PORTUGAL
Portugal is a country that rewards taking your time. Colourful tiled streets give way to dramatic coastlines, medieval towns, vineyard-covered valleys and cities where old-world charm sits comfortably alongside excellent food and very good wine.
We started in Porto and Lisbon, but it was Porto that particularly stole our attention. Winding lanes, azulejo-covered churches, the Douro and the port cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia gave us plenty of reasons to linger, while the city also proved an excellent base for exploring further afield.
This is just the beginning of our Portugal guides. There are far too many places in the world to see and never enough time to see them all, but we’ll keep adding to this section as we go, sharing the destinations, stays and experiences we think are worth making room for.
Start here with our Porto itinerary and guides, with Lisbon and more of Portugal to come.
Most first-time Portugal itineraries head straight for Lisbon, perhaps with a quick stop in Sintra. But we think Porto is the real gem.
We recommend a long weekend in Porto, with day trips to the Douro Valley and historic Guimarães. It’s enough time to explore the city properly, soak up its buildings clad in blue and white tiles (azulejos), food and port, while still leaving room to see a little more of northern Portugal.
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Expect hills
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Consider restaurant reservations compulsory
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Port wine lives across the river in Gaia
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Allow time for the other side of the Douro
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Don’t just look at landmarks, look at the walls
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Tipping isn’t compulsory in Portugal
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Is Porto worth visiting?
Porto is compact, characterful and gloriously easy to fall for. There are azulejo-covered churches, winding medieval streets, grand old buildings and the Douro cutting through the city, with the port houses of Vila Nova de Gaia waiting across the water.
Add excellent food, very good wine and enough hills to justify every pastel de nata you eat, and you have a city that rewards a bit of aimless wandering. It’s also a brilliant base for exploring beyond the city, with the Douro Valley, Guimarães and Braga and all within easy reach.
And, perhaps controversially, we came away preferring Porto to Lisbon. It has a little less bustle, a lot of personality and a knack for making you want to stay for one more glass of wine.