_9867.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 9 days, 8 nights
- Start and end
- Lisbon to Porto
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
Mostly walking in old towns on hills and cobbles: about 6 to 10 km a day on the city days, with stairs and slopes in Alfama, Sintra and Porto. Our vehicle drops the group at the top of the steepest hills so most old quarters are walked downhill, and any demanding stretch can be sat out or swapped for a ride.
- Meals included
- 8 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 1 dinner
- Room of your own
- + CAD 885 (estimated price)
- Season
- March to June and September to October
Highlights
Why this trip
- Jerónimos Monastery at opening, before the coaches, and a warm custard tart in Belém
- Pena Palace at the first entry of the day, then the spiral well of Quinta da Regaleira
- Cabo da Roca's cliffs and the coast road home through Cascais
- Óbidos on its walls and grilled fish for lunch in Nazaré on the way north
- Porto over three nights: São Bento's tiles, the Palácio da Bolsa and a port lodge tasting in Gaia
- Two nights in the Douro Valley with a long quinta lunch and a morning boat from Pinhão
- A welcome dinner with live fado in Lisbon and a farewell dinner in the Douro
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 885 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Lisbon
Lisbon Airport to your hotel in central Lisbon
- Welcome dinner with live fado
- Stay in Lisbon
- Drive about 30 min
Fly into Lisbon's Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS), about 7 km north of the centre, where a driver meets you in the arrivals hall for the short ride to your hotel in the middle of the city.
Afternoon
Check-in is from mid-afternoon, so if you land early, leave your bags and walk down to the river at Praça do Comércio or ride a yellow tram up into the old quarters. At 6 pm your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a briefing on the days ahead: how they are paced, which mornings start early to beat the queues, and what the streets are like underfoot, since Lisbon's polished limestone paving, the calçada, is slippery in the wet.
Evening
Then we walk to a small restaurant in the old town for a welcome dinner with live fado, the city's own song, listed by UNESCO as intangible heritage in 2011. Plan to land by about 3 pm to reach the briefing comfortably.
Included
- Pick-up at Lisbon Airport (LIS)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner with live fado
Free time: Free until the evening briefing
Belém at opening, Alfama downhill
Lisbon to Belém, then São Jorge Castle, Alfama and the Baixa
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Lisbon
- Drive about 45 min
We are at the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém when it opens, ahead of the tour coaches, to walk the two-storey cloister of carved Manueline limestone, begun in 1501 with money from the spice trade, and to see Vasco da Gama's tomb in the church. The monastery and the Belém Tower were listed together by UNESCO in 1983; we walk the river path past the Monument to the Discoveries for the view of the tower from the water's edge.
Afternoon
A warm custard tart from the Belém bakery that has made them since 1837 comes next, then a sit-down lunch. In the afternoon our vehicle drops us at the top of the hill by São Jorge Castle, so the walk through Alfama runs downhill: the castle walls first, then the stairs and lanes of the oldest quarter, the Sé cathedral and the Baixa grid rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake.
Evening
We finish at the São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint in the late light, and the evening is yours.
Included
- Jerónimos Monastery at opening, with the cloister and the church
- The Belém riverfront: the Monument to the Discoveries and the Belém Tower from outside
- A custard tart in Belém
- Sit-down lunch
- São Jorge Castle
- Guided walk down through Alfama to the Sé cathedral and the Baixa
- The São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint
Easier option: Ride between the castle, the Sé and the Baixa in our vehicle instead of walking the Alfama stairs.
More active option: Walk up to the castle from the Baixa instead of being dropped at the top, a steep 20 to 30 minutes on stairs and cobbles.
Free time: Evening free
Activity: Jerónimos is closed on Mondays, so this day never falls on a Monday. About 7 km on foot, mostly downhill.
Sintra, Cabo da Roca and Cascais
Lisbon to Sintra, then Cabo da Roca and Cascais, and back to Lisbon along the coast
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Lisbon
- Drive about 2 h
We leave at 8:30 for Sintra, about 40 minutes west, to be at Pena Palace for the first entry of the day. Tour vehicles cannot drive into Sintra's historic centre, so we ride the last stretch up the hill by local shuttle.
Morning
Pena, built in the mid-19th century for King Ferdinand II on a rocky summit, is all yellow and red towers, with the Atlantic in view on a clear morning; the whole Sintra landscape has been on the UNESCO list since 1995. Next is Quinta da Regaleira, an early 20th-century estate of grottoes and tunnels whose Initiation Well spirals down about 27 metres.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in Sintra town, with a queijada or travesseiro pastry to follow. In the afternoon we drive to Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe, where cliffs drop about 140 metres to the sea, then down to Cascais, the fishing town that became a royal summer resort, for a walk around the bay and free time before the coast road back to Lisbon.
Included
- Pena Palace and its park at the first entry, with the shuttle up the hill
- Quinta da Regaleira and the Initiation Well
- Sit-down lunch in Sintra
- Cabo da Roca
- Walk and free time in Cascais
Easier option: Skip the tunnels and stairs at Quinta da Regaleira and wait in a café in Sintra town, or stay in the vehicle at Cabo da Roca on a windy day.
More active option: In Cascais, walk the coastal path to the Boca do Inferno sea cliffs, about 2 km each way, and meet the vehicle there.
Free time: Free time in Cascais and the evening free in Lisbon
Activity: About 8 km on foot with steep paths and stairs in Pena's park and at Regaleira.
Óbidos and Nazaré on the way to Porto
Lisbon to Óbidos, then Nazaré and Porto
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Porto
- Drive about 4 h
Today we travel north to Porto by road, breaking just under four hours of driving into three legs. The first, about an hour, reaches Óbidos, a walled hill town that King Dinis gave to Queen Isabel as a wedding gift in 1282. Walk in through the tiled gate, follow the main street of whitewashed houses edged in blue and yellow, and try ginjinha, the local sour cherry liqueur, served in a small chocolate cup. If you have a head for heights, walk a stretch of the wall itself; it has no railing on the inner side. Forty minutes on, Nazaré sits on a wide beach.
Afternoon
Lunch is grilled fish in the lower town, then the funicular, running since 1889, climbs to Sítio and the view down the coast. From the lighthouse fort above Praia do Norte you look over the beach known for winter waves, which can be huge between October and March.
Evening
The last leg is about two and a quarter hours up the motorway to Porto, where we arrive in the early evening.
Included
- Guided walk in Óbidos
- Ginjinha tasting in Óbidos
- Sit-down seafood lunch in Nazaré
- The Nazaré funicular to Sítio
- The lighthouse fort over Praia do Norte
Easier option: Skip the road day and take the Alfa Pendular train from Lisbon to Porto, about 3 hours. Ask when you book: we include the ticket and meet you at Porto Campanhã station.
More active option: Walk a stretch of the Óbidos town wall, and in Nazaré walk down the path from Sítio to the beach instead of taking the funicular back.
Free time: Evening free in Porto
Activity: The longest drive of the trip, just under 4 hours in three legs of about 1 hour, 40 minutes and 2 hours 15 minutes.
Porto's old town and the port lodges
São Bento to the Ribeira, then across the Dom Luís I Bridge to Vila Nova de Gaia
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Porto
Porto's historic centre, listed by UNESCO in 1996, is steep, so we start at the top and walk down. São Bento station's entrance hall is lined with about 20,000 blue-and-white tiles by Jorge Colaço showing battles, royal arrivals and country life. From the cathedral terrace you look over the roofs of the Ribeira to the port lodges across the river, then we drop through the lanes to the Palácio da Bolsa, the 19th-century stock exchange, for its guided tour and the gilded Arab Room.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal of northern dishes near the river. In the afternoon we walk across the upper deck of the Dom Luís I Bridge, opened in 1886, for the view straight down the Douro, and on into Vila Nova de Gaia, where port has been aged in riverside lodges for centuries. A cellar tour shows the casks and how ruby, tawny and white port differ, and a tasting follows.
Evening
The evening is free in the Ribeira or back in the centre.
Included
- Guided walk: São Bento station, the Sé cathedral terrace and the Ribeira
- Palácio da Bolsa guided tour
- Sit-down lunch near the river
- The upper deck of the Dom Luís I Bridge
- Port lodge cellar tour and tasting in Vila Nova de Gaia
Easier option: Our vehicle picks you up in the Ribeira and drives you across to Gaia instead of the bridge walk.
Free time: Evening free
Activity: About 6 km on foot, mostly downhill, with one long flat crossing of the bridge's upper deck.
Porto at your own pace
Livraria Lello, the Clérigos Tower and the Bolhão market, then a free afternoon
- Breakfast
- Stay in Porto
A slower day.
Morning
We are at Livraria Lello for its first timed entry of the morning, before the queue reaches round the corner: the bookshop, in this building since 1906, is known for its carved wood and red forked staircase, and the ticket, which we buy, counts towards a book if you choose one. Nearby, the Clérigos Tower gives one of the best views in the city to anyone who climbs its more than 200 steps, and the church below has none.
Afternoon
We end the guided morning at the Bolhão market, restored and reopened in 2022, among stalls of cheese, fish, flowers and cured ham, where you can pick your own lunch. The afternoon is free. Ride the old tram along the river to Foz do Douro, where the river meets the Atlantic, visit the Serralves museum and gardens, or sit in a café over the Ribeira.
Evening
Your guide is around to suggest restaurants for the evening and to book a table for anyone who wants company.
Included
- Livraria Lello at the first timed entry
- The Clérigos Tower and church
- The Bolhão market with your guide
Optional experiences
- The Serralves museum and gardens
- The tram along the river to Foz do Douro
Easier option: Skip the tower climb and wait in the Clérigos church or a café below.
More active option: Walk the riverside promenade from the Ribeira to Foz do Douro and the Atlantic, about 5 km and flat, and take the tram back.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Amarante and a quinta lunch in the Douro
Porto to Amarante, then Peso da Régua and Pinhão
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Douro Valley
- Drive about 2.5 h
We leave Porto at 9:30 and drive about 50 minutes east to Amarante on the Tâmega River. Cross the granite São Gonçalo bridge to the church and monastery of São Gonçalo, then sit down for coffee and one of the town's egg-yolk convent sweets. From Amarante the motorway tunnels under the Serra do Marão and drops to Peso da Régua, and the last half hour follows the N222 along the Douro to Pinhão, past the terraces of the Alto Douro Wine Region, first demarcated in 1756 and listed by UNESCO in 2001.
Afternoon
Lunch is at a family quinta: a walk through the vineyard and the granite treading tanks, a tasting of Douro wines and port, and a long table lunch with the estate's wine. In the harvest, from about mid-September to early October, you may see the grapes come in.
Evening
We check in to our hotel in the valley for two nights in the late afternoon, and the evening is free.
Included
- Amarante and the São Gonçalo bridge, with coffee and a convent sweet
- The N222 river road from Peso da Régua to Pinhão
- Quinta visit with a vineyard walk, a tasting of Douro wines and port, and lunch
Free time: Evening free
Activity: Easy walking; the quinta paths can be steep and uneven between the terraces.
On the river and above it
Pinhão by boat, then the Casal de Loivos viewpoint
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Douro Valley
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
The river is calm and the light soft in the morning, so we start on the water: a boat trip of about an hour from the quay at Pinhão, along the Douro between terraced slopes and white quinta houses. Back on land, Pinhão's small railway station is decorated with tile panels of Douro landscapes and the harvest. Then our vehicle climbs the narrow road to the Casal de Loivos viewpoint, high above a long bend of the river, for the view that many photographs of the valley are taken from.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in the valley, and the afternoon is free: swim, read, walk between the vines, or visit a second quinta for a tasting at your own cost.
Evening
In the evening we meet for a farewell dinner of Douro food and wine. In winter some boat operators sail less often, and we confirm the boat for each departure.
Included
- Douro River boat trip from Pinhão, about 1 hour
- Pinhão railway station and its tile panels
- The Casal de Loivos viewpoint
- Sit-down lunch in the valley
- Farewell dinner
Optional experiences
- A second quinta tasting in the afternoon, at your own cost
Easier option: Stay at the hotel after the viewpoint and rejoin the group for dinner.
More active option: Walk back down from Casal de Loivos to Pinhão through the vineyards, about an hour on a steep track.
Free time: Afternoon free
Douro Valley to Porto Airport
Pinhão to Porto Airport, or central Porto
- Breakfast
- Drive about 2 h
Morning
After breakfast we leave the valley at about 9 am and drive about two hours west to Porto Airport (OPO), back along the river to Peso da Régua, then on the motorway through the Marão tunnel and down towards the coast. You reach the airport by about 11 am, in time for flights from about 2 pm. If you are staying on in Porto, we drop you in the city centre instead, about 20 minutes further, and your guide can suggest a hotel near the Ribeira for extra nights. If you want more of Portugal, Madeira is a short flight from Porto, and our eight-day Madeira walking trip starts and ends at Madeira Airport.
Evening
Your guide checks your flight details the evening before and sees the group to the terminal. Earlier flights need a separate transfer, which we can arrange at cost.
Included
- Drop-off at Porto Airport (OPO) or in central Porto
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 2 pm.
- Lisbon3 nights
- Porto3 nights
- Douro Valley2 nights
- Portoend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Summer brings heat over 40°C in the Douro and crowds in Lisbon and Sintra, so we start early and rest at midday. Spring is green and mild, the Douro harvest runs from about mid-September to early October, and winter is mild but wetter, with shorter days and fewer boat sailings.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- First-time visitors to Portugal who want Lisbon, Porto and the Douro without changing hotels every night
- Travellers who like wine, food and long lunches as much as monuments
- Solo travellers and couples who want a small group and free afternoons
Not for you if you want
- Step-free access: Lisbon, Sintra and Porto are steep, with stairs and cobbles
- Travellers looking for a beach holiday in the Algarve
- Anyone wanting Coimbra, Évora or the Alentejo; they are not on this route
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
8 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Lisbon3 nights
- Porto3 nights
- Douro Valley2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 8 nights in central hotels of at least 3-star-plus standard: 3 in Lisbon, 3 in Porto, 2 in the Douro Valley near Pinhão
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Lisbon Airport (LIS) and drop-off at Porto Airport (OPO) or central Porto
- A private air-conditioned vehicle and driver for the group on touring days
- The shuttle up to Pena Palace in Sintra
- The Nazaré funicular
- Douro River boat trip from Pinhão
- Alfa Pendular train ticket from Lisbon to Porto if you choose it instead of the road day
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide for the whole trip, with site guides where a site requires its own (the Palácio da Bolsa and the port lodge)
- Personal earpieces so you can hear the guide in busy places
Activities
- Lisbon: Jerónimos Monastery, São Jorge Castle, the Alfama walk and the São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint
- Sintra: Pena Palace and park, Quinta da Regaleira
- Cabo da Roca and Cascais
- Óbidos with a ginjinha tasting
- Nazaré: the funicular to Sítio and the lighthouse fort
- Porto: São Bento station, the Palácio da Bolsa, Livraria Lello, the Clérigos Tower and the Bolhão market
- Vila Nova de Gaia: port lodge cellar tour and tasting
- Amarante
- Douro Valley: quinta visit with tasting, boat trip from Pinhão, the Casal de Loivos viewpoint
Meals
- Breakfast daily (8)
- 6 sit-down lunches, including a quinta lunch with wine in the Douro
- Welcome dinner with live fado in Lisbon
- Farewell dinner in the Douro Valley
Not included
- International flights to Lisbon and from Porto
- Travel insurance
- Visa or travel authorisation fees, if they apply to you
- Lunches on days 1, 6 and 9, and dinners other than the two listed
- Drinks outside the tastings and the included lunches and dinners
- Tips
- Optional activities, such as the Serralves museum or a second quinta tasting
- Personal expenses
- Extra hotel nights before or after the trip
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 885 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Eight nights in central hotels, breakfast daily, six sit-down lunches, a welcome dinner with fado and a farewell dinner, airport transfers at both ends, a private vehicle and driver, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, and every entry in the day plan, including Jerónimos, Pena Palace, the Palácio da Bolsa, Livraria Lello, a port tasting, a quinta lunch and a Douro boat trip.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. Everyone fits around one table at lunch and in one vehicle, and personal earpieces mean you can hear the guide in busy places such as Sintra and Alfama, where larger groups struggle.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from the Lisbon briefing to the Porto Airport drop-off. Where a site runs its own tours, such as the Palácio da Bolsa and the port lodge, a site guide joins us. We name your guide when we confirm your departure.
How fit do I need to be for Lisbon and Porto?
Moderately fit. Expect 6 to 10 km a day on hills, stairs and cobbles that are slippery when wet. Our vehicle drops us at the top of the steepest hills so most walks run downhill, and on the demanding days you can ride instead of walking or wait in a café.
I am travelling solo. What does a room of my own cost?
A room of your own is from CAD 885 more on the small-group trip, and that figure is shown before you request to book, with no surprise at checkout. Solo travellers join every meal and activity on the same terms as everyone else.
When is the best time to go?
March to June and September to October. Spring is green and mild, and the Douro harvest runs from about mid-September to early October. July and August are hot, over 40°C in the Douro, and busy in Lisbon and Sintra. Winter is mild but wetter, with fewer boat sailings.
How does booking work?
Choose a date and request to book. We confirm your place within 24 hours, and no payment is taken when you send the request. The price is per person sharing a room, taxes included, from CAD 5,195 for the small group.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. The trip also runs as a private trip for your party only, with your own guide and vehicle, on a date you choose. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same route without a guide.
Do I need a visa for Portugal?
Canadian, US, UK and Australian citizens do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180 in the Schengen area. Your fingerprints and photo are recorded at the border under the EU's Entry/Exit System, and we tell you when you book if the new ETIAS authorisation applies.
Can I take the train from Lisbon to Porto instead?
Yes. On day 4 you can take the Alfa Pendular train, about 3 hours, instead of the road day through Óbidos and Nazaré. Ask when you book: we include the ticket, see you to the station in Lisbon and meet you at Porto Campanhã.
Can you handle vegetarian, vegan or allergy diets?
Yes. Tell us your dietary needs when you book and we send them in writing to your guide and to every restaurant and quinta with an included meal. Portuguese menus lean on fish and pork, so we choose places with real vegetarian mains, not just a salad.
Can I add Madeira to this trip?
Yes. Madeira is a short flight from Porto or Lisbon, and our eight-day Madeira walking trip, based in Santana on the north coast and then Funchal, can follow this one. We can arrange the flight and an extra night in Porto between the two trips.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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