Portugal’s Powerhouse Cities by Train: Porto, Coimbra and Lisbon

Hit the ground running today with a private walking tour of historic Porto and the wine cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia. Rising up from the shores of the peaceful Douro River, Porto displays its delights through a succession of Art Deco architecture, traditional workshops and charming old-fashioned restaurants, all punctuated by grand monumental historic buildings. Discover emblematic sights like the 12th-century cathedral, the 18th-century Clérigos Tower, the iconic bridge of Ponte Luis and the São Bento station, with its formidable azulejo (traditional tiles) decor. Enjoy a refreshing drink and sit down in the historic centre before heading over to the Douro to Vila Nova de Gaia, the city’s historic hub of the local port wine industry. Here, you can experience the delights of port wine, from the grandiose cellars to the tasting rooms of major port merchants. As for this afternoon, you can continue wining and dining your way around the city, or we can arrange for you to discover more of the city’s must-sees by electric bike.

Wave goodbye to the bright lights of Porto as you travel just under two hours by train to Coimbra. The journey is extremely scenic, so have your camera at the ready as you pass several picturesque valleys and plenty of charming countryside. On arrival, settle in for two nights in a beautiful hotel located near the iconic university (the oldest in Portugal) and spend the rest of today getting a taste of local life in the medieval centre. You can turn to your destination-specific Dossier, which is full of our top picks for wining and dining in the area. Weather permitting, we recommend hitting one of the city’s classic rooftop bars to enjoy a birds-eye view of historic Coimbra.

Renowned as being Portugal’s most important university town (think Portugal’s equivalent to Oxford or Cambridge), Coimbra’s showpiece is certainly its 13th-century university. Even today, this medieval institution stands out for the quality of its teaching, traditional black-robe uniform and splendid buildings which were once adorned with gold from Brazil in the 17th century. The famous Joanina Library is particularly beautiful, with its gilded wood and collection of ancient books. After exploring the university, continue on to the Church of the Holy Cross, which also delights with its architectural prowess. You can explore the city at your own pace, or we can arrange for you to follow in the footsteps of a seasoned local guide. As for this evening, why not settle into one of the historic centre’s many traditional bars to enjoy some tapas and drinks to the sounds of Portugal’s iconic, and very melancholic, fado music.

Swap the medieval relics of Coimbra for the coastal cosmopolitan delights of Lisbon. Your blink-and-you’ll-miss-it train journey (less than two hours) will get you into the city just in time for lunch. Check in to your classic hotel nestled in the historic centre and spend the rest of today taking the pulse of the vibrant capital. We recommend once again turning to your handy Dossier for our recommendations for wining and dining. If you enjoyed getting a taste for fado in Coimbra then make sure to head to the atmospheric Chiado district for a dose of soulful sounds to round off your first evening in Lisbon.

Rise and shine, you only have one full day in Lisbon and there’s not a moment to waste. After a delicious breakfast at your hotel this morning you’ll be met by a clued-up local guide who’ll be taking you on an insider’s tour of the city. The walk is relaxed and based around you, which means you can be totally spontaneous. We recommend sticking to the cultural theme of the holiday by visiting some of the city’s renowned hubs of artistic heritage. There’s the National Museum of Ancient Art, which houses the Temptation of St. Anthony painting by Hieronymus Bosch; the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, which contains one of the world’s most important private art collections, including the Hours of Catherine of Cleves, a Gothic-style manuscript; and the National Tile Museum, which displays and celebrates azulejos, traditional tiles that have come to characterise Portugal’s particular architecture. Those keen for a dose of contemporary entertainment could opt to visit the Electricity Museum, a sort of science-culture centre in Belem, or the Oceanarium, which houses over 15,000 marine creatures from 500 species. Round off your walking tour with a stroll through the wonderfully renovated docks along the backs of the Tagus, which now feature a motley collection of micro-breweries, concept stores and market stalls. The rest of today is then yours to spend further discovering the delights of Lisbon at your own pace. You can browse the designer boutiques of Bairro Alto, sail across the Tagus to the pretty town of Cacilhas for a different view of Lisbon or give your taste buds a treat with a bite to eat in one of Lisbon’s many fabulous seafood restaurants. If you fancy something a little more small-town, you could instead opt to spend your final day in Portugal discovering the cultural heritage of nearby Sintra with a private guide.