Portugal is a genuinely easy country to see by train, with a compact network run by CP (Comboios de Portugal) linking its best-known stops in journeys that rarely take more than a couple of hours. This itinerary runs south from Porto to Lisbon over a week, with a detour into the Douro Valley and a day out to Sintra, giving a good spread of city, countryside and coast without ever requiring a car.
The shape of the week
This route runs Porto → the Douro Valley → Coimbra → Lisbon → Sintra, moving generally south, with Sintra worked in as a day trip from Lisbon rather than a separate base. It assumes you fly into Porto and out of Lisbon, or the reverse — both have well-connected international airports linked to the city centre by metro. Every leg described uses CP's ordinary network; no tourist-only scenic train is required, though the Douro line itself is scenic in its own right on a standard regional service.
Day 1: Porto
Porto rewards slow wandering more than a checklist: the Ribeira riverfront, the Livraria Lello bookshop (now ticketed and timed, due to its fame, so book ahead if you want to see it), and — the point of being here at all — a visit to one of the port wine lodges across the river in Vila Nova de Gaia, most of which offer tastings and cellar tours without a booking, though the well-known names get busy in peak season.
Day 2: The Douro Valley
The train line up the Douro Valley from Porto's São Bento station is one of the great short rail journeys in Europe — a slow regional service hugging the river through terraced vineyards, taking around two to two and a half hours to reach Pinhão, deep in port wine country. See our Porto to the Douro Valley guide for the full detail on timings and whether to add a river cruise. This works well as a long day trip back to Porto, or, if your pace allows, an overnight stay at a quinta (wine estate) in the valley before returning the next morning.
Day 3: Porto to Coimbra
Trains from Porto to Coimbra take a little over an hour on the fastest services, making this a short, easy travel morning that leaves the rest of the day free. Coimbra's steep, atmospheric old town is built around one of Europe's oldest universities, and the university complex itself — including the ornate Joanina Library — is worth several hours alone. The city rewards an unhurried single-day visit rather than a rushed half-day between trains.
Days 4–6: Lisbon
Coimbra to Lisbon takes around two hours by the fastest CP service; see our Lisbon to Coimbra guide for the specific options. Three days in Lisbon is enough to cover the essentials at a reasonable pace: the Alfama district's steep lanes and viewpoints, Belém's monuments and pastéis de nata, a tram ride on the famous but genuinely useful number 28 route, and at least one evening spent simply eating well rather than sightseeing. Lisbon's compact size and functioning metro mean three days here doesn't feel rushed the way three days in a larger capital might.
Day 7: Sintra
Sintra is a straightforward half-day-to-full-day trip from Lisbon by frequent commuter train, taking around 40 minutes from Rossio station. The town's palaces — Pena Palace above all, but also Quinta da Regaleira and the Moorish Castle — are spread across a hillside rather than clustered together, so budget more time than you'd expect and consider a local bus or tuk-tuk between sites rather than trying to walk the steep distances between them in a single day. Sintra is extremely popular; arriving as early as the first trains allow makes a real difference to both crowds and the heat in summer.
Tickets and reservations
CP's Alfa Pendular (the fastest inter-city service, used for the longer legs like Porto–Coimbra–Lisbon) requires a seat reservation, included automatically when you buy a ticket for that specific train. Regional and suburban trains — including the Sintra and Douro Valley lines — do not require reservations and operate on a simpler turn-up basis. Booking Alfa Pendular tickets a little in advance tends to secure a better price, though Portugal's fares are relatively affordable by Western European standards even close to departure. See our Portugal by train guide for a fuller look at how the CP network fits together beyond this itinerary.
Extending west or south
If you have more time than a week, this itinerary connects naturally onward: west into Spain via Porto to Madrid or Madrid to Lisbon, or south from Lisbon toward the Algarve via Lisbon to Faro. Each adds a genuinely different flavour to the trip — Spain's high-speed network for the former, Portugal's south coast for the latter — without disrupting the core week described here.
Budgeting and timing
Portugal remains one of Western Europe's better-value countries for both rail travel and accommodation, and this itinerary is achievable on a more modest budget than an equivalent week in, say, Italy or Switzerland. Spring and autumn offer the most comfortable weather for walking Sintra's hills and Coimbra's steep streets; high summer brings strong heat inland, particularly in the Douro Valley, alongside the largest crowds at every major sight.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to reserve seats on every train in this itinerary?
Only the Alfa Pendular inter-city services (used for the longer legs) require a reservation, which is included when you buy your ticket. Regional trains, including the Douro Valley and Sintra lines, run on a simpler walk-up basis with no reservation needed.
Is a week enough time for this Portugal itinerary?
It's a comfortable pace with three nights in Lisbon and shorter stops elsewhere, including day trips into the Douro Valley and to Sintra. Extending by a few days to overnight in the Douro Valley or add the Algarve is a natural next step if you have more time.
Should I book Pena Palace and other Sintra sights in advance?
Yes. Sintra's main palaces use timed-entry tickets that sell out on busy days, especially in summer. Book online ahead of your visit and arrive as early in the day as you can manage.
Can I do the Douro Valley as a day trip, or should I stay overnight?
Both work. A day trip from Porto is entirely realistic given the roughly two-to-two-and-a-half-hour train journey each way, but an overnight stay at a quinta in the valley allows a more relaxed pace and typically includes a proper wine-focused dinner, which a rushed day trip doesn't allow time for.
Sources and further reading:
- Train timetables and tickets: CP – Comboios de Portugal (cp.pt).
- Sintra palace tickets and timed entry: Parques de Sintra (parquesdesintra.pt).
- European rail route planning: The Man in Seat 61.