Our Portugal 2 Week Itinerary was an improvised one, but that’s how the best itineraries are, right? It was July 2020 and we couldn’t take flights because of Covid, so we decided to drive our camper van to our neighbor country: Portugal. We decided to make the Portugal road trip itinerary to discover Portugal with our camper van. We wanted to visit Porto, Sintra, Algarve and so many other places, but we also needed a place to work during the morning, that’s why a camper van road trip in Portugal was our perfect option.
Overview of our Portugal itinerary by camper van:
- Day 1: Barcelona – Logroño – León
- Day 2: León – Oporto
- Day 3: Oporto – Aveiro – Costa Nova
- Day 4: Costa Nova – Nazaré
- Day 5: Nazaré – Sintra
- Day 6: Sintra – Lisboa
- Day 7: Sintra
- Day 8: Sintra – Sines
- Day 9: Sines – Lagos
- Day 10: Lagos
- Day 11: Faro
- Day 12: Faro – Andújar
- Day 13: Andújar – Valencia
- Day 14: Valencia – Barcelona
Day 1: Barcelona – Logroño – León
Leaving Barcelona to the north of Portugal, there’s no better gastronomic stop in Spain than Logroño, La Rioja. Logroño is famous for a street called Calle Laurel with amazing tapas and a really authentic vibe.
Where to eat in Logroño
You can choose whatever place you want because you’ll eat fine anywhere. Nevertheless, we recommend you several tapas that we LOVED: eat foie at Torrecilla bar, mushrooms at Bar Ángel, and Bacalao al Pil Pil at Pasión Por Ti. The wine is so famous in La Rioja, but if you need to drive the camper after lunch, you can ask for an alcohol-free wine 🙂
Where to stay near Logroño
We wanted to drive 3 more hours to get closer to Portugal, so we ended up in a village called Valencia de San Juan, near León. We spent the night at camping called Pico Verde. The camping was ok, clean, and it’s a quick drive diversion which matters on a long road trip such as this one.
Day 2: León – Oporto
From Spain, it was time to head west and enter Portugal. Important: When you enter Portugal, you will find on the road a signal saying “extranjeros” which means foreigners. Then, you can link your license plate with your card so that tolls are automatically charged. I highly recommend you do it.
We parked our camper in our camping, took a bus, and arrived in Oporto at midday, perfect for lunch!
Where to eat in Oporto
We had lunch at Café Santiago, a must for your Portugal itinerary. Not a diet lunch though, that’s for sure! After visiting some Oporto touristy places that I’ll list above, we went to The Yeatman bar for sunset. We ordered a super fancy cocktail and we had one of the best views of Oporto all for ourselves!
For dinner, we went to Lareira – Baixa, a local restaurant with local food that we can also recommend.
What to do in Oporto in 1 day
- Porto Sao Bento Station
- Santo Ildefonso Church
- Miradouro da Rua das Aldas
- Largo da Pena Ventosa‘s secret square
- Walk Cais Da Ribeira‘s street near the bridge
- Walk the Oporto’s bridge to Vila Nova de Gaia
- Livraria Lello: We didn’t enter as it was FULL of tourists. No kidding, the line was about 1,5h long.
Where to stay in Oporto
We chose Orbitur Canidelo. The reviews were bad, but it ended up being one of our favorite campings of the trip. Clean, good wifi, in front of the beach and with a great swimming pool. We took a taxi to get to Oporto.
Day 3: Oporto – Aveiro – Costa Nova
Aarón had the morning off, so he went to spend the morning on a golf course near Oporto and experienced a wine tasting at Quinta do Corvos, which was recommended to us by our friends from Oporto. If you’re visiting Portugal for 2 weeks, you cannot miss a wine tasting experience.
After a dip in our camping pool, we head toward Costa Nova. We decided to first stop in Aveiro to spend the afternoon there. Aveiro is a really nice village with gondolas and a local sweet called Ovos Moles that you cannot miss!
Where to stay in Costa Nova
We found a free camping spot just in front of the beach (can you spot our lovely camper in the 1st photo?). Here you have the parking location. That’s where to park your camper van in Costa Nova, Portugal.
Day 4: Costa Nova – Nazaré
Walking through Costa Nova’s beach is just the perfect plan for spending a morning there, although I spent the morning working from the camper van hahah. Of course, you can’t miss the famous 3 colored houses! You can find the location here. This place is just in front of our favorite restaurant of the trip: Praia do Tubarao.
Where to eat in Costa Nova
My aunt is from Costa Nova, and she recommended we have lunch at Praia do Tubarao. It was our favorite meal of the trip by far! Order soupy rice with prawns and cockles and thank us later 🙂
Nazaré for sunset
In the afternoon, we headed south to Nazaré to catch the sunset. Nazaré is famous for its waves, although they didn’t seem impressive at all in July. The place is breathtaking and worth the stop.
Where to stay in Nazaré
We spent the night at Peniche’s lighthouse. I wouldn’t recommend the place, as it was so windy and it didn’t seem very safe. I’d say Nazaré is a much better option to spend the night with the camper van.
Day 5: Nazaré – Sintra
During the morning, Aarón went to the famous Golf Praia do Rey while I was working. In the afternoon, we headed south to Sintra! We stayed for 3 nights with our Portuguese family in a house in Sintra. We had dinner with them and just enjoyed some time with them 🙂
Where to stay in Sintra
Sintra and Lisboa in general are not the safest places in the world to park a camper van. In fact, all the other way around. That’s why having a house there was the perfect solution for us. Otherwise, I’d recommend staying at a camping near Lisboa and moving around by public transport.
Day 6: Lisboa
We were lucky enough to have Rogerio, our relative, drive us around the area with his car! We visited Azenhas do Mar, Lisboa and Cascay among other places.
What to do in Lisboa in 1 day
- R. da Bica de Duarte Belo Street
- Baixa-Chiado
- Pink Street
- Santa Justa Lift
- Take the Tranvia 28 to head to Castillo de San Jorge, which is a cool castle with nice views of Lisboa
- Praça do Comercio
- Lisboa’s Bridge for sunset. That’s the exact location of the spot.
- Visit LX Factory
Where to eat in Lisboa
We had a beer at Madame Petisca Restaurant. It was pretty expensive so I wouldn’t recommend having lunch there, but the views were perfect for a refreshing beer. We had lunch at Time Out Market. We ordered a few things to take away and had a picnic in Jardim Dom Luis, which is a park located just in front of the market. For lunch, LX Factory is the best and most trendy place in Lisboa. There’s live music, lots of cool clothes shops and art galleries.
Day 7: Sintra
That was the last day I had to work before my official vacation started! Aarón went hiking with Rogerio to la Sierra of Sintra, a local treasure.
What to do in Sintra in 1 day
In the afternoon, we visited Sintra. The first stop was Gruta do Laberinto. We took a local little taxi called “tuk tuk” to get there from the town. Gruta do Laberinto is a well-known palace with impressive gardens and a lot of mystery and legends.
We finally visited Palau do Pena. It’s a must for any Portugal 2-week itinerary. The place is stunning!
Nevertheless, we also discovered a local gem called “Mirador Escondido de la Reina“, which was frequented by the queen when she was searching for tranquility.
Where to stay in Sintra
If you’re willing to stay outside Sintra or Lisboa, spending the night at Cabo de Roca is definitely the best option for you. Cabo de Roca is the best place to catch sunset near Lisboa and it’s 100% worth it. It was one of the most beautiful sunsets of my life and a must for your Portugal 2-Week Itinerary. We found plenty of parking.
Day 8: Sintra – Sines
Vacation mode ON! Our first stop today is Praia do Ursa which is breathtaking, It’s definitely one of the best beaches on the Portugal itinerary. We saw some guys that pitched a tent on the beach. I don’t know if it’s legal, but it’s now on my bucket list for my next Portugal trip! If you like camping, I recommend you have a look at our La Palma itinerary.
Our next stop was Belém, a quick stop to buy “Pastel de Belém“. Portugal is definitely a gastronomic destination 🙂
We continued our road trip, packed a sandwich, and headed to a beach called Riveiro do Cavalo in Sesimbra. It’s quite touristy, it’s a 30min approx. hike but it’s definitely one of the best beaches I’ve ever been to. The water was SO blue and clean and the surroundings were pure nature. When we wanted to return to the parking, we found a water taxi for 6€, so we took that and was epic! I’ve heard that another cool option is Galpinhos beach.
After a bit of research, I’ve realized that Sesimbra has some of the best beaches in Europe!
Where to stay in Sines
Our last stop of the day was Sines, we made it for sunset, which was stunning. We spent the night at a free parking near a restaurant called Estrela do Norte. The views from the parking area are perfect for a Portugal camper van trip. If you love camper van road trips, I recommend you have a look at our Iceland itinerary by camper van. It was no crowded at all, so make sure you spend one night here if you have 2 weeks in Portugal.
Day 9: Sines – Lagos (Algarve)
Sines was for us the best spot for a camper van road trip around Portugal. Can you imagine a better spot for breakfast?
We had several local recommendations in this area on our Portugal bucket list, so we visited some of them:
- Praia Samoqueira
- Praia Cavaleiro
- Praia Dos Machados: One of the best-hidden gems of Portugal. The hike to get there is so much fun!
- Praia Da Amalia
- Odeceixe: It was too touristy for us, I’d rather recommend going to Praia Amoreira
Praia Barriga: The path to get there is an adventure on its own! We loved going there. If you have 2 weeks in Portugal, it’s definitely a cool detour.
If you have time, I’d recommend hiking to the next beach just to the right. Otherwise, there’s a cool cave on Barriga’s beach which is also worth the trip.
We wanted to visit Praia da Dona Ana, so we went there after parking our camper van on the camping in Lagos. It was almost dark, but we had the beach all for ourselves 🙂
Where to stay in Lagos
We stayed at Lagos Camping Trindades for 2 nights. The reviews were really bad and, again, we loved it! The camping location is the best in town and the camping was quite clean.
Day 10: Lagos (Algarve)
In the morning, we returned to Praia da Dona Ana. I highly recommend booking a private boat tour to visit the caves directly on the beach. We didn’t book it in advance and we absolutely loved our captain! In the beginning, we wanted to rent a paddle surf, but we’re glad we didn’t as the waves were quite big and the area is larger than expected. It ended up being quite cheap (30€ for 2h approx.) and a great experience. We made it to Ponta da Piedade and The Secret Gallery caves. It’s a must for your Portugal itinerary.
In the afternoon, we visited Praia dos Estudantes and Praia do Pinhao.
Important: Book the boat tour with low tide, otherwise you will not make it to all the caves.
Where to stay in Lagos
Lagos Camping Trindades also.
Day 11: Lagos – Benagil (Algarve)
We headed to Algar Seco. In our way there, we stoped at Praia dos Três Irmãos and Praia João de Arens.
Once in Algar Seco, there’s a cave called Boneca’s Cave. If you’re not afraid of heights, I think it would be amazing to jump from its window to the sea (I saw it on Instagram hahah). If you’re not for it, we found another spot to jump in Algar Seco which is much more accessible, that’s the location.
Another cool thing to do is to go to Alfanzina Lighthouse Cave in PaddleSurf. We didn’t have time for that, but it’s definitely on our Portugal bucket list.
Where to stay in Benagil
We stayed in free parking near Benagil, that’s the location.
The parking was safe and so close to the Algar de Benagil. It’s a 10 min. walk. The location to Algar de Benagil to have the next photo’s view is here.
A recommendation is to go catch the sunset there, as it’s just a quick walk from the parking and you’ll have views of Praia de Benagil.
Day 12: Benagil – Albufeira (Algarve)
A local told us about a Kayak Rental Company based in Albandeira Beach, which had the best price for a 4h kayak rental. That’s why we headed there early in the morning to visit all the way from Albandeira Beach to Benagil’s cave. We followed an AllTrails track to make sure we didn’t miss any cave. Some of the caves to visit in Benagil and Albufeira are:
- Marinha Beach
- Algar Albandeira
- Playa do Carvalho
- Praia da Malhada do Barçao: Also a really cool beach to stop, we decided to have a sandwich here 🙂
Algar dos Capitaes: Our favorite hidden gem of our Portugal Itinerary! It was a little bit risky because of the waves, but it was 100% worth it.
Where to stay in Albufeira
In the afternoon, we decided to go camping in Camping Albufeira. It’s the best camping we’ve ever been to. A little bit of relaxation in the pool after a long day kayaking… what else can you ask for? We went to dinner in Albufeira, which is a really nice town.
Day 13: Albufeira – Faro
In the morning, we went to visit a couple of beaches called Praia da Ponta Grande & Praia da Ponta Pequena, a 30 min hike from the parking. It’s cool with a high tie, otherwise, it doesn’t have much interest. There’s a natural pool nearby called Pego do Inferno. We didn’t visit it because we didn’t have time enough, but it’s on our bucket list.
We went for lunch in Faro, one of the gastronomic cities of Portugal. We chose Lodo as we wanted to try the oysters. They were spectacular! It’s a must for your Portugal itinerary. After 2 weeks of cooking in the camper, you’ll appreciate some fine dining in Faro!
In the afternoon, we went to Isla Desherta on a boat. You can book this tour on the pier. It was not very impressive, but we loved relaxing on this remote island.
Where to stay in Faro
We wanted to go to dinner in Faro, so we decided to park and spend the night in the city’s public parking. There was not a lot of noise and it’s just a 15 min walk to the city center. The restaurant was Checkin Faro by Leonel Pereira (delicious).
Day 14: Faro – Andújar
I love to find nice places to park the camper van, and we found the perfect breakfast spot in Tavira called Estrada Das 4 Aguas. Our next stop was Sevilla and decided to go have lunch at one of our favorite restaurants: Eslava. We recommend you the “Puro” and the cheese ice cream.
Where to stay near Sevilla
Sierra de Andújar is a natural paradise in Spain. This is one of the only places with wild linxes. We spent the night at Mirador Mingorramos, all alone with great views of La Sierra. It’s also a good place for stargazing.
Day 15: Andujar – Valencia
Valencia is a great destination for a quick stop. We went to have the best paella in Valencia, the restaurant is called Casa Roberto, and spent the afternoon on the beach.
Where to stay in Valencia
Our camping today is Camping Malvarrosa, we loved the fact that is just in front of the beach, so you can park your camper van and just walk to the beach.
Day 16: Valencia – Barcelona
That’s the end of our Portugal itinerary! I hope you liked it.
Did you like our Portugal road trip? Save it and share it with friends!
Hello! I just would like to give a huge thumbs up for the great info you have here on this post. I will be coming back to your blog for more soon.
Thanks!