A Portuguese vacation should be on any family’s European must-visit list. It’s a beautiful country, with delicious food, gorgeous sites, and friendly people. With three international airports located on mainland Portugal, it’s fairly easy to access from most US destinations.
Although it is a small country, there are many great towns, small villages, and cities to see while you are there. So, you’ll need to do a little research in advance to figure out which are the best towns in Portugal to visit during your vacation.
Disclosure: My first visit to Portugal was complimentary as part of a media trip with Martinhal Hotels, and I paid full price for my second trip. This post contains affiliate links and a purchase through one of these may result in a commission paid to us at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.
Best Cities to Visit in Portugal on Vacation
Lisbon
You’ll probably want to include the Portuguese capital city of Lisbon in your vacation plans. It’s the largest city in Portugal and one of the major cities in Europe.
Lisbon also has the largest of the international airports in the country, so you’ll typically be able to get the best flights to and from there. There’s so much to see and do in Lisbon, and there are also plenty of day trips from Lisbon if you decide to base your vacation there.
While you are there, it’s a good idea to book a guided tour so you can get an overview of the city and learn more about its rich history. There are lots of options, including tuk-tuk and tram tours. We also enjoyed a yacht tour of the Lisbon Tagus River waterfront.
See tours in Lisbon here.
We’ve stayed in several hotels in Lisbon, and have loved them. There are lots of options, from smaller, more boutique hotels to international chains. Here are three we’d recommend:
Martinhal Lisbon Chiado Luxury Hotel and Apartments – I had the opportunity to tour this hotel before it opened, several years ago. It’s a family-friendly hotel in the trendy Chiado neighborhood and offers luxury apartments that are specifically designed for families. If you are looking for a little more space, this can be a great choice.
The Olissippo Lapa Palace Hotel – we stayed here on our last night in Portugal, and I wish we had more time there. The home of a former palace, this hilltop hotel offers some rooms with views of the Tagus River. It also has a beautiful lagoon-style pool which is a surprising oasis for a city hotel. We enjoyed spending an afternoon at this beautiful pool.
Tivoli Avenida Liberdade – we spent three nights at this city hotel, located on a luxurious and swanky street in downtown Lisbon. It offers several restaurants and bars, including a trendy rooftop bar with beautiful night views of the city. We felt it was a great location for our Lisbon vacation.
Porto
We started our most recent Portuguese vacation in the gorgeous, historic city of Porto, located in Northern Portugal. There is an international airport in Porto, and we were able to fly from Boston to Porto with a layover at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. Porto is the second-largest city in Portugal.
Porto offers so much to do, and is a beautiful city. We spent four nights there, and I feel like we could have spent our entire vacation there. It’s got a hip, trendy vibe, with lots of boutiques and cafes, among the historic attractions and narrow, cobblestone streets.
During our trip to Porto, we stayed at the Intercontinental Porto. It’s a modern hotel located in a historic building – the former Palacio das Cardosas.
From there, we were able to take a short walk to most of the historic attractions, including the Douro River waterfront. For the places we weren’t able to walk to, we found Uber easy to use in town. If you decide to drive, keep in mind that there are some very hilly, narrow streets that can be a challenge to navigate.
One of the highlights of our trip was the Porto Bridge Climb, a relatively mild adventure that takes place on the Arrábida Bridge. Although you’ll be harnessed, there are stairs to climb.
Gaia
Across the Douro River from Porto is the town of Gaia. Known for its wine and port cellars, Gaia is a great place to visit for the day when you are staying in Porto. There are many different restaurants and wine cellar tours (along with wine tasting) – we recommend visiting at least one!
Want to take in some gorgeous views of the Douro River and of Porto? The Gaia Cable Car runs year-round, is about a 5-minute ride, and offers aerial views of the area. One-way or round-trip tickets are available.
Douro Valley
Located about an hour and a half from the Porto city center is the Douro Valley. The wine country region of Portugal is absolutely stunning, with green rolling hills and a winding river.
During our visit, we kayaked along the Douro River, and then visited Quinta da Pacheca, a vineyard where guests can stay in a converted wine barrel.
Be sure to try port wine, which the region is famous for. In fact, wineries are unable to use the “port” label if the wine doesn’t come from the Douro region.
Sintra
Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is both a town and a municipality. While it’s most popular for the bright and colorful Pena Palace, there’s so much more to do and see in Sintra.
Some of the other attractions include the Castle of the Moors (Moorish Castle), the Sintra National Palace, and Quinta da Regaleira (located near the city center, with Knights Templar symbols).
While visiting Sintra is definitely possible on a day trip, I would recommend arriving early. It’s one of the most popular destinations, especially in the summer months. Pena Palace especially gets busy throughout the day. Don’t miss visiting the small town of Sintra, a beautiful historic town with shops, cafes, and more to explore.
Cascais
The very first place I visited in Portugal is Cascais. It’s a lovely resort town and former fishing village, with beautiful beaches, shops, resorts, outdoor cafes, and more. It’s a quick distance from Lisbon, so it’s an easy day trip. Or, there are plenty of luxurious resorts where you can stay.
Cascais is located on the Portuguese Riviera, which offers some of the most beautiful beaches outside of southern Portugal.
Évora
The historic city of Evora, located southwest of Lisbon in the center of Portugal, offers some popular attractions. These include the Roman Temple of Évora, located in the historic center of the city, in addition to the Chapel of Bones (a 16th-century temple with an interior lined with skulls and bones). Evora is about halfway between Lisbon and the Spanish border.
Sagres
The town of Sagres is located in the most southwestern point of Europe, in the Algarve region of Portugal. It is home to several beautiful beaches, with an active surf community. During my first trip to Portugal, I stayed at the Martinhal Sagres Family Beach Resort, a large, luxurious resort made especially for families that is the perfect place for a family to relax.
It can be a little challenging to get to the Algarve if you fly into Lisbon. Options include rental cars (for a road trip from Lisbon – about 3 hours), public transportation (trains), or private transportation. There is also an international airport in Faro, which is east of Sagres but still in the Algarve region. However, I’d recommend visiting during your trip to Portugal because it has some of the best beaches in the area.
Carvoeiro
During our most recent visit, we stayed in Carvoeiro in the Algarve. This area offers beaches, resorts, shops, and restaurants, and is famous for the Carvoeiro Caves. I’d definitely recommend going on an Algarve cave tour during your time in the area – it’s such a unique experience and a fun thing to see.
During our trip, we stayed at a beautiful, clifftop resort, right in Carvoeiro. The Tivoli Carvoeiro is a luxury resort offering a spa, restaurants, an outdoor pool, and gorgeous views of the natural beauty of the ocean and cliffs.
Ponta Delgada
Ponta Delgada is located on the archipelago of the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean (on São Miguel Island) and is the capital city of the Azores region. The Azores can be one of the easiest European vacations for families, due to their proximity to the East Coast of the US. It’s a relatively short flight.
Although I haven’t been to the Azores (except for a flight layover), they are definitely on my list. These beautiful islands are known for their gorgeous hydrangeas, and also offer many things to see and do.
Have you been to Portugal? Which city or town in Portugal is your favorite?
Frequently Asked Questions
Like the rest of Europe, summer is a popular time in Europe. We enjoyed our August vacation, although we were lucky because it wasn’t too hot. Late spring or early fall would be less busy and should still have nice weather.
The Azores are located about 1,000 miles from the mainland of Portugal. Some flights from the northeast of the US have a layover in the Azores before continuing on to Lisbon.
Lisbon is the largest airport and is likely to have the most direct flights. However, if you want to go to Porto and the Algarve, you’ll need to travel North and then South.
