17 days in Lisbon, Porto & Athens Itinerary

Built on seven hills, Lisbon has experienced a renaissance in recent years, making it the cultural star of Portugal.

Step off the beaten path and head to Batalha Monastery and Palácio Nacional da Ajuda. Belém Tower and Museu Nacional do Azulejo are good opportunities to explore the local culture. Explore the numerous day-trip ideas around Lisbon: Quinta da Regaleira (in Sintra), Palacio Nacional de Mafra (in Mafra) and Capelas Imperfeitas (in Batalha). There's much more to do: step into the grandiose world of Castelo de S. Jorge, take in the architecture and atmosphere at Basilica da Santissima Trindade, take in the spiritual surroundings of Igreja de Sao Domingos (Santa Justa e Rufina), and contemplate the long history of Capela Das Aparicoes.

To find reviews, photos, and other tourist information, you can read our Lisbon journey site.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Lisbon is an approximately 13.5-hour flight. Due to the time zone difference, you'll lose 3 hours traveling from Rio de Janeiro to Lisbon. Expect a bit cooler weather when traveling from Rio de Janeiro in November: highs in Lisbon hover around °C, while lows dip to °C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 6th (Wed) to allow time to travel to Porto.

Called "Oporto" by many, the city of Porto along the Duoro River lent the country and Port wine their names. Portugal's second-largest metropolis dates back to the 4th century, representing both a rich cultural past and industrial present through its architecture and style.

Visiting River Rafting & Tubing and Praia da Costa Nova will get you outdoors. Do some cultural sightseeing at Bom Jesus do Monte and Santuario de Santa Luzia. Get out of town with these interesting Porto side-trips: Santuario Nossa Senhora dos Remedios (in Lamego), Se Catedral de Viseu (in Viseu) and Guimaraes (Largo da Oliveira & Centro Historico de Guimaraes). There's lots more to do: take in the architecture and atmosphere at Igreja da Ordem Terceira de São Francisco, examine the collection at FC Porto Museum, and appreciate the history behind Monumento aos Herois da Guerra Peninsular.

To see other places to visit, ratings, more things to do, and tourist information, read Porto day trip app.

You can fly from Lisbon to Porto in 3 hours. Other options are to drive; or take a train. In November, plan for daily highs up to °C, and evening lows to °C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 10th (Sun) to allow time to travel to Athens.

One of the world's most ancient cities, Athens remains Europe's undisputed historical and cultural capital.

Get a sense of the local culture at Acropolis of Athens and Acropolis Museum. Discover out-of-the-way places like National Archaeological Museum and Food Tours. Change things up with a short trip to Temple of Poseidon in Sounio (about 1h 15 min away). There's lots more to do: explore the world behind art at Museum of Cycladic Art, pause for some photo ops at Temple of Athena Nike, delve into the distant past at Ancient Agora of Athens, and don't miss a visit to Erechtheion.

For where to stay, ratings, and more tourist information, you can read our Athens trip planning website.

Traveling by flight from Porto to Athens takes 7.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or do a combination of car and train. The time zone difference when traveling from Porto to Athens is 2 hours. Traveling from Porto in November, expect a bit warmer with lows of °C in Athens. Finish your sightseeing early on the 16th (Sat) so you can travel back home.