Complete Portugal Self-Launched: Lisbon, Algarve, Alentejo & the North

Arrive in Lisbon and check into your hostel or guesthouse in the Bairro Alto or Intendente area — both central, characterful neighbourhoods. Spend the afternoon getting your bearings: wander Rossio and Restauradores Square, ride Tram 28 through the Alfama, and climb a miradouro (viewpoint) for panoramic views. In the evening, head to Bairro Alto for dinner and a glass of ginjinha (sour cherry liqueur) at one of the traditional hole-in-the-wall bars.

🚌Fly into Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport. Take the Aerobus (Line 1) or Metro (Red Line, Aeroporto station) to central Lisbon — ~£2–4

🛏Lisbon Destination Hostel (near Rossio) or Goodnight Hostel — dorm ~£20–28/night, private room ~£55–70/night

• →Walk Rossio and Restauradores Square — free
• →Ride the iconic Tram 28 through Alfama — included in 24hr transport pass (~£6)
• →Visit a free miradouro such as Miradouro da Graça or Portas do Sol
• →Evening stroll through Bairro Alto and try ginjinha

Today mirrors the tour's guided Lisbon day. Join a self-bookable walking tour of Lisbon's highlights (many are free or tip-based), then head independently to Belém by tram or bus to see the Tower of Belém and Jerónimos Monastery. Try a pastel de nata at the famous Pastéis de Belém bakery. If you want the optional Sintra/Cascais/Estoril excursion, it's easy and cheap to do independently via train from Rossio station — far cheaper than the tour's €40 add-on.

🚌Tram 15E or Bus 728 from Praça da Figueira to Belém — ~£2. Train to Sintra from Rossio station — ~£4 return

🛏Same as Day 1 — Lisbon Destination Hostel or Goodnight Hostel

• →Free walking tour of Lisbon (tip-based, book via GetYourGuide or just join at Praça do Comércio) — ~£5–10 tip
• →Visit Belém Tower exterior and surrounds — free to walk around, interior ~£7
• →Visit Jerónimos Monastery — ~£10
• →Pastel de nata at Pastéis de Belém — ~£1.50
• →Optional: Train to Sintra from Rossio station (~£4 return), visit Pena Palace (~£14) or walk the free trails

Take an early Rede Expressos coach from Lisbon's Sete Rios bus terminal to Lagos (~£20, ~4 hrs). Explore Lagos's historic old town, the golden sea-stack beaches at Ponta da Piedade, and the city walls independently. Hire a local taxi or join a shared tour to Cape St. Vincent and Sagres Fortress — the most southwesterly point in continental Europe — a dramatic, windswept promontory well worth the detour. Continue east to Albufeira by regional bus in the afternoon for your night's stay.

🚌Rede Expressos coach Lisbon (Sete Rios) to Lagos — ~£20, ~4 hrs. Regional EVA Transportes bus Lagos to Albufeira — ~£8, ~1.5 hrs

🛏Albufeira Hostel or Guesthouse Casa Bela Moura — dorm ~£18–22/night, private ~£45–60/night

• →Explore Lagos historic old town and city walls — free
• →Walk to Ponta da Piedade sea stacks — free
• →Shared minibus tour to Cape St. Vincent and Sagres Fortress (book via GetYourGuide or local agencies in Lagos) — ~£20–25
• →Photography at Sagres Fortress — entrance ~£4

Head east by local bus from Albufeira to Faro, where a short stroll takes you through the old walled city (Cidade Velha) and along the Ria Formosa waterfront. Continue north by bus or shared taxi toward Mértola — a stunning walled Alentejo town rising above the Guadiana River — before finishing the day in Évora, a UNESCO World Heritage city famed for its Roman temple, medieval walls, and the extraordinary Chapel of Bones. Book ahead for accommodation in Évora as it fills quickly.

🚌EVA bus Albufeira to Faro — ~£5, ~45 mins. Rede Expressos or shared taxi Faro toward Mértola — ~£12. Rede Expressos bus Mértola to Évora (may require change) — ~£12, ~2 hrs total

🛏Évora Olive Branch Hostel or Hostel Namaste — dorm ~£18–24/night, private ~£50–65/night

• →Stroll Faro's old walled city and waterfront — free
• →Walk Mértola's walled town and visit the castle keep — ~£2
• →Visit Évora's Roman Temple — free (exterior)
• →Visit the Chapel of Bones (Igreja de São Francisco) — ~£5

This is the tour's most packed day — a cross-country sweep through the Alentejo highlands into the centre of Portugal. Rent a car for the day (shared between travel companions this is excellent value) or book a day-tour from Évora. Marvão is a jaw-dropping whitewashed fortified village perched on a granite crag; Castelo de Vide has a beautifully preserved medieval Jewish quarter and synagogue. Continue to Tomar to visit the Convent of Christ (UNESCO, Templar heritage), then end in Fátima in time to explore the Sanctuary and, if timing allows, witness the candlelight procession.

🚌Rent a small car from Évora for the day (~£35–45/day including fuel) to cover Marvão, Castelo de Vide, Tomar and Fátima. Return car at Fátima or continue to next day's start. Alternatively, Rede Expressos coaches connect major stops but require multiple changes and an early start.

🛏Fatima Hostel or Residencial São José — private room ~£40–55/night

• →Explore Marvão walled village and panoramic views — free/small parking fee ~£2
• →Walk Castelo de Vide medieval Jewish quarter and visit medieval synagogue (now a museum) — free
• →Visit Convent of Christ, Tomar — ~£8
• →Free time at Sanctuary of Fátima — free (candlelight procession free to watch)

Take a morning Rede Expressos coach from Fátima to Porto (~£15, ~2.5 hrs). Check into your hostel in the Ribeira or Bonfim district. In the afternoon, head down to the Douro waterfront and book a 50-minute Rabelo boat cruise (the traditional wine-barrel boats) — bookable on the spot at the riverside or in advance via GetYourGuide for ~£12–15. Stroll across the Dom Luís I Bridge into Vila Nova de Gaia to visit the port wine lodges (many offer free or low-cost tastings). Porto's hilly streets, azulejo-tiled churches and lively café culture reward slow wandering.

🚌Rede Expressos coach Fátima to Porto — ~£15, ~2.5 hrs. Metro or tram in Porto from Campanhã station to city centre — ~£2

🛏Gallery Hostel Porto or Tattva Design Hostel — dorm ~£18–25/night, private ~£55–70/night

• →50-minute Douro River Rabelo boat cruise — ~£12–15 (book via GetYourGuide or dockside)
• →Explore Ribeira riverside neighbourhood — free
• →Walk Dom Luís I Bridge for panoramic views — free
• →Visit a port wine lodge tasting in Vila Nova de Gaia — ~£8–12

Another big travel day covering northern Portugal's highlights — best done with a combination of trains and local buses, all of which are fast and cheap. Start with a morning train to Braga (~£4, 1 hr), walk the historic cathedral and take the funicular up to the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte. Catch a bus to Guimarães ('the birthplace of Portugal') to visit the hilltop castle and the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza. Head back south by train via Porto to Aveiro for a classic Moliceiro boat ride on the canals and a taste of the local ovos moles (egg-yolk sweets). Finish the evening in Coimbra, home to one of Europe's oldest universities.

🚌CP train Porto Campanhã to Braga — ~£4, ~1 hr. Bus Braga to Guimarães — ~£3, ~45 mins. Train Guimarães back to Porto then Aveiro — ~£8 combined, ~1.5 hrs. Train Aveiro to Coimbra-B — ~£5, ~45 mins

🛏Serenata Hostel Coimbra or Grand Hostel Coimbra — dorm ~£16–22/night, private ~£50–65/night

• →Walk Braga historic centre and cathedral — free
• →Funicular ride to Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte — ~£2 each way
• →Visit Guimarães Castle — ~£2
• →Visit Palace of the Dukes of Braganza, Guimarães — ~£5
• →Moliceiro traditional boat ride in Aveiro with local sweet tasting — ~£10–12 (book via GetYourGuide or dockside)
• →Evening wander through Coimbra university quarter — free

The final day loops back to Lisbon via three showstoppers. Batalha Monastery is a UNESCO Gothic masterpiece — easily one of Portugal's finest buildings. Continue to Nazaré, where a short elevator (funicular) ride takes you up to the Sítio clifftop viewpoint over the famous big-wave surf town. Pick up a dried-fish snack at the market. If time allows, walk the medieval walled village of Óbidos — entirely walkable along the ramparts — before the final coach into Lisbon, arriving approximately 7–8pm as the tour does.

🚌Rede Expressos coach Coimbra to Batalha — ~£8, ~1 hr. Local taxi or Rodoviária do Oeste bus Batalha to Nazaré — ~£5. Bus Nazaré to Óbidos — ~£5. Rodoviária coach Óbidos to Lisbon (Oeste line) — ~£8, ~1 hr

🛏N/A — return to Lisbon (extend stay if desired at Day 1/2 hostel)

• →Visit Batalha Monastery — ~£8
• →Elevator (funicular) ride up to Sítio viewpoint in Nazaré — ~£2 each way
• →Walk Nazaré beach promenade and local market — free
• →Walk the ramparts of Óbidos walled village — free
• →Return coach to Lisbon