5 Days in Portugal by Train — Lisbon, Porto & the Douro

Day 1 — Lisbon: Chiado, Alfama, sunset

Morning: Arrive, drop bags, walk Chiado and the Baixa grid. Coffee at A Brasileira or, better, at any counter nearby.
13:00 Lunch at Time Out Market if you must, or a tasca in Bica if you would rather eat well.
15:00 Tram 28 or the walk up through Graça; São Jorge Castle ramparts.
18:30 Miradouro da Graça for sunset.
20:30 Dinner in Alfama; fado afterwards if you are still awake.

Day 2 — Belém and the river, then the evening train north

09:30 Jerónimos Monastery at opening, then Pastéis de Belém.
12:00 MAAT roof and the riverside walk to Alcântara.
13:30 Lunch at LX Factory.
15:30 Collect bags; metro to Oriente or Santa Apolónia.
17:00 Alfa Pendular to Porto Campanhã — 2h50, €31.90 in comfort class booked ahead. Sit on the left for glimpses of the Atlantic near Ovar.
20:15 Arrive Porto; metro two stops to Trindade; dinner in Cedofeita.

Day 3 — Porto: the old city and the cellars

09:00 São Bento station tiles, then Sé cathedral and its cloister.
10:30 Clérigos Tower (€10) for orientation, then Livraria Lello if pre-booked.
12:30 Lunch at Mercado do Bolhão's upper counters.
14:30 Walk the upper deck of the Dom Luís I bridge into Gaia.
15:30 Port lodge visit — Taylor's (€25) or Graham's (€30). Take the terrace table.
18:30 Teleférico de Gaia down to the quay; ferry or walk back across the lower deck.
20:30 Dinner in Bonfim. Francesinha if you dare; otherwise bacalhau à Gomes de Sá.

Day 4 — Douro Valley by the river line

09:15 Train from São Bento to Pinhão (€14.50, 2h10). The last hour runs at water level.
11:30 Quinta do Bomfim, five minutes from the station: tour and three tastings, €25.
13:15 Lunch overlooking the river at Quinta de la Rosa or in Pinhão village.
15:00 One-hour rabelo cruise from the quay, €18.
16:30 Coffee by the tiled station; photograph the 1937 azulejo panels.
18:25 Train back to Porto, arriving 20:35. Light dinner near Aliados.

Upgrade: stay the night at a quinta instead and return to Porto on the 10:15 the next morning. It costs about €140 more and is the single best improvement to this itinerary.

Day 5 — Foz, Matosinhos and the flight home

09:30 Tram 1 along the river to Foz do Douro (€4).
10:30 Walk the Pergola da Foz promenade to Praia do Homem do Leme.
12:30 Metro to Matosinhos; grilled fish on Rua Heróis de França, €16–22.
15:00 Metro line E direct to the airport, 25 minutes.

Budget breakdown

Item	Per person
Accommodation (4 nights, mid-range, shared double)	€270
Rail: Lisbon–Porto, Porto–Pinhão return, local transport	€72
Food and drink	€175
Port lodge + quinta tastings	€55
Attractions (castle, Jerónimos, Clérigos, Lello, cruise)	€62
Total	€634

Book Alfa Pendular tickets on the CP website as soon as they open (roughly 60 days ahead) for promotional fares from €19.90. Walk-up fares are double.

Itinerary FAQ

Should I start in Lisbon or Porto?

Either works. Starting in Lisbon and flying home from Porto avoids backtracking — most airlines price multi-city tickets reasonably.

Can I add Coimbra?

Yes. The Lisbon–Porto train stops at Coimbra-B. Break the journey for four hours, see the Joanina Library, then continue. Store luggage at the station.

Is the Douro worth a full day?

Yes. It is the one landscape in Portugal that no city can substitute for, and the train journey is half the pleasure.

What if I only have four days?

Cut the Douro and spend a third day in Porto, or cut a Lisbon day and keep the valley. Do not cut both cities to half a day each.