Sevilla
Andalusian capital — Moorish palaces, tapas bars on every corner, and the real flamenco if you know where to look. Book the Alcázar and Catedral online before you arrive.
Sights & Flamenco
The two flamenco venues are very different — Casa de la Guitarra is a polished tablao for visitors; Torres Macarena is a peña for aficionados. Go to either or both.
Tapas & Bodegas
Sevilla eats late — lunch around 14:00, dinner rarely before 21:00. Most of these don't take reservations; arrive at opening or stand at the bar. Standing at the bar is often the best seat.
Porto
Granite, port wine, and one of the best seafood regions in Europe. The old city fits in a tight triangle between Cedofeita, Ribeira, and Santa Catarina — walkable, with Foz and Matosinhos a short metro or cab away.
Sights
The Cathedral is the anchor point — climb up for the cloister and the panoramic view down over the Ribeira. Everything else in Porto is a walk from here.
Restaurants & Bars
Porto eats seriously — Matosinhos for the mariscarias, Cedofeita for the modern scene, Foz for the view-with-dinner nights. Wine bars (Prova, Capela Incomum) are as good as anywhere in Europe. Reserve for weekends.
Lisboa
Seven hills, yellow trams, and the best seafood in the country. Belém (monuments, pastéis) is a morning; Chiado and Bairro Alto are where you eat and drink at night.
Sights & Views
Belém is one morning's worth on its own — Tower + Monastery + pastéis. The Castelo is best at sunset. Buy Jerónimos tickets online; the walk-up queue is brutal.
Restaurants & Bars
A long list — split roughly between Chiado/Bairro Alto/Príncipe Real (most of it), Alfama (Taberna Sal Grosso, Fado ao Carmo), Alcântara (Pigmeu, Último Porto, Lat.a), and a couple out east (Musa de Marvila) or west (Eduardo das Conquilhas in Parede). Reserve anywhere marked €€€+; most of the tascas are walk-in.
Day Trips
From Lisbon, all three are easy by train or bus. Sintra and Cascais are half-days each (or combine them with an Uber between); Fátima is a longer commitment — worth it if the sanctuary pulls you, otherwise skip.
Beyond the City
Trains leave from Rossio (Sintra, ~40 min) and Cais do Sodré (Cascais, ~40 min). Fátima needs the Rede Expressos bus from Sete Rios (~2 hrs).