A Week in Portugal: Lisbon, Porto, & Sintra Travel Diary
If you’re the kind of person that travels and often says, “I could totally see myself living here.” we are the same kind of person. I knew Portugal would be no exception for me and it still blew my expectations out of the water, resulting in hours of research once I got home into how I could secure a visa and move my entire life there.
The people—young and old— were so kind everywhere we went, every neighborhood and historic building we saw was a visual feast so similar yet so unlike the rest of Western Europe, and the food and wine were unsurprisingly top notch. I did not want to leave. Of course, I’m accustomed to my American comforts like central air conditioning, spacious bathrooms, and general punctuality (like with public transportation for example), but the lack of such things only adds to the charm in my opinion. I greatly appreciate the absence of hustle culture, the simplicity and quality of food, the certain calm of a society whose basic needs are taken care of by their fellow people and government.
If the USA is to do, Europe is to be.
Planning every single detail is not my thing, though I do like to have an outline of ideas of where I’d like to go and what I want to experience when traveling somewhere new. In my day-to-day life I leave room for nothingness and spontaneity. This is something I apply to my travel days, too. There is so much to see in Lisbon and Porto, and when you only have a few days in each place it can feel overwhelming and impossible to see it all.
Thankfully, the travel buddy I went with—my ex— trusted me to do the research and planning for the trip, so I picked my top 5 must-see’s/do’s including some things I knew he’d also appreciate, and went from there! Of course we weren’t able to see everything, and there were a few major attractions we chose to skip based on what kind of experience we wanted to have. Lucky for us, we often would see a famous attraction on our way to something else entirely.
In no particular order, these were my top 5 priorities to plan the trip around:
Majestic Cafe (in Porto) — because J.K. Rowling wrote part of Harry Potter here, not to mention it’s the loveliest cafe ever!
Livraria Lello (in Porto) — it’s one of the most unique book stores in the world, need I say more.
Vintage shopping (anywhere and everywhere) — so many great finds. If you’re not thrifting in major European cities what are you even doing?
Belém (Lisbon) — for some of the sickest historically preserved architecture I’ve ever seen.
Sintra (day trip from Lisbon) — castles! Book research! Magical vibes!
We went for the last few days of February and the first few days of March, 2025, knowing from research that the weather would be finicky. Most of the time it was cold and sunny, though we did experience one particularly hot, jacket-less day and a couple of days of rain showers, some more aggressive than others. If you’re going around the time we did, pack layers.
Day 1 — Landed in Lisbon, Train to Porto, & Dinner in Ribeira
After about 12 hours of travel (at this time there were no direct flights from Dallas to Lisbon so we did have a connection), we landed in Lisbon. I hadn’t been able to sleep the day we left or on either of the planes and spent almost the entire time writing and editing my third draft, which resulted in a major wave of exhaustion—you know the kind that makes you delusional? Yeah. And so, I cannot even remember how we got from the airport to the train. For as much solo travel as I’ve done in my life, I was very grateful for my travel buddy in this moment because I was not functioning properly! I vaguely remember the public transportation being difficult to figure out at first, but once we figured it out we used it pretty easily throughout the entire rest of the trip. Don’t be afraid to ask questions when you need help. The random person walking by won’t mind pointing you in the right direction if you’re nice.
After taking public transportation to Lisbon’s main train station, we headed north to Porto, which was nearly 3 hours long. The round trip flights we bought were in and out of Lisbon, so we decided it made the most sense to go straight to Porto first, then spend our last few days in Lisbon, within a more reasonable distance of the airport.
Going up the front walkway of Sé do Porto (The Porto Cathedral). The sliver of white stucco you see to the right of the church’s face is a continuation of the cathedral and next to a large matching building called Episcopal Palace, where the bishops lived.
It was early in the afternoon once we arrived at our incredible Airbnb next to Sé do Porto (The Porto Cathedral). I got straight into bed for a nap. Upon waking, I was a brand new woman—revitalized and ready to explore. From our rental’s Juliet balcony, you could see the left side of the (approximately) 915 year-old cathedral. As with most things, the pictures don’t do it justice. Seeing the church’s face bathed in golden light, high up over the city’s clay roofs during sunset was the most beautiful welcome. From the ledge you could see much of Porto and even other smaller cathedrals in the same neighborhood.
The Douro River runs through Porto and is beautiful to see but is definitely where most of the tourists spend their time. We did our best to stay away from these particular businesses for no reason other than to experience Porto as authentically as possible and walked into a random restaurant several blocks away for dinner. It was quiet and had a very elevated, local feel.
Side note: There will be gaps in my information because I was not planning on sharing all of the information when I took the trip. I’m doing my best to remember the names and locations of everything but I will have almost no actual information for where we ate most of the time.
We were the only ones in the entire downstairs of the restaurant. It was perfect for the moment—which was quite emotional.
Just weeks before flying to Portugal, our 5-year-long relationship ended. It was as gut and heart wrenching as you could imagine and an extremely difficult decision, but we ended on good terms, so much so that sense we booked this trip the previous year, we decided to still go through with it. We kept our decision mostly private at first to give ourselves space and time to process how we wanted to move forward, and both of us felt like our next right step as individuals was to make the most of this trip, and I am so happy that we did because it was such a wonderful trip full of happy memories!
He had never been to Europe before, and I hadn’t been in years and was overjoyed to be back. It was a layered experience, trying to have fun together and indulge in new experiences while managing a gaping wound that was begging to fester.
After dinner on our walk back to the Airbnb, a very light rain came down over the lantern-lit, granite and tile city. Since it was late and wet out, there wasn’t a single soul at the cathedral. We climbed the damp stone steps of Sé do Porto again and sat on the ledge overlooking the city with a bottle of wine. Honest conversations were had, tears were shed, frustration and pain were expressed, love and acceptance were shared. We had gotten to the point in a difficult conversation where you’re both running in circles.
A light mist had settled over the ancient stones beneath us, ornate light posts and lanterns glowed amber all around, magic in every nook and cranny if you cared to notice.
I remember saying, “This hurts so fucking bad. But can we appreciate all of this? I mean, look at where we are right now.”
This was an incredibly difficult and uncomfortable moment. It was also incredibly meaningful and beautiful. We decided then and there that this would be hard, and that would be okay. We put aside our differences and consciously chose to have the best possible time, and I’m so glad that we did!
Whether things fall apart, or things fall into place, two things can be true.
Day 2 — Exploring Porto on Foot
Walking is the way to go in my opinion, for the sake of stopping and smelling the roses whenever you can. During our sunny morning stroll, I was beyond excited for our first stop of the day: the Majestic Café.
J.K. Rowling stayed in Porto for a time and while she was here she wrote part of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone here. Everyone who knows me knows that I’ve been obsessed with Harry Potter since childhood so obviously as an aspiring fantasy author, I was ecstatic!
The cafe was a stunning display of old world charm—many of its original features preserved. It was designed to look like a Parisian cafe in the art nouveau style which is my favorite. The pink interior walls and angel sculptures really did something for my inner child.
Food highlight: the francesinha—Porto’s famously indulgent sandwich stacked with meats, melted cheese, and a rich, peppery sauce. It was good but savory central! I only took a couple bites off my travel buddy’s plate. These sandwiches are not exclusive to the Majestic Cafe.
Cheesin’ hard in front of the Majestic Cafe.
We ventured outside of the historic area and into the more modern shopping cobblestone streets where we shopped and perused—I was on the look out for a leather jacket— and got our hands on a couple Pastel de Nata. They’re small, delicious, custard tarts with an eggy filling, often dusted with powdered sugar and or cinnamon and nutmeg. They originated in a bakery in Belém that’s very popular because of this, but you can get them in most Portuguese bakeries and you absolutely should!
One of my favorite parts of the day was visiting artist’s shops. When traveling internationally, I usually purchase a piece of art that I can hang at home. I found the perfect piece in the artist shop, Vimoc. As I was leaving with my souvenir, the artist was present and asked me to add something to his next piece of art on my way out which was hanging near the door—a vibrant, fun mess of additions from previous customers. He pulled out a cart of paints and gave me free rein! I felt like a certain spot needed a pop of blue so I added a blue eye with dramatic eyelashes, leaving a little piece of myself behind in Porto.
The blue & white hand-painted tiles of the Capela das Almas (Chapel of Souls) on Rua de Santa Catarina.
Our last stop of the day was Livraria Lello, the book store of my dreams. They use an entrance ticket-voucher system; the ticket-voucher value (starting at €10) is deductible against book purchases and you choose a timed slot when you buy your voucher. If you want to visit, buy the ticket-voucher online because you will need to plan your time slot in advance.
Standing over the stairs on the second floor of Livraria Lello book store.
We arrived a little early to our reservation so we walked up the little hill across from the book store to an outdoor bar—the perfect setting for a happy hour glass of wine. The bookstore was quite crowded, even with their time slot system, but not so much so that you couldn’t shop. They had a great selection of classics as well as newer books on both floors of the store. The stairs and the ceiling are what stand out the most about this unique building. It’s considered Neo-gothic with significant art nouveau influences (no wonder I like it so much). I ended up purchasing Heir by Sabaa Tahir and actually recently started it—as I just finally got around to it from my to-be-read shelf. I’m really liking it so far!
After the book store we picked up food on the way to our Airbnb and spent the night relaxing and enjoying the view from our spot.
Day 3 — Treasure Hunting & Sunset Over the Douro
In another day spend getting lost on winding streets, tiny shops, and adorable cafes, I happened upon Tricirculo —a little store hidden in the upstairs of a random building (there was only a sidewalk sign directing you to go up the stairs) of handmade clothes, vintage, and lingerie that I was drooling over (go if you love one-of-a-kind finds). I left with the cutest tote bag ever and a gorgeous wine-colored, handmade skirt.
After a cheap, delicious sandwich at Casa Guedes, we stopped to admire a lovely display of tulips in a small square and sat on a bench for a while to bask. We headed to Ponte Dom Luís for sunset—because that’s what all the Pinterest posts said to do—and I can confirm that the iconic double-deck bridge is the crowd magnet for a reason: photo ops and the view of the Douro River and surrounding historical architecture are unreal during golden hour.
A view of Porto from the top of Port Dom Luís right before sunset. The entire road below was temporarily blocked off for a few black cars to pass through—they must have been escorting someone very important somewhere!
Day 4 — Back to Lisbon: Flea Markets, Ginjinha & Alfama
The next day we picked up ham and cheese breakfast pastries at a nearby bakery and hopped onto the metro to get to the main train station. We headed back to Lisbon for a full afternoon of literal cardio: walking up countless stone stairs to get to our Airbnb in the historic quarter—Alfama / Sé— with our 50lb backpacks. The maze of stone alley ways, tile facades, and stairways that make Lisbon feel like a vertical city—it’s no wonder Americans describe it as the San Francisco of Europe. There was a flea market on the way to poke around and people everywhere, as Carnival was happening at the time.
There are tuk-tuk-style tours and tiny tourist buggies that do short runs up the hilliest streets if you need help getting your luggage up, but a lot of the alleys are completely inaccessible for vehicles, so you better bring good shoes. But trust me, the trek to Alfama with all your shit is worth it if you’re going to stay even for just a couple of nights. Lisbon’s historic neighborhood is difficult to put into words. Our Lisbon Airbnb looked over the central church (the Sé de Lisboa), and this view was arguably better than the one in Porto. I felt so spoiled being in the literal historic center, greeted by magic and history every time we came and went.
Once we made it up the narrow staircase to the 4th floor, we dropped our bags, freshened up, and admired the views. If you’re anything like me, you’ll want to wander the charming streets for quite a while—not so much for shopping as for admiration and awe.
As soon as we left our Airbnb, we walked right over to an indoor-outdoor bar with a stand selling cherry liquor shots. The liquor is called ginjinha (or ginja) — dangerously sweet, strong, and typically sold in tiny shot portions from stands though you can get it at a lot of bars; expect to pay roughly €1–€1.50 for a shot depending on the place. I recommend stopping at a random restaurant or bar and sitting outside to take it all in. Dinner that night was a tapas situation on a street called Cruzes da Sé—sangria, different church neighborhood views, and a soft Roman candle of a sunset.
Ironing my skirt from Tricirculo in our Alfama Airbnb with a gorgeous view of the historic neighborhood and the coast.
Day 5 — Sardines, Palácio Chiado Glamour, & Pink Street
We wandered away from Alfama to the city’s shopping lanes this day. We poked around Conserveira de Lisboa (the classic sardine/conservas shop)—shelves of tinned fish with many different flavors in ornate tins that make for unusual, quintessential Portuguese souvenirs. I’m not into sardines but if you’re shopping for edible souvenirs, this is the spot.
Dinner that night was a dream at Palácio Chiado felt like stepping into another century’s high society world and the food really delivered—10/10 flavor and quality, sleek dining and picture-perfect though I didn’t take very many. Next time I’m in Lisbon, I’m definitely going back.
Afterwards we wandered Pink Street (Cais do Sodré) which wasn’t far for cocktails in the old brothel-turned-bar scene. This area used to be the red light district where sailors from nearby docks would come. It was packed the night we went, all of the bars outdoor areas spilling over with rowdy but friendly crowds of tourists and locals since it was Carnival.
Pensão Amor on Pink Street was really cool to experience as a former brothel turned into a space of “fun, culture, and entertainment” as it says on their website. In easy blog-speak, it was a really cool historical bar with multiple floors of eclectic art and design playing off the establishment’s history. There was even a room full of sex toys for purchase!
One of the dining rooms in Palacio Chiado.
Day 6 — Belém Tower, Jerónimos Monastery, & Shopping in Príncipe Real
Torre de Belém (Belém Tower)—a Manueline jewel built in the early 1500s on the Tagus and UNESCO-listed— is a really interesting attraction. You need a ticket to enter which is really only worth it if you’re interested in military-related topics, because it’s free to admire it from the outside on the beach!
A short walk away is Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (Jerónimos Monastery)—the cloisters are breathtaking and were absolutely worth the hour long wait in the cold. The official site lists regular adult admission at €18; the church has separate visiting times (and was sadly closed for restoration efforts when we visited) and the ticket office hours are posted on the monument’s official page. The monastery was one of the things I was most excited to see for book research. I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from it for one of the castles in my story! The cold, cloudy weather added even more moodiness to the Gothic, Renaissance, and Moorish elements of its architecture.
It didn’t take as long as I thought it would to explore Belém’s main attractions, so we had even more time to explore one of Lisbon’s trendiest neighborhoods—Príncipe Real— where I was very much looking forward to shopping in the Embaxiada—a restored Neo-Moorish palace turned boutique shopping experience. Playing dress up in this particular store was a literal dream come true as a long-time fashion girly. I ended up getting a dress that isn't my typical style but it made me feel so ethereal, I just went for it.
We crossed the street to a little square for wine, espresso, and fries before continuing onto some really cool vintage shops slightly off the beaten path—keep your eyes peeled to find them, they weren’t the most obvious— where we found THE leather jacket to add to my capsule wardrobe! It fit me perfectly— the real leather was perfectly worn in, complete with moto elements and red satin on the inside. I literally had the zoomies because I was so excited about my shopping dreams come true!
We walked all the way to Cervejaria Ramiro—a very popular seafood restaurant, and I totally understand why. The inside was packed and boisterous in a fun way that only a locally famous restaurant can be. We opted for the more quiet, heated patio. I was so tired from all the walking and shopping that I had no energy left in me to crack crab legs.
I told our server as much to which he replied, “Ah, you want vacation crab.”
“Exactly.”
He brought out prepped and ready crab and a pot of butter garlic shrimp and oysters with a bottle of red. The most delicious way to end the evening. 10/10 recommend.
My dream store inside the Embaixada in the Príncipe Real neighborhood of Lisbon.
The inside of Jerónimos Monastery.
Standing on the beach outside of Belém Tower.
Day 7 — A Full Day of Castles in Sintra
Save at least one full day for Sintra. It only took about 45 minutes to get there using the metro, but there are five major castles in Sintra. We only went to two (Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira) and they ate up most of the day. The castles there are so wildly different in style and scale that it’s like teleporting between fantasy sets. There is so much to look at, so many details to notice, so many walkways through the surrounding forests to explore.
Initiation Well in Quinta da Regaleira—which connects you to a system of tunnels below ground that go all over the property, opening into various dark tunnels and grottos.
We got soaked in a heavy downpour while waiting in line to enter Quinta da Regaleira (so many tourists sheltering in random doorways for a whole hour after that because it was really coming down), but the rain made the palaces of Sintra look so moody-mystical—perfect for the vibes I was writing in my book at the time. Quinta da Regaleira was my favorite to explore and we were there for most of the day. By the afternoon the crowds had died down and it was nice to have some relative quiet on the castle grounds.
Definitely buy your tickets for the castles in advance (they’ll save you lots of queue time and sometimes money).
We left Sintra exhausted in the best way under the blessing of a rainbow. The perfect end to our insanely good trip to Portugal, for all its ups and downs. I’m so thankful that we were committed to creating a beautifully memorable trip for ourselves, I’ll never forget it. Don’t fight the waves, y’all. Roll with them and you’re guaranteed to have a much better time.
I can’t wait to go back!
Another view of Quinta da Regaleira.
