The very title of this tour is a mistake. There is no way to see all of Portugal in 1 week, just some of its highlights. But you can have a memorable vacation in Portugal if you budget your time carefully. You can use the following itinerary to make the most of a week in Portugal, but feel free to drop one or two places to spare a day to relax.

Days 1 to 3 Lisbon: Gateway to Portugal

Lisbon is the highlight of Portugal, as befits a capital, and is also the arrival point for most train, plane and bus travel. Try to get to Lisbon as early as possible in the morning to get in a full round of the citys attractions.

After checking into a hotel, head to  Alfama,  culminating in a visit to  São Jorge Castle  (  São Jorge Castle  ), where you will also be treated to the most panoramic view of all of Lisbon. Stroll the narrow streets of Alfama for 2 hours.

In the afternoon, head to the suburb of  Belém,  where you can visit the  Jeronimos Monastery  ,  Torre de Belém  , and later the  National Coach Museum  (  National Coach Museum  ). Spend the night going to a fado club where you can not only enjoy a regional dinner, but also listen to some of the countrys favorite songs.

On day 2, travel outside Lisbon to glorious  Sintra,  Portugals most beautiful city - Lord Byron compared it to Eden. You can spend a whole day here wandering around, losing yourself in its picturesque streets. However, allow sufficient time to visit its two main attractions, the  National Palace  and the  National Palace of Pena  . Return to Lisbon at night.

On the morning of Day 3, clear Lisbons main attractions that you didnt have time to see on the first day. Among them is the  Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Museum  , one of the best private art collections in the world, set up by mogul Calouste Gulbenkian, and now reinforced by new legacies. Set aside an hour and a half for a visit. Follow with a morning visit to  the National Museum of Ancient Art  , which will take at least another hour and a half. This is the largest museum in the country and a showcase of its national treasures, which include some of Europes greatest ancient master paintings.

In the afternoon, after lunch in a typical Lisbon tavern, take our walking tour of Baixa, central Lisbon and  Chiado  . This will take up to 3 hours of your afternoon. If you still have time, indulge in some shopping by walking the streets of  Rua Áurea  or  Rua de Prata  .

Days 4 and 5 Costa del Sol: Lisbon Riviera

Leave Lisbon in the morning and head west along its Riviera, Costa del Sol.  The best place to stay is the old fishing village of  Cascais,  now a major beach resort. You can stop and explore  Estoril  in the morning as it is only 24 km (15 miles) west of Lisbon. At this former rehab site, stroll through  Estoril Park  in the city center and spend an hour or two on the beach, weather permitting.

Continue to  Cascais,  6.5 km (4 miles) west of Estoril at night. You can arrive early enough for a seafood lunch, which can be enjoyed after checking in at a hotel. The rest of the day can be spent wandering the narrow streets, shopping and sightseeing. Although the city has museums, none are more intriguing than the streets of the city itself. In summer, make hotel reservations in advance. If you skipped beach time in Estoril, you can go to the sands of Cascais.

If you want to take an afternoon excursion, make it to  Boca do Inferno  (  Boca do Inferno  ) to see its thundering Atlantic waves.

On day 5, after time on the beach in the morning, devote the rest of the day to nearby excursions. Number one is the  Queluz National Palace  , the most brilliant example of the rococo style of architecture in Portugal. After spending an hour and a half exploring the royal palace, dine at the  Old Kitchen  (  former kitchen  ), one of the most evocative of the region and the palaces ancient cuisine.

Later that afternoon, head to  Guincho  to  enjoy  the treacherous ocean landscape, one of the most dramatic in Europe. Return to Cascais at night.

Day 6 Óbidos, Alcobaça and Battle

If you cant visit all these attractions in 1 day,  arrive  in  Óbidos  and  Alcobaça  on the 6th, and stop at  Batalha on  the way to Coimbra on the 7th. To see Portugals most charming medieval town, continue north of Lisbon for 93 km ( 58 miles) to Óbidos, or a shorter distance if you spend the night in Cascais.

If you leave the Greater Lisbon area early enough, you can be in Óbidos within 2 hours of sightseeing, followed by lunch at the  Óbidos Castle  , the most famous - and rightly so - restaurant in Portugal.

Leave Óbidos after lunch and drive to Alcobaça, 38 km (24 miles) northeast of Óbidos. Once here, you can spend an hour visiting the  Santa Maria Monastery  , once one of the richest and most prestigious monasteries in Europe, dating from 1178. Look in particular for its luxurious Gothic tombs.

After a visit, continue northeast to Batalha, spending an hour and a half exploring the  Santa Maria da Vitória Monastery  . Even today celebrated for its royal cloisters in the fourteenth century, this was the most luxurious and grand monastery in the entire country - most of its former glory remains.

Accommodation is limited in Alcobaça and Batalha. If you have not made reservations in advance in the summer, you may have to continue to our last stop, the city of Coimbra, at night.

Day 7 Coimbra: University City

Outside Lisbon and the second city of Porto, Portugals most romantic and historic city is Coimbra, located 198 km north of Lisbon. It can be easily reached from Óbidos, Alcobaça or Batalha if stopped at any of these places on the 6th.

For a full day of sightseeing, you can visit Coimbras main monuments, including the  Old Cathedral,  the old cathedral, and the  Old University  , founded in 1537. Also of interest are the  University General Library,  the university library, founded in 1716, and  Holy Cross Church and Monastery  , dating from the 12th century.

Overnight in Coimbra before making the 1.5 hour trip to Lisbon in the morning for your return trip home.

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