Sunny Portugal Self-Launched: Lisbon, Alentejo, Algarve & the Riviera
10 days · Portugal
Collette charges £1,750
No-markup version: ~£1,160 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched take on Collette's 10-day Sunny Portugal coach tour, covering Lisbon, Évora and the cork country of Alentejo, Lagos and the Algarve coast, then north via Setúbal's azulejo workshops and Óbidos to Cascais. Instead of a 44-person coach, you'll use Portugal's excellent trains and cheap regional buses, stay in hostels, guesthouses and simple hotels, and book the same highlights (wine tasting, gin distillery, tile workshop, cork factory, Fado) directly or via GetYourGuide/Klook. Same route, same experiences, roughly a third of the price.
Day-by-day
Arrive Lisbon – settle into Alfama or Baixa
Lisbon
Fly into Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport. Take the Aerobus (€4.50) or metro (€1.80 + €0.50 card) into the centre — roughly 25-30 minutes. Check into a hostel or simple guesthouse in Alfama, Baixa or Bairro Alto. Spend the afternoon on a self-guided wander: Praça do Comércio, the Alfama lanes and a sunset drink at a miradouro (Senhora do Monte or Graça). Grab dinner at a tasca in Mouraria — grilled sardines or bifana with a glass of vinho verde for around €10-12.
🚌Aerobus or metro from airport, ~£4
🛏Hostel dorm or simple guesthouse, Alfama/Baixa (approx. £18-25/night)
- →Self-guided walk: Praça do Comércio, Alfama lanes, Miradouro da Graça
Lisbon classics: Belém, Jerónimos & Fado
Lisbon
Morning tram 15E to Belém (€1.80 with Viva Viagem card). Climb Belém Tower (book ahead on the official monument site, ~€8) and view the Jerónimos Monastery facade — going inside is optional (€12) but queues are long, so either pre-book a timed slot or just admire the Manueline doorway. Walk to Pastéis de Belém for a custard tart (€1.40). In the afternoon, join a pay-what-you-like or small-group walking tour through Baixa and Chiado, or a 'bacalhau heritage' food walk on GetYourGuide (~£25-30). Evening: a Fado performance in Alfama — small venues like Tasca do Chico or a Clube de Fado have entry-plus-a-drink deals from €20-25, or book a Fado dinner show via GetYourGuide (~£45) if you want the full Collette-style experience.
🚌Tram 15E to Belém, ~£2
🛏Hostel dorm or simple guesthouse, Alfama/Baixa
- →Belém Tower entry (~£7)
- →Jerónimos Monastery facade visit
- →Pastéis de Belém
- →Small-group walking tour or bacalhau food walk (~£25)
- →Fado performance in Alfama (~£20)
Lisbon free day / Sintra day trip
Lisbon
Use this spare day how you like — the coach tour builds in a rest day here. Option A: train from Rossio to Sintra (40 min, ~€5 return with the CP line), then bus 434 up to Pena Palace (book timed entry ~€20 on the Parques de Sintra site) and Quinta da Regaleira (€15). Option B: stay in town for the Tile Museum (Museu Nacional do Azulejo, €8) and LX Factory. Reviewer complaints about the coach tour were 'not enough time in Sintra' — so give it a full day here.
🚌Rossio–Sintra train, ~£9 return
🛏Hostel dorm or simple guesthouse, Alfama/Baixa
- →Sintra day trip: Pena Palace (~£17)
- →Quinta da Regaleira (~£13)
- →Alternative: National Tile Museum
Lisbon to Évora – cork country and the walled city
Évora
Train or bus to Évora: Rede Expressos coaches run from Sete Rios roughly hourly (~1h45, €12-14), or take the train to Casa Branca and connect. Alentejo cork country is on the way — if you want the family cork factory visit, book a half-day cork-and-Évora tour via GetYourGuide (~£45) or stop at a cork farm en route. In the afternoon, walk the medieval walls, see the Roman Temple of Diana and the eerie Chapel of Bones (€6). Dinner in the old town: migas and Alentejo pork, ~€15.
🚌Rede Expressos coach Lisbon–Évora, ~£12
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Évora old town (~£22-30/night)
- →Cork farm / cork workshop visit (~£40 if booked as tour)
- →Roman Temple of Évora
- →Chapel of Bones (~£5)
- →Medieval walls walk
Évora to Lagos – winery and gin tasting on the way
Lagos
Bus or train south to the Algarve. The simplest route is a Rede Expressos coach Évora–Lagos with a change in Albufeira or Setúbal (~3h30-4h, €18-22). Break the journey in the Alentejo wine country: a short hop from Évora, book a small winery tasting and light lunch (GetYourGuide/Viator, ~£35-45, e.g. around Estremoz or Reguengos). A gin distillery tasting is available in the Algarve; the well-known Sharish gin (Reguengos) and small Algarve distilleries both run tastings from ~€15. Arrive Lagos in the evening and check into a hostel near the marina or old town.
🚌Rede Expressos Évora–Lagos, ~£19
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Lagos old town (~£18-25/night)
- →Alentejo winery tasting + light lunch (~£40)
- →Gin distillery tasting (~£13)
Lagos – beaches, cliffs and a coastal boat trip
Lagos
Morning walk along the Ponta da Piedade clifftop boardwalk — free and the best scenery in the Algarve. Then take a kayak or small-boat tour into the sea caves and grottoes (book on GetYourGuide or at the marina, €20-30 for a 1-1.5h trip; sunrise departures are quieter). Afternoon at Praia Dona Ana or Meia Praia. Evening: grilled fish at a Lagos tasca (~€15) and a drink in the old-town lanes.
🚌Local bus or walk
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Lagos
- →Ponta da Piedade boardwalk (free)
- →Kayak or boat tour of the grottoes (~£22)
- →Praia Dona Ana beach
Portimão & Monchique loop – sardines, mountains and a picnic
Lagos
Take the local Vamus bus from Lagos to Portimão (~30-40 min, €3-4). Visit the sardine canning heritage quarter and museum (Museu de Portimão, €5) and pick up tinned fish to take home. Continue by bus up to Monchique (~1h) for the mountain village, the famous 'chouriço' and honey shops, and a short walk to a viewpoint. Build your own picnic from the Monchique market — bread, cheese, presunto and figs — and eat it on the hillside. Return to Lagos in the evening.
🚌Vamus buses Lagos–Portimão–Monchique, ~£8 total
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Lagos
- →Museu de Portimão sardine heritage (~£4)
- →Monchique village and viewpoint
- →Self-made market picnic
Lagos to Setúbal & Azeitão – azulejos and tile workshops
Setúbal
Long travel day north: Rede Expressos Lagos–Setúbal (~3h15-3h45, €20-24). In Setúbal, wander the old centre and the Livramento market. Take local bus 754/755 to Azeitão (~20-25 min) to visit a family-run hand-painted tile workshop — Azulejos de Azeitão offers short guided visits of the tiling process for a few euros or free with a purchase. Optionally stop at the José Maria da Fonseca winery in Azeitão for a cellar tour and Moscatel tasting (~€12-15, book direct). Stay overnight in Setúbal or nearby Palmela.
🚌Rede Expressos Lagos–Setúbal (~£21); local buses to Azeitão (~£4)
🛏Guesthouse in Setúbal or Palmela (~£22-28/night)
- →Setúbal old town and Livramento market
- →Azeitão hand-painted tile workshop (~£5)
- →Optional Moscatel winery tour (~£12)
Setúbal to Cascais via Óbidos & Alcobaça
Cascais
Bus to Lisbon Sete Rios (€6-8, 50 min), then take a Rede Expressos coach to Óbidos (~1h15, €8). Walk the medieval walls, sample ginjinha in a chocolate cup (~€1.50) and browse the bookshops. From Óbidos, a local bus or short taxi covers the 20 minutes to Alcobaça to see the Monastery (UNESCO, €6). In the late afternoon, take the bus back to Lisbon and the CP train along the coast to Cascais (~35 min, €2.50). Check into a hostel or guesthouse in Cascais.
🚌Setúbal–Lisbon coach & Lisbon–Óbidos coach & Lisbon–Cascais train (~£18)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Cascais (~£25-32/night)
- →Óbidos medieval walls walk
- →Ginjinha tasting (~£2)
- →Alcobaça Monastery (~£5)
Cascais – coastline, Boca do Inferno and departure
Cascais
Morning walk the Cascais–Estoril coastal promenade to Boca do Inferno, or rent a bike (€10/day) and ride to Guincho beach. Optional farewell lunch of fresh fish at the Cascais market, then take the CP train back to Lisbon Cais do Sodré (€2.50) and the metro to the airport. If you're flying from Lisbon, allow 90 minutes door to door.
🚌Cascais–Lisbon train + metro to airport, ~£4
🛏None (departure day)
- →Cascais–Estoril promenade and Boca do Inferno
- →Optional bike hire (~£9)
Self-launched vs. Collette
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Collette | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,160 | £1,750 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £590 per person (34%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Collette-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,160
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Sunny Portugal Self-Launched: Lisbon, Alentejo, Algarve & the Riviera cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,160 per person for 10 days in Portugal. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Collette?+
Yes — Collette charges around £1,750 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,160 — a saving of roughly £590 (34%) per person.
How long is the Portugal trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Portugal.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, foodie, beaches trip through Portugal, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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