A 10-Day Portugal Honeymoon Itinerary
Five nights in Lisbon, four in Porto, Sintra and Cascais in between, with train times, the best months and the evening to book your photo session.
The best Portugal honeymoon itinerary for 10 days is five nights in Lisbon, with Sintra and Cascais as day trips, then four nights in Porto.
This Portugal honeymoon itinerary gives you the day-by-day route, the train times between cities as we checked them in October 2026, the most romantic stops, and the best place for a single photo session. We are local photographers, not a travel agency, so we leave hotels out. Timetables change, so confirm your train on cp.pt before you book.
Fly into Lisbon, take the train to Porto on day 6, fly home from Porto on day 10. Lisbon is your base for Sintra and Cascais, the Alfa Pendular takes about 2h50 between the two cities, and the Douro Valley works as a day trip from Porto. Put your one photo session on day 3, an evening with nothing else planned.
What does a 10-day Portugal honeymoon look like day by day?
Two bases keep a honeymoon calm. You unpack in Lisbon for five nights and in Porto for four, and everything else is a day trip: Sintra and Cascais from Lisbon, the Douro Valley from Porto. You change hotels once, by train.
Only have a week? Our 7-day Lisbon and Porto itinerary covers the shorter version. This route adds Sintra, Cascais and the Douro, and it is paced for two people who want time to sit down, not a checklist.
How do you get between Lisbon, Sintra, Cascais and Porto?
By train, and none of the legs is long. These are the times we found, all hedged because they move with each timetable change.
Rough Guides puts the Sintra train at about 40 minutes from Rossio, and PortugalVisitor says trains leave roughly every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 at weekends. The Cascais line runs from Cais do Sodré, takes around 40 minutes according to Celina Tours, and has a Belém station, so day 3 can start on the rails.
For Lisbon to Porto, Seat61 gives about 2h50 on the Alfa Pendular, with trains every hour or two, and its example Lisbon departure at 14:00 reaches Porto Campanhã at 16:48. Rough Guides allows 3 to 4 hours for trains and buses together. Mainline trains arrive at Campanhã, and a short suburban hop takes you on to São Bento in the old centre.
If your airline lets you, fly into Lisbon and home from Porto. It saves a day of backtracking, which is why this route runs south to north.
Sources disagree by a few minutes, and long-distance trains use more than one Lisbon station. Check the exact train and departure station on cp.pt, and book your day 6 train once your hotel check-out time is fixed.
What are the most romantic things to do in Lisbon on a honeymoon?
Keep the first three days loose: one anchor per day, and long gaps for coffee and viewpoints.
Alfama on foot
Lisbon’s oldest neighbourhood has steep, narrow lanes and uneven cobbles, so wear good shoes. Rough Guides suggests going early for quiet streets or in the evening for fado.
Best at duskBelém by the river
Belém Tower and the Jerónimos Monastery are here, and the tower is busiest in late morning, so arrive at opening or late in the day. Pastéis de Belém has made its pastéis de nata since 1837.
Go early, come back at golden hourA sunset viewpoint
Rough Guides recommends Miradouro da Senhora do Monte at sunset, calmer than Santa Catarina but a climb.
Quieter, uphillTram 15 connects the centre to Belém, according to Rough Guides, and so does the Cascais line. For day 2 evening, our list of the best fado houses in Lisbon will save you some guessing, and romantic things to do in Lisbon for couples fills the free hours.
Our guide to where to stay in Lisbon covers neighbourhoods, and the airport arrival guide covers day 1.
Is Sintra or Cascais better for a honeymoon day trip?
You do not have to choose. Sintra is day 4 and Cascais is day 5, and they feel very different: one is hills, palaces and forest, the other is the sea.
- Take an early train. About 40 minutes from Rossio. Rough Guides advises arriving at opening and picking two or three sites, not six.
- Book Pena for a fixed time. The official page says palace tickets are for a specific date and time. Private cars are not allowed, so use bus 434 from Sintra station or walk.
- Spend midday in the old town. The historic centre is compact and the streets are free to wander.
- Add Monserrate only if you want gardens. The park lists a Japanese Garden, a Mexican Garden and Fern Valley, but the palace roofs are under restoration until the first quarter of 2027, with scaffolding on the building.
As of October 2026 the official pages list Pena Park as open 09:00 to 19:00 and the palace 09:30 to 18:30. Check the opening times page for the date you travel. Our guide to the best photo spots in Sintra shows which places need a ticket and where the light works.
Cascais is the easy day. Walk the seafront, have a long lunch, then head for Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe. The lighthouse courtyard is listed as open 09:30 to 17:30, so you will watch the sunset from the open-air cape. Bus 1253 runs there from Sintra station, and a taxi is the simple option after dark. Rough Guides warns that sunshine at the cape can turn to fog or high winds in minutes, so bring a windproof layer.
How many days do you need in Porto, and is the Douro Valley worth it?
Four nights in Porto gives you three full days, which is enough for the city and the river without rushing. Day 6 is the train in and a first walk on the Ribeira.
- Dom Luís I Bridge. The upper deck is open to pedestrians, no ticket needed, and Rough Guides suggests early morning or sunset to avoid crowds.
- A port lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia. Tours cover the barrel cellars and usually end with a tasting. Book ahead, especially in summer.
- Livraria Lello. A ticket is required, and the official site says it can be used towards a book. It is listed as open 09:00 to 19:30 daily as of October 2026.
- São Bento station. The entrance hall is covered in more than 20,000 blue-and-white tiles, and visiting is free.
For the best viewpoints and when to go, see our best photo spots in Porto. If a short stay is tempting, our post on whether 2 days in Porto is enough explains what you would skip.
The Douro Valley is a real option for day 8, as long as you know the cost in hours. Seat61 calls it a good day trip from Porto but too far from Lisbon, with 5 or 6 trains a day to Pinhão and Pocinho. A Porto guide gives 2h20 to Pinhão on the fastest service, so plan for almost five hours on trains. Pinhão station has 24 azulejo panels from 1937, which the Douro tourism site counts among Portugal’s most photographed stations.
A lighter alternative: a river cruise from the Ribeira. Operator listings such as Pelago’s six bridges cruise show about 50 minutes, which leaves the rest of the day free.
Where does a photo session fit in a Portugal honeymoon?
Book one, and put it on day 3. By then you have slept off the flight, you know which neighbourhood you love, and nothing else is booked. Lisbon is also your base for five nights, so if the weather turns we can move the session to another evening at no extra cost. We decide together the night before.
Aim for the hour before sunset, when the light turns warm and the crowds at Belém and the Alfama viewpoints thin out. Our sessions run daily from 09:00 to 20:00, so in midsummer, when the sun sets after 21:00, we work in the warm late-afternoon light instead. In winter the sun is gone by about 17:15, so start by 16:00.
These are Lisbon sunset times from sunrise-and-sunset.com for 2026, and they shift by only a minute or so from year to year. Porto is almost identical: 19:42 on 15 September against 19:43 in Lisbon.
Each session covers two people, which suits a honeymoon, and includes professional editing, a private online gallery within 7 days, full resolution with no watermarks, and location scouting. If you choose “Surprise me” we pick the spot, and the current prices are on the booking page. Our honeymoon photographer page shows what a Lisbon session looks like, and couple photography in Portugal covers Sintra and Cascais.
Tell us your dates and the evening you have free, and we will confirm the light and the place on WhatsApp.
Check availability
When is the best time of year for a honeymoon in Portugal?
Spring and early autumn, in both cities. Rough Guides calls April to June and September to October the ideal months for Porto, with mild weather and fewer crowds, and its Lisbon guide agrees. Here is how each season looks for Lisbon.
Mild and greening
Highs climb from about 17°C (63°F) in March to 23°C (73°F) by May, with fewer crowds than summer. Sunset is after 20:00 from April.
Best balanceLong evenings, real heat
Highs around 28°C (82°F) in July and August, with heatwaves possible, and it is the busiest and most expensive season. Sunset is after 21:00 in late June.
Rest at middayWarm and calmer
Rough Guides calls early autumn excellent for sightseeing, with September averaging about 26°C (79°F). Sunset moves from 20:05 on 1 September to 18:57 on 15 October.
Our pick for photosQuiet, damp, short days
Winter highs are around 15°C (59°F), rainier, and the quietest and cheapest time. Sunset falls around 17:15 to 17:35 in late autumn.
Pack a coatPorto runs cooler: Rough Guides gives an average of 9°C (48°F) in January and 25°C (77°F) in August, so keep the Douro day flexible in winter.
How much does a Portugal honeymoon cost?
We cannot give you an honest total, because flights, hotels and the season swing it far more than anything on the ground. Here is where the money goes, and where it does not have to.
- Season. Rough Guides calls summer the busiest and most expensive season in Lisbon and winter the cheapest.
- Where and how long you sleep. Five nights in Lisbon and four in Porto is a choice, not a rule.
- Paid sights. Adult tickets at Pena are listed from €12 for the park alone up to €45 for the Complete Visit (as of October 2026). A Livraria Lello ticket counts towards a book, and Seat61 lists the Douro train at €12.20 each way to Pinhão.
- Free moments. Alfama’s lanes, the upper deck of Dom Luís I Bridge, São Bento’s tile hall and Sintra’s old town cost nothing.
Ready to put a session on day 3? Pick a date and we will check availability.
Book your honeymoon sessionCommon questions
How many days do you need for a Portugal honeymoon?
Ten days fits five nights in Lisbon with Sintra and Cascais as day trips, then four nights in Porto. With a week, drop the Douro and shorten Lisbon.
How do you get from Lisbon to Porto?
By train. Seat61 gives about 2h50 on the Alfa Pendular, with trains every hour or two, and Rough Guides puts trains and buses at 3 to 4 hours. Check the exact train on cp.pt.
Is the Douro Valley a day trip from Porto?
Yes, but a long one. A Porto guide gives 2h20 to Pinhão on the fastest train, and Seat61 lists 5 or 6 trains a day to Pinhão and Pocinho. A river cruise from the Ribeira is the lighter option.
What is the best month for a honeymoon in Portugal?
Rough Guides recommends spring (April to June) and early autumn (September to October) for mild weather and manageable crowds. Summer is hotter and busier, and winter is quieter and rainier.
When is the best time of day for honeymoon photos in Portugal?
The hour before sunset. Lisbon’s sunset runs from about 17:19 on 20 November to 21:03 on 21 June, so we shape the start time around the season.
Do you need to rent a car for a Portugal honeymoon?
Not for this route. Trains reach Sintra, Cascais, Porto and the Douro, and private cars are not allowed at Pena anyway. For Cabo da Roca at sunset, a taxi is the simple choice.