Portugal,

Portugal is the country people fall for quietly. After the first trip, they start talking about moving. There’s the light — this clean, slanting Atlantic light that photographers chase. There’s the coast — wilder than you expect, cheaper than you expect, and still uncrowded if you know when to go. And there’s the tempo, which is slower than the rest of Western Europe and somehow more generous for it.

We’ve come back three times: a long weekend in Lisbon, a train loop through Porto and the Douro, and a slow week driving the Algarve off-season. Each trip refined our answer to the same question — start where? — and we settle on the same order: Lisbon first, Porto second, the coast whenever you can stretch to a week.

Spring (April–June) is our favourite: mid-20s, everything blooming, and the coast still uncrowded. Autumn (September–October) is the smart second choice — the sea is warmest in September, the harvest is on in the Douro, and prices drop from mid-October.

Summer (July–August) is hot and busy — the Algarve coast and Lisbon’s miradouros get packed, and inland temperatures crack 40°C. Winter is mild, rainy, and quietly lovely for city breaks: Lisbon at Christmas, Porto in the drizzle, €60 hotels.

Ride Tram 28 in Lisbon. Touristy, we know, but at 7 a.m. before the crowds it’s still one of the best ways to see the city climb.

Drink port in a Vila Nova de Gaia cellar. The Graham’s and Taylor’s tastings are tourist-friendly; Calém is cheaper and just as good.

Drive the Algarve coast road west of Lagos. Carvoeiro, Benagil, Sagres — you can do it in a day, but two is better.

Eat a pastel de nata at Manteigaria. Better than the Belém original, we’ll defend that opinion.

For a first trip: five nights split between Lisbon (3) and Porto (2), train between them. For a beach-focused trip: fly into Faro and base from Lagos or Tavira.

Lisbon neighbourhoods: Alfama for character (steep, atmospheric), Chiado for convenience, Príncipe Real for cafés. Skip Parque das Nações unless you have a conference. Porto: Ribeira for the view, Cedofeita for cool bars, Vila Nova de Gaia for port lodges.

Trains are the easy answer between cities. CP connects Lisbon to Porto in under three hours; the Alfa Pendular is worth the extra euros. The Algarve line runs along the coast from Lagos to Vila Real de Santo António.

Inside cities: Lisbon’s metro is cheap and reliable, but hills will beat your legs — grab a 24h pass and mix it with the funiculars. Porto is walkable end to end. Rent a car only for the Douro, the Alentejo, or exploring the Algarve coast villages.

Portuguese food is built around the Atlantic and the grill. It’s simple in a way that feels confident: good ingredients, not much messing about.

What we always eat: a proper bifana (pork sandwich, no fuss) for lunch, grilled sardines in summer, bacalhau à brás any time, pastéis de nata every single morning, and a glass of vinho verde with anything. For dinner, go for a tasca — the neighbourhood spot with paper tablecloths — over a trendy place. The trendy places are usually also good, just pricier.

Portugal is the country we tell every friend starting European travel to go to first. It’s cheaper than Spain, quieter than Italy, kinder than France — and the Atlantic hands you drama every day. Start with Lisbon, take the train to Porto, come back for the Algarve when the beach calls. We’ve been three times and we’re already planning the fourth.

Both, always. But if pushed: Lisbon for light, miradouros, and scale; Porto for port, architecture, and walkability. A long weekend does neither justice — give it a week and train between them. The journey is part of the trip.

Yes, if you avoid the big resort towns (Albufeira, Praia da Rocha). Base from Tavira in the east or Sagres in the west — both are coastal villages with character, proper food, and beaches you can actually park at. Go in June or September if you can.