Portugal, from the Douro to the Atlantic.

Which Portugal should you choose?

Portugal is narrow and long: the mainland measures about 560 km from north to south and little more than 200 at its widest. That makes it easy to combine with a trip from Spain, but it is also deceptive: inland roads are slow and each region needs its time. With a week, choose one or two areas and don't try to see everything.

• For a first city trip, Lisbon and Sintra, less than an hour away by train. If you add coast, the Arrábida mountains are on the other side of the Tagus. All in the Lisbon region.
• For wine and scenery, Porto and the Douro: a city of hills and wine cellars and, upriver, a valley of terraced vineyards you can reach by train.
• For mountains and hamlets, the North: the Peneda-Gerês national park, right next to Ourense, and Guimarães, the city of the first king.
• For villages and monasteries, the Centre: Coimbra, Óbidos, Tomar, the waves of Nazaré and the Serra da Estrela.
• For calm, sky and plains, the Alentejo: Évora, Monsaraz and Marvão, all three less than two hours from Badajoz.
• For the beach, the Algarve: cliffs at Lagos, sand islands at Tavira and wild coast and surf on the Costa Vicentina.
• For walking in eternal spring, Madeira, in the middle of the Atlantic, an hour and a half's flight from Lisbon.

How do you get there from Spain?

By car is the most common. From Galicia, Porto is about 150 km from Vigo; from Extremadura, Évora is about 100 km from Badajoz and Lisbon about 225 km; from Andalusia, Faro is about 200 km from Seville via the Guadiana bridge at Ayamonte. From Madrid it is about 630 km to Lisbon and about 550 to Porto.

By plane, Lisbon and Porto have flights from Madrid, Barcelona and other Spanish cities, and for the Algarve you fly to Faro. To reach Madeira you fly to Funchal; from Lisbon it is about 90 minutes.

By train, CP's Celta links Vigo with Porto daily, and a regional train runs from Badajoz to Elvas and Entroncamento, where you connect for Lisbon and Porto.

Paperwork. A valid ID card or passport is enough, for minors too. Spain's Foreign Ministry recommends carrying both, in case you lose one. Portugal uses the euro and is in the Schengen area.

How to get around

Between cities, CP's train works well: the Alfa Pendular links Braga, Porto, Lisbon and Faro, and the Intercidades reaches Évora, Covilhã, Guarda and the Algarve. A Lisbon to Porto ticket on the Alfa Pendular costs between about €30 and €36 in tourist class, and Lisbon to Faro on the Intercidades about €25. Within the Algarve, a regional train runs from Lagos to Vila Real de Santo António.

For villages, parks and the coast you need a car. Watch out for tolls: since 1 January 2025 the A22, the Algarve motorway, and the A25, from Vilar Formoso to Aveiro, which are the two usual entry points from Spain, have been toll-free (Lei 37/2024). On the other motorways you pay, and some are electronic only, with no booths: with a Spanish-registered car, register it before using them or carry a toll device valid in Portugal. Traffic fines are paid on the spot.

When to go and what it costs

Spring and early autumn are the best time for almost everything. In July and August the interior is very hot, the Algarve is full and there is a risk of wildfires: respect fire bans and road closures. Winter is mild in the south and on Madeira and rainy in the Minho.

Prices are similar to Spain's: Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve in summer are the most expensive, and the interior, above all the Alentejo and the Centre, the cheapest.