hello! And thank you in advance for any advice because trying to fit everything in is completely overwhelming!
we are a couple in our 30s that enjoys both city sites and more off the beaten path routes. We don’t mind changing hotels every other day, but definitely wanted to get a good amount of relaxation time at the beaches.
Here’s what I’ve got so far
June
25th- arrive in Porto for 3 nights. With 2 full days we can explore the city for one day and maybe a day trip to duaro valley on one day.
28th- drive to Nazare then Coimbra for a night because we were recommended a beautiful boutique hotel
29th- drive to Evora for 3 nights since the drive south will be a long one (although maybe 2 nights one full day instead?)
July 2nd- arrive in the south beach towns and stay between Portimão or Lagos or both maybe also Arrifana for 5 nights
7th-Lisbon 3 nights and fly out on the 10th.
We will return the rental car when we get to Lisbon and do a Day trip to Sintra.
If you have any advice or see any blaring mistakes please let me know!

Why Nazare just for part of a day? Been there -nice seaside town with a few nice sights but little to warrant IMO much attention when there is so much else easier to hit that day - like Batlaha Monastery - a UNESCO World Heritage Site more on way and Coimbra is also wonderful - check out the University area in upper town -I'd scratch Nazare for sure in favor of those other places.

Yes Evora one less day.

I just returned from my second trip to Portugal. We had 6 days in the Algarve and 3 in Lisbon (although I had a week there on my last trip). I found the Algarve underwhelming. Lagos has a nice old town and some beautiful cliffs and caves in one direction out of town, good long beach out of town in the other direction. If you want beach time plus a bit of an old town that would be my suggestion. Faro also has a somewhat interesting old town, and Tavira even better, but neither of them had a beach right in town. Between Lagos and Faro is mostly concrete high rises, golf courses and towns filled with bars. With a car you could easily see the interesting towns in 2 days, plus whatever beach time you want. But from what I saw of the beaches there were average at best. The cliffs outside of Lagos was the only thing at all unique.

I don't think 3 nights in Lisbon with a day trip to Sintra is enough. I would add at least a day to that.

On my previous trip we drove from Lisbon to Evora (and Monsaraz) to Marvao to Combria to Nazare to Batlaha Monastery to Obidos back to Lisbon. We spent a total of 12 days for that trip, including 6 in Lisbon (with day trip to Sinta). We felt the timing for that was good. I enjoyed that trip much more than my most recent one, although I admit the weather could have influcenced that. The first trip was in July with perfect summer weather, this trip was in March with rain half the time. I also found Lisbon to be much more tourist-crowded than it was 12 years ago.
Here's my trip report for that trip - https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...photos-639700/
Photos are now at: Zenfolio | Isabel's_View | Portugal

I will post a trip report and photos from the recent trip to the Algarve/Lisbon in the next week or two.

Sintra is easy to do on own by freqeunt trains - no need to book in advance - commuter trains - but it would be nice also by car because then you could keep going west till you can't go no further to Cabo di Rabo, the westernmost piece of the European continent and where waves contunally crash thunderously into the shore. then drive to Cascais and back to Lisbon - I did this all by train and bus and train so could do it all sans car too.

We always stay in Albufeira, but that's mid March when its deserted. You might want to consider Alvor. Here's a cut & paste from what I just said in another thread: "We go to Algarve every year and the spots we still enjoy between Lagos and Tavira (it is getting really built up) going west to east, are the small town and boarded nature walkways at Alvor, the cliff walks and beach cafe at Senora de Rocha, the gorgeous little neighboring beaches Praia de Arrifes & Praia de Sao Rafael, the picture perfect town of Alte up north in the hills, the little beach with lots of cafes at Olhos de Agua at low tide, and east of Tavira whitewashed Cacela Velha. Also the old fortress at Castro Marim."