Sintra, Cascais and Coimbra are days three and four in EuroCheapo’s 10-day itinerary for Portugal.

With both destinations clocking in at around half an hour from the Portuguese capital for €5 or less, it’s no surprise that Sintra and Cascais rank high among popular day trips from Lisbon. If whirlwind is your travel speed, you may even be tempted to visit them both the same day.

Sintra (Day 3)

Explore an 18th-century royal retreat in Sintra with a UNSECO World Heritage-listed city center, Sintra-Vila, that looks like something out of a children’s story with its pastel-hued mansions and noble villas, creeping up the deep green-forested foothills of the mountains of the same name.

Above them all, sometimes veiled in a thick mist, looms the dramatic 19th-century Pena National Palace.

Come summer in Sintra, hotels here tip the scales higher than in Lisbon and fill up fast, so you’re best off reserving a room as far in advance as possible. For a basic room to yourself, book a private room at the aptly named Portuguese Hostel (Largo Afonso de Albuquerque 1), right on budget and conveniently located a five-minute walk from Portela de Sintra where you can catch a ride to Cascais in the morning on the 417 bus.

Cascais and Coimbra (Day 4)

Once a cozy fishing village, Cascais is best known today as a sandy playground and popular summer escape for surfers and sun worshippers from Lisbon. Beach aside, its charming pedestrian-only old town is worth a wander. For dramatic views of the frothy Atlantic waters, take the chilly walk to the Boca do Inferno (Hell’s Mouth) chasm.

Spend the evening of day 4 in Coimbra. A mere two hours from Lisbon via train (two and a half from Cascais), this centrally located city is best known for its historic Coimbra-style Fado and 500-year-old university.

Perhaps because of this, Coimbra is one of the best places in Portugal to hear live Fado on a budget, or even for free. At the Café Santa Cruz (Praça 8 de Maio) the weekend Fado concerts will cost you the price of a drink or a meal.

Alternately, Fado ao Centro’s daily 50-minute shows at 6 pm sell for €10, far less than you’d have to shell out for a similar performance in Lisbon.

Get a good night’s sleep without breaking the bank at WW Hostel & Suites (Rua Lourenço de Almeida Azevedo, 3/4) — breakfast, sheets and Wi-Fi included.

Our 10-day Portugal itinerary

Sintra, Cascais and Coimbra are days three and four on our recommended itinerary for a 10-day trip in Portugal. Click below to continue!

Days 1 and 2: Lisbon

Days 5 and 6: Valença and Ponte de Lima

Days 7 and 8: Braga and Guimarães

Days 9 and 10: Porto

The post Sintra, Cascais, and Coimbra: 10-day Portugal itinerary appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

But here the striking scenery is complete with Roman ruins, cobblestone streets, and medieval old towns, blissfully untouched by the San Andreas fault.

Finally, and fortunately for budget travelers everywhere, it’s inexpensive to eat, drink, and sleep in Portugal, not to mention to get around, especially as compared to the most of Western Europe.

Here’s a rundown of how to navigate the country and take off on a 10-day trip through Lisbon, Porto, Braga and beyond!

Budget Basics: Eating, drinking & sleeping in Portugal

Expect to spend on average €50 per night for a centrally located, simple hotel room with a private bath and around €10 for a shared dorm at a hostel. If you like to cook and entertain while you travel, vacation apartments can be had for as little as €40 per night in bigger cities like Lisbon and Porto, depending on the time of year and location.

Search and book over 14,000 hotels in Portugal

It seems counter-intuitive, but sometimes in smaller cities, centrally located basic hotels are more expensive and harder to come by than in metropolises like Porto and Lisbon. Be sure to book hotels in smaller, popular cities like Sintra and Ponte de Lima further in advance, especially if you plan to travel during the busy spring and summer seasons.

Keep an eye out for lunch deals, especially for fresh seafood like these sardines in Lisbon. Photo: islandralm

Food and drink are very cheap in restaurants, especially if you make a point of eating away from the main tourist attractions. For extra savings, feast on a meal out in the middle of the day (12 pm – 4 pm) when hearty one-plate meals called pratos de día can be had for as little as €5.

Keep your booze bill under control by sticking to reasonably priced house wine, served in little clay pitchers. Get the freshest produce at open markets and the cheapest groceries at local and European chains like Pingo Doce, Aldi, and Lidl.

Portugal: Arriving and getting around

Even with a full 10 days to play with, to make the most of your time in Portugal, you’re best off flying into the south (Lisbon) and out of the north (Porto). If you book your ticket carefully, this should cost the same or only marginally more than a round-trip fare out of either of the country’s major international airports.

Once on the ground, you can traverse the highlights in an inexpensive combination of trains and buses for a grand total of €80-120 and 10 hours of travel time in the country.

Of course, if you’re traveling in a group, or just prefer your independence, it might be worth investing in an open-ended rental car (where you pick up a vehicle in one location and drop it off in another). Sure, it means you’ll have to spend time and money filling up and finding parking, but it also means you decide when and where to explore, not the bus or train schedule. In a group, a rental car, from around €20 a day, can even save you money.

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Just make sure to grab an international driving permit ($15 from AAA) before the trip. Another pro tip is to enable the automatic toll readers (Via Verde) on your rental, saving you time, fuss, and spare change.

Also, cut down on the number of days and consequently, the cost of renting as well as parking by picking up your car at the end of your time in Lisbon, and dropping it off first thing upon arrival in Porto.

Our 10-day Portugal itinerary

On the following pages, we outline a recommended 10-day journey through Portugal. Click below to get started!

Days 1 and 2: Lisbon

Days 3 and 4: Sintra, Cascais & Coimbra

Days 5 and 6: Valença and Ponte de Lima

Days 7 and 8: Braga and Guimarães

Days 9 and 10: Porto

The post Portugal Itinerary: 10 Days on the cheap through Lisbon, Porto & Braga appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

If you’re itching to explore the shores beyond the city, you have plenty of options. Most beaches around Lisbon are accessible by the train linking Lisbon and Cascais. (Trains depart from Lisbon’s Cais do Sodré train station.) Round-trip fares are generally under €10, making these destinations perfect for a Cheapo-friendly day trip. Visit the Lisbon transportation Web site for more information.

To cool off Portuguese-style, grab your towel and sun block and head to one of the following stretches of shore:

For convenience: Tamariz Beach

Located in the resort town of Estoril, Tamariz Beach is dotted with sun-shade umbrellas for rent. Flanked by a giant casino, golf courses and a race track, Tamariz Beach is not the most obvious Cheapo destination. It does have its perks, however: It’s only a 30-minute train ride from Lisbon (take the Lisbon-Cascais line to the Estoril stop), and it boasts a stone castle owned by the royal family of Monaco as its backdrop.

There’s a beachside restaurant and a number of bars that stay open late during the summer months. Make sure to check out the lush Estoril gardens: They provide a taste of the luxe resort life for free.

Costa da Caparica. Photo: Endless Autumn

For a lively beach scene: Costa da Caparica

Situated on the south bank of the Tagus River, Costa da Caparica is a long stretch of calm, sandy shores (read: a beach bum’s paradise). Costa da Caparica is a good destination for nightlife, as the bars, restaurants and cafés stay open late as revelers drink and dance.

The beaches of Costa da Caparica are accessible by bus from Lisbon’s Praça de Espanha terminal.

For water sports and peaceful surroundings: Guincho

If you’re looking for a quick escape from metropolitan Lisbon, head to the sedate shores of Guincho Beach. There’s scenery to boot: Trees line the sand, and the Boca do Inferno cavern sits among rocky cliffs. Add a beach blanket and a good book, and you have the perfect place for a lazy afternoon.

More active Cheapos can take advantage of Guincho’s strong waves. The area is popular with both windsurfers and surfers. To get there, take the train from Lisbon to Cascais. From Cascais, Guincho is a short bus ride.

For a real day trip: Ribeira das Ilhas

For those who don’t mind heading further afield, Ribeira das Ilhas in the town of Ericeira provides a good option. This is an especially surfer-friendly destination. The beach has hosted numerous high-profile surfing championships, and the waters are sure to be dotted with people riding the waves.

Besides top-notch surfing, Ribeira das Ilhas offers plenty of bars and restaurants. From Lisbon, the train ride takes an hour and a half. Trains depart from Lisbon’s Grand Campo Grande terminal.

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