One of Lisbon’s best day trip locations, Sintra is a magical place with its fairytale castles perched atop sharp peaks overlooking the forests and valleys below. Exploring this charming region’s palaces, gardens, and museums is one of the top things to do in Portugal. In this article, I’ll show you how to plan a great day trip to Sintra from Lisbon and prepare you for what to expect.

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How to Explore Sintra on a Day Trip from Lisbon

A majestic city rising up from the Mondego River, Coimbra is a not only picturesque, but has a rich history and cultural importance in Portugal. You may have stumbled across this article by wondering, is Coimbra worth visiting? My answer is, absolutely! During our trip, I fell in love with this charming city. In this article, I’ll share a few reasons why I think you visit Coimbra. Plus, I’ve included our full 1-day itinerary in Coimbra for inspiration.

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5 Reasons Why You Should Visit Coimbra, Portugal

The Douro Valley, with its beautiful vineyard-terraced hills cradling the winding Douro River, is a magnificent gem in Portugal. Most visitors are drawn to this area for the delicious wine and port produced in the region. However, driving through this incredible landscape, you’ll be in awe of the views and fall in love with its charming villages as well. In this article, I’ll share tips for planning a trip to the Douro Valley, as well as a sample itinerary to give you ideas for your next holiday.

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How to Plan an Unforgettable Trip to the Douro Valley

For port wine enthusiasts, spending a couple of days in beautiful Porto is a must on a trip to Portugal. This charming, medieval city looks like it’s straight out of a fairy tale and boasts stunning architecture, delicious cuisine, and of course, lots of port wine. Even if you don’t drink port, I believe this lovely city will captivate you. In this article, I’ll share some of the wonderful things you can do for 2 fun-filled days in Porto.

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2 Days in Porto – A Complete Itinerary

When visiting Portugal, Lisbon should be at the top of your list of places to see. With a rich history, plus stunning architecture and tilework, charming alleyways, and gorgeous viewpoints around the city, it’s an aesthetically lovely place. Its delicious gastronomy and welcoming atmosphere further enhance the city’s appeal and made it a fantastic place to spend a few days. In this article, I’ll walk you through our Lisbon itinerary and give plenty of food and drink recommendations to inspire you.

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4 Days in Lisbon, Portugal – A Complete Itinerary

When I sat down to plan a fairly last-minute trip to Portugal this summer, I didn’t realize it had become such a popular destination. With its incredible architecture and tiled buildings, gorgeous beaches, and stunning wine country, it’s easy to see why people are drawn to the country. In this article, I’ll share some tips that I picked up while planning a trip to Portugal as well as what we learned once we got there. Hopefully, they will help you as you plan your next trip.

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How to Plan an Amazing Trip to Portugal

With miles of beautiful porticoes and delicious cuisine, Bologna is a fantastic city to add to your Italy itinerary. Here, you can visit the oldest university in the world, climb its leaning tower for stunning views, and taste the rich dishes for which Bologna is famous. Though, perhaps avoid going during a summer heat wave. In this article, I’ll take you through our three days visiting Bologna to inspire your next trip.

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How to Spend 3 Days in Bologna During a Heat Wave

With picturesque landscapes of vineyards and Italian cypress trees peppered over its rolling hills, Tuscany is one of the most beautiful regions in Italy. Driving through the Tuscan countryside, you’ll encounter many medieval towns gracing the hilltops. In this post, I’ll recommend four beautiful hill towns that I don’t think you should miss on your visit to Tuscany. During your visit, admire the architecture, taste the local wine, and soak in the historic feel of these charming towns and you won’t regret it!

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4 Stunning Hill Towns You Should Visit in Tuscany

With its variety of museums and historic sights, charming streets, and delicious restaurants, Florence is a city in which you could easily spend days. So, on your first trip to Florence, be prepared that you will not see everything. Simply soak in as much of this magnificent city as you can and know that you can always come back! In this post, I’ll share our itinerary, some delicious places to eat, as well as some of the lessons we learned from misadventures on our first trip to Florence.

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How We Spent Our First Trip to Florence, Italy

The iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa is a sight that you can’t help wanting to see when you’re visiting Italy. If you’re crunched for time, it’s easy to add a train stopover in Pisa to your itinerary. This will allow you to not only see the Leaning Tower, but also to admire Pisa’s beautiful architecture. In this article, I’ll show you how to maximize your visit to Pisa during a 6-hour train stopover, including a walking tour and useful tips.

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How to Plan a 6-Hour Train Stopover in Pisa

Situated along the stunning Ligurian coastline, Cinque Terre National Park is an ideal place to lace up your sneakers for a scenic hike. And a hike on the Sentiero Azzurro is the best place to start. This coastline trail connects the historic villages that climb the steep hills rising up from the sea. With stunning views of the sea, vineyards, and the towns, this hike is an activity you won’t want to miss in Cinque Terre.

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A Gorgeous Hike on the Sentiero Azzurro in Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre’s brightly-colored villages built into the dramatic cliffside on the sea make it a visually stunning destination you won’t want to miss. Explore the narrow alleyways of these historic towns, swim in the crystal clear sea, or hike along the cliffs to enjoy sweeping views. In this post, I’ll share all you need to know to spend a couple days in beautiful Cinque Terre on your next trip to Italy.

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2 Days in Beautiful Cinque Terre, Italy

The economic and fashion capital of Italy, Milan is a dynamic city with a unique vibe. This summer, we kicked off our 3-week Italy adventure with a weekend in Milan. In this article, I’ll show you how we spent our fun, yet jet-lagged weekend in Milan, including tips for booking attractions and recommendations for delicious food.

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How to Spend a Fun, Jet-lagged Weekend in Milan

Sitting down to plan our adventure in Italy, I realized that I’d forgotten how overwhelming planning a trip can be! Over the past couple of years, we’ve only traveled in order to visit family back in the US. So, I was out of practice when it came to planning a big international trip. If you’re in the same boat that I was, I hope this article will help guide you as you plan your own exciting holiday in Italy.

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How to Plan an Awesome Trip to Italy