Óbidos, Aveiro, Porto: Take advantage of Portugal’s €49 rail pass with this cross-country route

How to travel around Portugal by train

If you come from another country by train (or plane), you will most likely arrive in the capital, Lisbon.

While purchasing your Comboios de Portugal (CP) card at the ticket offices of the Lisbon Oriente or Lisbon Santa Apolónia stations, necessary to purchase the 49 euro national rail passpause to take in the city’s sights.

Head to the historic Alfama neighborhood, with steep streets, ice cream-colored houses and street-level cafes.

Climb the Miradouro de Santa Luzia or the Miradouro das Portas do Sol to see spectacular sunsets over the city and the Tagus River.

Óbidos: Example of a medieval walled city

Heading north along the coast, the first stop is Óbidos, just over two hours away. by train.

The medieval city is famous for its impressively well-preserved walls, which visitors can explore on foot and which contain the historic center. Its origin dates back to Arab times.

From Óbidos station, you enter the city passing by the castle (today a luxury hotel), which dates back to the 12th century and was built by order of King Dinis I.

Stroll along Rua Direita, the city’s main street of whitewashed houses with blue and yellow decorations. Walk to the right to the Porta da Vila, on the other side of town, which has a small chapel lined with pretty tiles.

Every spring Óbidos celebrates an appetizing Chocolate Festival and the ginjinhaa cherry liqueur typical of the city, which is traditionally served in small chocolate cups.

Figueira da Foz: sandy beaches and a glittering casino

For a cool coastal town, continue north for two hours to Figueira da Foz, getting off Figueira da Foz station. It is known as the Queen of Beaches for its seaside bars and restaurants and its soft white sand.

If you get tired of the water, you can climb the Serra da Boa Viagem and have lunch in a picnic area in the shade of eucalyptus and pine trees.

Don’t leave without spending a night at Casino Figueira, the largest and oldest gambling establishment in Portugal.

Aveiro: A network of canals and colorful boats

At Aveiro station, two hours from Figueira da Foz, you will find a peaceful city nestled in the Aveiro River lagoon.

A network of canals – which have earned Aveiro the nickname the Venice of Portugal – lined with rainbow-coloured buildings runs through the centre. You will also see colorful traditional boats called moliceiros boats which are used to collect algae.

Stroll through the center admiring the ornate tiled Art Nouveau buildings and the grandiose Aviero Cathedral, founded in 1493.

Porto: Port Wine and Palaces

End your trip in Portugal’s second city, Port (disembarkation at Campanhã central station), located astride the Douro River.

Head to the Ribeira neighborhood, where you’ll find decadent 18th-century townhouses and the majestic Palácio da Bolsa, with glittering gilded interiors.

The narrow streets are lined with bars and restaurants where you can taste local delicacies such as grilled sardines.

For a panoramic view of the Port wine cellars across the river, climb up to Porto Cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century.