Porto
-7%€56median tour
€35middle half of tours€89
- 42% under €50
- #23 cheapest of 50
Europe · 14 cities
Things to Do in Portugal
Fourteen Portuguese destinations in one place: how to do Sintra without losing the day to a queue, what the Douro actually involves, and what a tour costs in Lisbon and Porto.
10,792 tours listed by Viator 14 cities we cover Median tour €56–€70 Free cancellation
Where to go
Cities of Portugal
In the order Viator’s own catalogue puts them — most-booked first, not alphabetical.
Full list
All cities, by region
Grouped by region using Viator’s own map of the country. The first block is the places it files directly under Portugal.
What it costs
What tours cost in Portugal
From our own price index — 2,400 tours across 50 cities, collected August 2026. Medians, not averages: a couple of multi-day packages drag an average into fiction.
Lisbon
+17%€70median tour
€28middle half of tours€190
- 31% under €50
- #33 cheapest of 50
Vertical line is the global median, €60. Full table for all 50 cities in the Tour Price Index.
Food & drink
Street food, markets and tasting walks with a local guide.
ExploreBoats & cruises
Harbour cruises, catamarans, kayaks and sunset sailings.
ExploreWine & breweries
Vineyards, cellars, breweries and distilleries.
ExploreCooking classes
Cook the local dish, then eat it — usually three hours.
ExplorePhotography
Guided shoots at the right hour, and photographers for hire.
ExploreDay trips
Out of the city and back the same day.
ExploreWalking tours
Small groups, old streets, two hours on foot.
ExploreCity tours
Guided sightseeing on foot, by bus and by open-top tram.
ExplorePractical info
Know before you book
The things that change a decision — not a retelling of the guidebook.
Sintra is close and not easy
Forty minutes by train from Lisbon, and then four palaces spread up a wooded hill served by one narrow road and a shuttle bus that queues. Pena Palace runs timed entry and sells out. Take the first slot of the day and work downhill; arriving at noon is how people spend six hours seeing one building.
Lisbon is hills, and tram 28 is a target
The city is genuinely steep — the funiculars are transport, not a novelty. Tram 28 runs the best route in the city and is also where pickpockets work at peak hours. Ride it early in the morning with a bag in front of you, or take the tour version.
The Douro is the reason to be in Porto
The port lodges are across the river in Gaia and can be walked to; the valley itself is an hour inland and is a full day by car, train or boat. A river cruise with a vineyard stop is the most-booked thing in the north, and rightly.
The bread on the table is not free
Bread, olives and cheese arrive unasked at the start of a meal and are charged per item if eaten. Nobody minds if you send them back. This is the couvert, it is legal and normal, and it surprises a lot of first-time visitors on the bill.
June is festival month and everything is full
Santo António in Lisbon on the 12th and 13th of June, São João in Porto on the 23rd and 24th. Both are street parties on a scale that takes over the whole city. Wonderful, and not weeks to arrive in without a booking.
The Algarve and the north are different winters
The south stays mild and largely open through the winter; Porto and the Douro are properly wet from November to March. A January trip to Portugal is a good idea in the Algarve and a gamble in the north.
When to visit
Portugal through the seasons
What is open, how busy it gets, and when to book ahead.
Spring
Mar–May
- Best for
- The whole country at its best: green, mild and not yet full.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Easter fills Lisbon and the Algarve — book Sintra tickets whatever the month.
Summer
Jun–Aug
- Best for
- The Algarve, the Atlantic beaches, festivals in both big cities.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Inland Alentejo and the Douro get very hot; the coast stays tempered by the Atlantic.
Autumn
Sep–Oct
- Best for
- Harvest in the Douro, warm sea, cities without the August crowds.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- September is the best month of the year here — and grape harvest tours book out in it.
Winter
Nov–Feb
- Best for
- The Algarve in the sun, Lisbon quiet and cheap, Madeira all year.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Northern day trips get genuinely wet — check whether the boat or the vineyard runs.
Frequently asked
Portugal: common questions
How many days do you need in Portugal?
Four days for Lisbon with Sintra, three for Porto with the Douro, and a week for both with the train between them. Add the Algarve only if a beach is the point — it is another three hours south and a different kind of holiday.
What does a tour in Portugal cost?
From our index of 50 cities: a median of €70 in Lisbon and €56 in Porto, against a global median of €60. The Lisbon figure is high for the country because so much of what sells there is a full day out — Sintra, Fátima, Évora — rather than a walk in the city.
Do I need to book Sintra in advance?
Pena Palace, yes — entry is by timed slot and summer mornings sell out. The Moorish castle and Quinta da Regaleira are easier. Whatever you book, take the earliest slot available: the hill jams from mid-morning and the shuttle queue eats the difference.
When is the best time to visit?
April to June and September to October. July and August are hot inland and busy on the coast. Portugal is also one of the better European winter destinations if you stay south — the Algarve in February is mild, open and almost empty.
Is Lisbon or Porto better for a first visit?
Lisbon for range: more to do, better day trips, more choice at every price. Porto for compactness and the river — it is a two-day city with a valley attached, and many people like it more. The train between them takes under three hours, so the real answer is both.
LisbonPortoLagosAlbufeiraFunchalPortimaoSintraPonta DelgadaFaroSetubal DistrictTerceiraCoimbraBragaCascais