Cover Photo by Maksym Kaharlytskyi on Unsplash


The allure of Portugal is undeniable. The delicious food, the laid-back ambience, the history, the culture, the sun. This is a country where you can tour UNESCO World Heritage Sites by day, then spend a relaxing evening with a glass of Douro Valley port wine in hand. To fully experience this incredible destination, don’t hem yourself into someone else’s idea of the perfect vacation. Instead, consider a self-drive holiday through Portugal, traveling at your own pace, seeing the places you’ve dreamed of the way you want to see them. 

With a personalized Portugal self-drive itinerary in hand, you’ll set off to experience classic accommodations - think romantic pousada guesthouses and boutique hotels - stopping wherever your whims take you and living for unexpected detours that lead to magical moments. And there’s nothing to worry about along the way because self-drive vacations come with around-the-clock services should any mishaps arise. 

Let’s look at a sample Portugal self-drive itinerary. I promise - you won’t be able to resist.

Day 1: Lisbon 


Photo by Diego García on Unsplash

Spend a little time in the delightful Portuguese capital before embarking on your self-drive vacation.  Visit the Jeronimos Monastery, Belem Tower and more, then attend a fado performance in the evening. 

Day 2: Evora & Alentejo 


Photo by Frank Nürnberger on Unsplash

Take a day trip from Lisbon to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Evora to see its ancient Roman temple and medieval aqueduct. Stop in Alentejo to sip local wines and enjoy lunch at a vineyard surrounded by olive and cork trees. Want more? Drive to Sintra, Cascais or Estoril for more sightseeing. 

Day 3: Lisbon to Coimbra 


Photo by Yaroslav Talyzin on Unsplash

Start your self-drive vacation as you make your way to Fatima, site of one of the largest Catholic pilgrimages. Move on to Coimbra, one of Portugal's oldest cities and home to one of the world’s first universities. Along the way, consider a stop in Obidos for its ornate city gate with a tiny Baroque chapel built into it. 

Day 4: Coimbra to Porto


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Continue north to ancient Porto for its plethora of historic and cultural attractions and traditions. Don’t miss the 19th-century Bucaco palace, a former royal residence in the Bucaco National Forest.

Day 5: Porto

Spend as much time as you like in Porto, perhaps taking a Douro river cruise, visiting a port wine cellar for a tasting and touring the Clerigos Tower, Carmelitas Church, famous Batalha Square and Santa Caterina Street and St. Johns Theater. 

Day 6: Douro Valley 


Photo by João Brandão on Unsplash

Using Porto as a home base, drive into the Douro Valley, stopping at the various farmhouse (quinta) wineries you’ll pass. This is the best part of a self-drive vacation: Your time is your own and you can stop on a whim. Along the way, don’t miss the Coa Valley Archaeological Park, an open-air Paleothic site where you can view prehistoric rock art. From here, you can return to Porto, then head back to Lisbon, again taking as much or as little time as you please. 

Need suggestions on where to stay, where to dine and what to do? We can do that. Your self-drive itinerary need not be self-planned. That’s the bonus here - when we work together, we can craft the route that appeals to you and I can offer tried-and-true accommodation choices based on your travel style and preferences, seek out and make reservations at off-the-beaten-path restaurants and set up guided or self-guided sightseeing in the destinations that speak to you. 

Ready to explore Portugal on a self-drive vacation? Let's schedule a consultation so that I can learn more about you and your interests so that I can put together some options for you. Not ready yet but want to see more inspiration for future travels? Sign up for my weekly newsletter: