Day 1 – April 22: Exploring Lisbon’s Historic Center
We began our journey in Lisbon, Portugal’s charismatic capital. Our first stop was the Lisbon Cathedral (Sé de Lisboa), the city’s oldest church and seat of the Patriarch of Lisbon—the only Roman Catholic bishop who automatically becomes a cardinal.
After a short walk through the historic center, we tried one of Portugal’s snacks at Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau: a warm, crispy codfish cake filled with creamy Serra da Estrela cheese.
We then walked past the Equestrian Statue of King José I and enjoyed the view from Cais das Colunas, where the Tagus River laps gently at the marble steps.
In the afternoon, we headed to Belém, a district known for its maritime heritage. We visited the famous Pastéis de Belém bakery (link), where we tried authentic pastéis de nata—flaky puff pastry tarts with a creamy custard filling.
After dessert, we strolled along the river to the Monument to the Discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos), a symbol of Portugal’s Age of Exploration.
We ended the day with a ride on one of Lisbon’s traditional yellow trams. You can pay the fare when you hop on the tram, it is just over two Euros for a single ride.
Day 2 – April 23: Castles and Panoramic Views
We started our second day with a visit of Castelo de São Jorge which also offers panoramic views over Lisbon. We were lucky we could join a guided tour and could see the otherwise restricted archaeological zones, including remnants of Moorish houses.
In the afternoon, we crossed the Tagus River to visit the Sanctuary of Christ the King (Santuário de Cristo Rei), inspired by Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer. The views back over Lisbon made the trip well worth it.
Day 3 – April 24: A Day Trip to Sintra
Sintra felt like stepping into a storybook. We parked the car at Portela de Sintra train station (if I recall it correctly for about five Euros for the daya and took an Uber to Pena Palace—a colorful Romanticist castle perched high above the town. (The Uber to the castle was a little over four Euros so our first two drivers canceled the trip, and I gave a good tip to the driver who finally took us there.) The surrounding Park of Pena was shrouded in mist, adding an ethereal atmosphere to our visit.
The walk down from the park into the town of Sintra was steep and scenic. We ended the day with a dinner at Incomum by Luis Santos — which I recommended for its exquisite Portuguese cuisine.
Day 4 – April 25: Coastlines, Pilgrimage, and Porto
We left Lisbon early, taking the scenic route along the coast. In Cascais, we strolled along the seafront promenade and a flee market.
Our next stop was Fátima, an important Catholic pilgrimage site. The sheer scale of the sanctuary and the sense of reverence of the visitors left me with a strange feeling as a Protestant.
That evening, we arrived in Porto. For dinner, we sampled the iconic Francesinha, a hearty sandwich stacked with meats and melted cheese, all smothered in a rich tomato-and-beer sauce and served with fries. As designated driver, I had to skip Port wine, a sweet fortified wine native to the region.
Day 5 – April 26: From Braga’s Baroque to Porto by Night
We took a day trip from Porto to Braga, one of Portugal’s oldest cities. The tour of Braga Cathedral was a highlight, especially the cloisters and the chapter room, offering a fascinating glimpse into the city’s religious past.
Later, we visited the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, famous for its baroque stairway and funicular. Standing on the open platform of the historic water-powered elevator was a unique experience! It is the oldest funicular in the world moved by water balancing, loading water into the car at the top of the hill, weighing it down so it descends to the bottom, at the same time drawing the lighter, drained car up the hill, where the process starts all over again.
Back in Porto, we watched the sunset in front of the iconic Dom Luís I Bridge, a masterpiece of 19th-century iron engineering, offering panoramic views over the Douro River and the city’s colorful skyline. We had dinner at Theophilu’s Bar and absolutely enjoyed it although the reviews seem to be mixed.
Day 6 – April 27: Savoring Porto
We spent our final day immersing ourselves in Porto. We crossed the Dom Luís I Bridge once more and boarded a boat for a tour for Porto’s famed six bridges, the 50 minutes river cruise on the Douro river started and ended at Ribeira’s quay. From there we took the cable car back to the Dom Luís I Bridge, enjoying a tremendous view over the river.
We visited the Porto Cathedral and stopped by the famous Livraria Lello—one of the world’s most beautiful bookstores and said to have inspired J.K. Rowling’s vision for Hogwarts.
Before returning to our hotel, we took a look at the São Bento train station, known for its stunning tile panels depicting Portuguese history.
We were lucky to return home the next day — our plane left Porto Airport 45 minutes before a power blackout stopped public life on the Iberian Peninsula and canceled all flights.
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