How should we do Portugal in 6 days?
 

Hello! My boyfriend and I are tentatively planning a trip to Portugal in late July. We don't have flights booked yet, but I'm thinking we'll fly into Lisbon on Friday, July 19th (leaving from the US on Thursday the 18th). We can leave from a smaller airport though (Faro or Porto), as we are then going to Ireland for a wedding (plan to leave Portugal for Ireland on Thursday, July 25th). What would you suggest to be the best route/cities to do in just 6 days? We are open to renting a car...boyfriend would like to surf at least once, and we're more into local social life (bars, restaurants, beaches, wineries) than museums/cathedrals (don't necessarily want to avoid them, just don't want to spend all our time on them).

Any suggestions? Thank you!!

Surfing is big on the southcoast on the west end.
You will probably find a train is more than enough but the big hits are Lisbon, Porto and Evora. However much of Northern Europe will be in town (you arrive in high season) so making some decisions about B&Bs might be a good idea.

Hi,
I´m glad you choose Portugal, you’ll like it for sure.
You should consider 1 or days for Lisbon, the old city by night you can’t miss and if you stay in the center, it’s even easier you can walk everywhere. For surfing the best places near Lisbon are Praia Grande e Ericeira about 40 min by car. Than because it’s Summer I suggest you go south, by the coast, Tróia, Porto Covo, Zamujeira do Mar and Odeceixe. These are all typical village by the ocean in the end you will be at about 100km from Faro.

You might consider just staying with Northern Portugal. You could fly in and out of Porto, and do the north. There are some nice beaches north of Porto, not sure about surfing but perhaps. Lots of beautiful scenery, historic towns, and it's cooler in the north in summer. We spent 6 days there a few years back--spent 3 days in Porto and 3 days driving around the north, as far as the border with Spain.

There are a number of surfing schools south of Lisbon in a protected nat. park area just south of Setabul before you get to Porto Cova..Awesome!! No development allowed and beaches are priatine!! Don't know about the surf north of Lisbon but Porto is great also..

"priatine" is a newly minted word (HAHAHA) meaning, of course, pristine!!