Trip ideas · Lisbon, Porto and the Douro harvest

Lisbon, Porto and the Douro harvest: a One-Week Road Trip by Fly-and-Drive

Checked 8 October 2026 against each tourism board's, city's and operator's own page · skynomad

Terraced vineyards above the Douro river near Pinhão, with a quinta's white buildings on the bank
Photo: Rach Sam / Unsplash

Best in September and October, also good in November

Fly to Lisbon, hire a car there: seven nights, 644 km, the longest day about 3 h 10 at the wheel. Driving costs €90–€140 + 1 toll not priced.

Grape harvest at wine-tourism estates: September and October (no Douro-specific 2026/2027 dates published).

Use this route in my plan Your checklist for Portugal: vignettes, zones, kit and dates.

Day by day

Kilometres and hours are motorway estimates between the cities named, without stops or traffic. Where you sleep in a smaller place nearby, the real place and its distance are given.

  1. Day 1

    Arrive in Lisbon No long drive

    Arrival airport city; pick up hire car Source

  2. Day 2

    Lisbon → Coimbra 213 km · about 2 h 25 driving

    University city on the A1 halfway to Porto Source

    Coimbra on its hill above the Mondego river
    Photo: Rui Amaro / Unsplash

  3. Day 3

    Coimbra → Porto 134 km · about 1 h 35 driving

    Ribeira and Port wine lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia Source

    The Dom Luís I bridge over the Douro in Porto
    Photo: Martti Salmi / Unsplash

  4. Day 4

    A day out from Porto No long drive

  5. Day 5

    Move on, staying near Porto Driving way to Douro valley (Peso da Régua / Pinhão)

    Terraced vineyards of the UNESCO Alto Douro wine region; harvest visits at quintas Source The place itself: Douro valley (Peso da Régua / Pinhão), about 120–130 km from porto (unverified estimate).

  6. Day 6

    A day for Douro valley (Peso da Régua / Pinhão) No long drive

  7. Day 7

    Porto → Lisbon 297 km · about 3 h 10 driving, plus the way back from Douro valley (Peso da Régua / Pinhão)

    Last night before the flight home.

  8. Day 8

    Return the car in Lisbon No long drive

Why go in September and October

What the week costs to drive

ItemCostWorked out from
Fuel for 644 km€68–€113Each country's average petrol and diesel price (week of 28 September 2026), 5 to 8 litres per 100 km. Fuel prices
Tolls€25A1 Lisbon–Coimbra–Porto (Brisa, barrier/Via Verde) €25.05 Source
Driving the week€90–€140 + 1 toll not pricedRounded to €10

Not included: A4 Porto–Amarante–Vila Real (to the Douro) (operator); hotels, food and parking; the hire car, and any one-way or cross-border fee. For your own car and exact days, use the trip cost calculator.

The rules on this route

Driving in Portugal

Use this route in my plan to get every vignette, zone, kit rule and deadline for these countries in one checklist, with dates. The speed limits and sign words pages can then show only these countries.

Next on the road

Sources

  1. Grape harvest at wine-tourism estates
  2. Alto Douro terraced vineyard landscape (UNESCO)
  3. A1 Lisbon–Coimbra–Porto (Brisa, barrier/Via Verde)
  4. Arrival airport city; pick up hire car
  5. University city on the A1 halfway to Porto
  6. Ribeira and Port wine lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia

Dates and prices as published when checked. Events move: check the organiser's page before you book.