Why this route
Lisbon first, because the city deserves more than the two days people usually give it on the way to the beach. Then three hours south by train to Lagos, where the Algarve stops being golf resorts and starts being cliffs, grilled sardines and water the colour of those adverts you don't quite believe.
The surf lesson is included because almost everyone says "maybe" at the quote stage and then loves it. If you definitely won't surf, we'll swap it for a kayak session in the grottos or take €25 off. Yes, those grottos — the ones you're not allowed to walk into anymore since the ceiling incident, but you boat right up to them.
Sample itinerary
- Day 1 — Fly into Lisbon, transfer to your hotel in Graça. Evening: the tram's right there, miradouros and a glass of vinho verde at a kiosk with plastic chairs and an unreasonable view.
- Day 2 — Alfama on foot in the morning, Castelo and the cathedral, then the Tile Museum, which sounds boring and isn't.
- Day 3 — Train day trip to Sintra (tickets booked for you). Pena Palace early, Quinta da Regaleira after, pastries in between.
- Day 4 — Belém — the monastery, the tower, and the original pastéis de nata shop. You will queue. It's worth it. Yes, even at that length.
- Day 5 — LX Factory and the riverfront, fado dinner in the evening. We book the table; the crying into your dinner is traditional and optional.
- Day 6 — Morning train south to Lagos (booked, seats reserved). Afternoon on Meia Praia recalibrating to beach time.
- Day 7 — Boat trip to Ponta da Piedade — the cliffs, the arches, the impossibly blue water.
- Day 8 — Your surf lesson, near Arrifana. Wetsuits included; dignity not guaranteed but usually survives.
- Day 9 — Free day. Popular picks: Sagres and the end-of-the-world feeling at the cape, or a lazy day of fish restaurants and nothing.
- Day 10 — Transfer to Faro airport, fly home, attempt to explain to colleagues why you're now obsessed with tiles.
What's included
- Return flights from major EU airports, 20kg checked bag
- 5 nights Lisbon + 5 nights Algarve, 4★ stays, breakfast daily
- Airport transfers, Sintra day trip and the Lisbon–Lagos train
- Ponta da Piedade boat trip and one surf lesson
- Fado dinner reservation and our eating notes for both stops
Not included: travel insurance, lunches, that ceramic rooster you'll somehow buy, and the second surf lesson you'll want after the first one.
Hotels we use
Hotel Miradouro, Lisbon
4★ · Graça, two miradouros within stumbling distance · Rooftop bar where the sunset does the work.
Praia Viva, Lagos
4★ · Directly behind the dunes of Meia Praia · Pool, honest breakfast, staff who remember your coffee order by day two.
Casa Atalaia, Lisbon (upgrade)
Boutique option in Chiado · Smaller rooms, better location · +€110 per person for the five nights, if you'd rather walk everywhere.
Portugal FAQ
When's the best time to go?
May, June, late September, October. July and August are hot in Lisbon (30°C+ and the hills are no joke) and the Algarve is at peak family volume. September is the sweet spot: sea at its warmest, crowds gone, everything still open.
Do I need to be fit for the surf lesson?
You need to be able to swim and get up off a beach a dozen times. That's genuinely it — the beaches we use have gentle beginner waves and instructors who've seen every level of incompetence, including ours. Most people stand within the first hour. The ones who don't are usually the ones who skipped the warm-up.
Lisbon looks hilly. Is that a problem?
It is hilly, gloriously so. The trams, funiculars and the metro handle most of it if your knees object — we include a rechargeable transit card preloaded for your stay. Ask for a hotel-room floor preference at the quote stage and we'll pass it on.
Can I extend to Seville or Porto?
Porto, easily — add a night in Lisbon and take the fast train north. Seville needs a flight or a long bus; doable, but it usually deserves its own trip. Tell us at the quote stage and we'll rebuild the route around it rather than bolting it on badly.
How much should I budget beyond the package?
Portugal is one of Western Europe's bargains: €50–80 a day covers proper restaurant dinners. Lisbon's Michelin-tasting menus cost what a mid-range dinner costs in Hamburg, if that's your thing.
Book it
From-price shown is for shoulder season with flights from most major EU airports. Send us your dates and airport and we'll come back with a real quote, usually within a day. Past travellers said nicer things than we would — have a read.