Portugal

Off the Beaten Path: Lisbon to Madeira

Ten nights that trade a third mainland city for an island most Portugal itineraries never reach.

10 Nights / 11 DaysDuration
4Cities

Most Portugal itineraries stay on the mainland , Lisbon, the Algarve, Porto, done. This one flies further, out to Madeira, the volcanic island 600 miles off the coast where cliffs drop straight into the Atlantic and the roads still climb through laurel forest that's been there since before Portugal was a country. It's the extension most first-time itineraries skip, usually for lack of time.

This is one of the Portugal itineraries we've planned for a family before , ten nights, eleven days across Lisbon, Lagos and the Algarve, Madeira, and Porto, built for two adults and one child (11 years) travelling together. It's shared here to show what a longer, deeper route through Portugal could look like. A version built around your own family's size, pace and dates would look a little different , and that's the point.

Why This Trip

Why Detour to Madeira

Why Detour to Madeira

Madeira sits far enough off the standard route that most Portugal itineraries never mention it, which is exactly why it's worth the extra flight. Cabo Girão drops as one of Europe's highest sea cliffs, the Fanal Forest looks like it belongs in a different country entirely, and a sunrise hike up Pico do Arieiro clears the clouds before most of Lisbon has had breakfast.

Getting there costs a day , a self-drive run through the Algarve to Lagos, a flight out of Faro, three internal legs in total , but it buys three full days on an island that barely resembles the mainland it belongs to. If you asked us: don't treat Madeira as an add-on. Give it the three full days this route does, not a rushed two.

Holiday Overview

Cities Covered
Lisbon, Lagos & the Algarve, Madeira (Funchal), Porto
Starting Price
₹2,82,450

per person, based on 2 adults + 1 child (11 years) travelling together, excluding international airfare

Best Time to Travel
Late September to early October (mild weather, thinner crowds)
Experiences Covered
Lisbon Tram 28 tour, Sintra & Pena Palace & Cabo da Roca & Cascais day tour, self-drive to Lagos via the Algarve, Benagil Caves & dolphin tour, Madeira West and East island tours, Pico do Arieiro sunrise hike, Funchal & Monte private tour, Douro river cruise in Porto, Coimbra & Aveiro day tour

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Trace Your Path

An itinerary designed
for every moment.

Lisbon Day 1–3

The Tram 28 route past Praça do Comércio, Alfama and the Santa Justa Lift, and a day tour to Sintra, Cabo da Roca and Cascais.

Lagos & the Algarve Day 4–5

A self-drive through Faro and the Algarve coastline to Lagos, and a boat trip to Benagil Sea Cave with a chance to spot dolphins.

Madeira (Funchal) Day 5–8

Câmara de Lobos, Cabo Girão, the Fanal Forest, Véu da Noiva, Pico do Arieiro, Funchal's old town and Monte Palace Tropical Garden.

Porto Day 9–11

An evening Douro river cruise beneath the city's six historic bridges, and a day trip to Coimbra and Aveiro.

Day By Day

Portugal Trip Itinerary

  1. Day 1 (23 Sept)

    Lisbon Arrival & Tram 28

    Check-in at a Lisbon apartment in Baixa-Chiado, then a ride on the Hills Tramcar Tour , the red Tram 28 route past Praça do Comércio, Alfama and the Santa Justa Lift, with an audio guide filling in the history.

  2. Day 2 (24 Sept)

    Lisbon, at Leisure

    A free day to walk the city's neighbourhoods and cafés at your own pace. This particular trip timed itself around a Portugal football fixture in the evening , not included, but easy enough to catch if the dates line up.

  3. Day 3 (25 Sept)

    Sintra, Pena Palace & Cascais

    A full-day guided tour to Sintra's Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira, then on to Cabo da Roca , continental Europe's westernmost point , and the seaside town of Cascais.

  4. Day 4 (26 Sept)

    Self-Drive to the Algarve

    A self-drive car for the day, routed through Faro and the Algarve coastline down to Lagos, with the evening free to settle in.

  5. Day 5 (27 Sept)

    Benagil Caves & Flight to Madeira

    A morning boat trip to Benagil Sea Cave with a chance to spot dolphins along the way, then a flight from Faro out to Madeira in the evening.

  6. Day 6 (28 Sept)

    Madeira, West Side

    A private tour along the island's western half , the fishing village of Câmara de Lobos, the sea cliffs at Cabo Girão, the Fanal Forest, and the waterfall at Véu da Noiva.

  7. Day 7 (29 Sept)

    Pico do Arieiro Sunrise & East Madeira

    A 6am start for the Pico do Arieiro sunrise hike, followed by a private tour east , Ribeiro Frio, the village of Santana, and the sea-cliff viewpoint at Ponta de São Lourenço.

  8. Day 8 (30 Sept)

    Funchal & Monte

    Funchal's old town and central market, a cable car ride up to Monte Palace Tropical Garden, and , for anyone up for it , the toboggan ride back down.

  9. Day 9 (1 Oct)

    Madeira to Porto , Douro River Cruise

    A flight to Porto, then an evening cruise beneath the city's six historic bridges along the Douro.

  10. Day 10 (2 Oct)

    Coimbra & Aveiro Day Trip

    A day tour to Coimbra, home to one of Europe's oldest universities, and Aveiro, where a Moliceiro boat cruise runs past the canals that earned it the name Venice of Portugal.

  11. Day 11 (3 Oct)

    Departure

    A transfer to the airport closes out the trip.

What's Included

Experiences Included.

Where You'll Stay

Hotel Stays.

Stays in Lisbon, Lagos, Madeira and Porto, with breakfast where noted below.

Lisbon: Lisbon Serviced Apartments in Baixa-Chiado. Lagos: Marina Club Lagos Resort, with breakfast. Madeira: Pestana Carlton Madeira Ocean Resort Hotel, with breakfast, for four nights. Porto: Wilde Aparthotels Porto Clérigos, close to the historic centre.

The Fine Print, Handled

What Travenza Holidays
Will Arrange.

Itinerary planning, hotel reservations, private and self-drive transfers, sightseeing, internal flights to and from Madeira, self-drive car rental, visa assistance, and travel support for the whole family.

Customised by family size, hotel preference, budget, travel dates and pace. A version that skips Madeira for a longer mainland stay is equally possible , this one exists to show what the detour adds.

Ready When You Are

Plan Your Off the Beaten Path Holiday to Portugal

Cliffs above the Atlantic, a sunrise hike through the clouds, a river cruise beneath Porto's six bridges , Madeira gives a Portugal trip a third dimension most itineraries never get to.

This is one of the itineraries we've built for a family travelling together before, shared here to show what the trip could look like. A version built for your own family , size, pace and dates , would look a little different.

Estimated from ₹2,82,450 per adult · All inclusive

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