There aren’t many places in the world as special as Portugal. The people are wonderful, the cities are full of life, and the seaside towns are some of the most photogenic I’ve seen. Whether you want to sample every Pastel de Nata in the country, learn about its rich history, or focus on photography, Portugal offers something for everyone.

In this blog, I will share the itinerary my girlfriend and I used for an unforgettable six-week trip covering eight different cities, in the hopes of giving you a framework to plan your own adventure.

Duration & Season

While we spent six weeks on this trip, you can easily do the same in half the time. Both of us work remotely, so we had to factor in office days. If you’re travelling purely for leisure and photography, this trip can be done in two fast-paced weeks or three more relaxed ones.

Lisbon required the most time to explore and acted as a base for visiting two smaller towns. Most of the other places can easily be covered in one to three days, but more on this later. The only exception is Nazaré, which can be done in one day or one week, depending on whether you want to see the waves.

We travelled in January and February, and the weather was a total mixed bag. Porto and Braga were freezing cold. Nazaré and Coimbra were very windy with torrential rain. Lisbon was mild, and Ericeira felt like spring in full swing. Bring clothes that cover everything from 5°C to 20°C, and opt for a layered wardrobe rather than a single heavy coat. Also, make sure to have good waterproofs and an umbrella. Finally, bring grippy footwear, there are plenty of cobbled hills to climb, and they can be very slippery.

Transport & Accommodation

While you can rent a car and drive, which I’d recommend if travelling with family or lots of luggage, you can easily get around by train and bus. Almost all the main spots were connected by a fast train network, with only Nazaré and Ericeira requiring a bus and taxi.

Uber is extremely affordable compared to many other countries. For example, we took a 45-minute Uber from Lisbon to Ericeira, and it only cost around €45. I didn’t take a bus that cost more than €10, and train fares were around €15.

As for accommodation, we treated ourselves to nicer-than-usual hotels since it was the quietest season, and prices were much lower. Hotels in Portugal are wonderful, and a four-star hotel is plenty luxurious. While you can rent apartments, I try to avoid them as the standard isn’t always high, access can be tricky, and many are in older buildings with poor soundproofing. Additionally, hotels tend to be better for the local economy than short-term apartment rentals.

Photography

95% of my photography was taken with a 24-70mm zoom lens. I did bring a 70-200mm telephoto, but only found it useful in Nazaré to get closer to the waves. In towns and cities, a 24-70mm is all you need.

People are generally very relaxed towards photographers. As long as your intentions are good and you don’t shove your camera in people’s faces, you won’t have any issues. Winter months offer fewer sunny days, but when the sun does come out, the light is incredible. Also, Lisbon gets plenty of foggy mornings during this season.

General Travel Advice

Many places accept card payments, but cash is still king, so make sure to carry some with you. Thankfully, Portugal has more cashpoints than most other countries (probably). Portugal is generally very safe, and I never had any issues. In big cities like Lisbon, you’ll notice young men selling drugs on the street. This is a scam and they aren’t selling real drugs, which is why they can’t be arrested. They’re not a problem and will leave you alone if you politely decline. Portugal is still a very religious country, so expect many places to be closed on Sundays outside of major tourist areas.

Porto

The trip started in Porto, a wonderful city in the north. Since we’d already spent time here last year, our stay was short. However, if it’s your first time, two to three days is plenty to see everything. I have a whole blog dedicated to Porto, which you can check out here.

Braga

Braga is a great day trip from Porto, with a direct train from São Bento Station. Over 2,000 years old, Braga is Portugal’s religious capital, filled with stunning cathedrals and churches.

A short Uber ride takes you to Bom Jesus do Monte, a famous religious sanctuary with incredible architecture and breathtaking views. If you’ve ever been to Sintra, this feels like a smaller version of that. Avoid visiting on a Sunday, as everything is closed. One day is enough to explore.

Aveiro

Often called the “Venice of Portugal”, Aveiro is a beautiful town, though it’s not quite Venice. That said, it’s a fantastic place to spend two days if the weather is nice.

The town is small, with a long canal running through it. I loved exploring the little streets and walking along the canal. While in town, you can take a boat ride and do an Ovos Moles experience, where you learn about the famous local delicacy.

My favourite part of Aveiro was actually outside the town. A short taxi ride takes you to one of Europe’s tallest lighthouses, where you can climb to the top for a spectacular view and a history lesson. If the weather is nice, a beach walk is highly recommended. Keep in mind that the lighthouse is only open on certain days and the schedule can change, it’s best to check online first.

Coimbra

Coimbra, a former capital of Portugal, is home to the country’s oldest university. We spent two days here, which felt like enough. Expect steep, narrow streets to explore, along with the university itself. Unfortunately I can’t tell you more because the day we arrived, so did a massive storm, resulting in us spending most of our stay in the hotel watching movies.

Nazaré

This was the highlight of our entire trip and I published a dedicated blog here.

Lisbon

I’ve covered Lisbon extensively before. Here’s my visitor’s guide and my photography guide.

Cascais

A 45-minute train ride from Lisbon takes you to Cascais. I recommend getting off a few stops early in Estoril and walking along the coastal path to Cascais. It takes about 30-45 minutes and offers amazing views.

When you get into the town, spend some time exploring the harbour where you will see fishermen offloading their catch. The rest of the town is wonderful to explore too.

Ericeira

A last-minute decision, but absolutely worth it. Ericeira is one of the most beautiful seaside towns I’ve visited. We took an Uber from Lisbon, arrived early in the morning, and wandered through its charming streets. This is a perfect day trip from Lisbon.