A week in Portugal - Lisbon or Porto?

Destinations Portugal
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Hello,

I have a week spare between two other destinations I’m visiting and am thinking of visiting Portugal. I’ll likely be booking my own accommodation and might take a day tour or two, but I am ultimately keen on slow living for a week, of which the culture is famous for.

I don’t really want to jump between two cities, as I’d prefer to have a ‘home base’ for a week, but I can’t decide between Lisbon or Porto? Any recommendations?

Thanks!

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I have been to Lisbon and I loved it. I think it could be a great fit for what you are looking for. Even though it’s the capital, it still has a laid back vibe in many areas, especially if you base yourself in one of the quieter neighbourhoods. I spent my time wandering around the different districts, enjoying long, slow meals, people-watching at cafés, and just soaking up the local way of living. There are also plenty of easy day trips if you want a bit of variety without changing your base places like Sintra or Cascais. I hope this helps! :grinning_face:

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I have been to both…that’s tough!
Porto: definitely good for a slow week! Very walkable, nice parks etc. You could do a Douro River cruise or wine/port tour? If the weather is good, there is a beach not too far away as well. Good restaurants and bars!
Lisbon: also a great option, the center of the city can get quite busy though, but it’s easy to escape to quieter side streets and neighbourhoods. Also easy for day trips like Sintra or the beaches! The Feira da Ladra on Tuesdays/Saturdays is also a lot of fun to walk around and find cool trinkets

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Thank you @bagelabroad ! This is really helpful :folded_hands:

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You can’t go wrong with either option, but if you have to choose, Lisbon has a lot more connectivity and quite a lot to explore in and around.

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I havent been to Porto but spent a week or so in Lisbon which I loved. Highly recommend a day trip to Sintra, it is beautiful there!

If you go over Autunm/winter then You can also do a day trip to Nazarè, I’ve always wanted go there to see the giant wave surfing!

But in a week you could easily do both! Maybe even a tour in Portugal to see a few areas :slight_smile:

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