A bit more formal and conservative than the Spanish, the Portuguese hold tight to their traditions. They love to show visitors the old soul of Portugal, graciously offering opportunities to experience it.
At the same time, amid the devotion to centuries-old cultural constants—seafood, port, blue-and-white tile work— there is a surprising willingness to modernize and update local customs and attractions. Only, of course, if done with proper respect to the past.
This itinerary, concentrated in Lisbon and the area surrounding Porto, works well for an extra-long weekend, providing a pleasurable taste of Portugal old and new.
Lisbon
Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon
The rooftop of a luxury hotel often houses a chic bar. But at the 282-room Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon, which was built in the 1950s and has a striking period art collection to match, the gym (Pilates studio, weights, cardio equipment, outdoor running track) takes the top spot.
Guests are rewarded with spectacular vistas of Lisbon, visible from the plate-glass windows that surround the space. If you’re feeling a little lazy, enjoy a quiet continental breakfast there instead. Rooms start at $465; Rua Rodrigo da Fonseca, 88; 351-21/381-1400
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Cork & Co. 
Cork, which is harvested from the cork oak native to Portugal, is one of the country’s most venerable products. At Cork & Co., it’s given a contemporary spin, made into umbrellas, coasters, place mats and a host of other surprising items (skip the impractical cork scarf).
Its location in the Bairro Alto, a boho-chic area of Lisbon, provides lots of window-shopping opportunities. Rua das Salgadeiras 10; 351-21/609-0231
Cervejaria Ramiro
If you have a shellfish allergy, Lisbon might not be the place for you — locals take the stuff very seriously. For proof, consider outstanding seafood restaurant Cervejaria Ramiro, where there’s always a wait.
Eager diners line up outside, sipping beers ordered from the inside bar, and turn the wait into a friendly block party. Langoustines, clams with garlic and giant grilled tiger prawns are all delicious. Ask for an order of lupini beans, which are like tart little versions of fava beans, a favorite snack of Lisboetas. Avenida Almirante Reis, no. 1–H; 351-21/885-1024
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Museu Calouste Gulbenkian
It might seem a stretch to compare this jewel of a museum — the collection of an early-20th-century oil baron —to the Frick Collection in New York or the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. But the comparison is apt, thanks to priceless paintings by the likes of Rembrandt, Hals, Degas and Gainsborough.
The decorative arts might be even stronger, from ancient Greek vases to golden Egyptian death masks to stunning Persian pottery. If you can only see one museum in Portugal, this should be it. Avenida de Berna 45A; 351-21/782-3000
100 Maneiras
A small restaurant decorated in cozy clapboard, 100 Maneiras has some big ideas when it comes to food. Chef Ljubomir Stanisic likes to be playful (a palate cleanser comes in little pots shaped like a human skull), including when he updates bacalao — salted cod, a Portuguese obsession—by hanging tiny dried chips of the stuff on a little clothesline.
All the dishes on the tasting menu, especially the foie gras lasagna, are well conceived. Make sure to get the wine pairings with each course. Rua do Teixeira 35; 351-91/030-7575
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Conserveira de Lisboa
Founded in 1930 and still occupying its original small, charming space in Lisbon’s scenic waterfront area, Conserveira de Lisboa does one thing very well: canned fish. Not just tuna, though — mackerel, squid and octopus are just the beginning.
Even if you’re not buying, this family-owned store is worth a stop for the colorful vintage packaging. And its long-standing relationships with area fishermen perfectly suit the current interest in sourcing food locally. Rua dos Bacalhoeiros 34; 351-21/886-4009
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Sintra
Pena National Palace
Hire a car and go directly from your Lisbon hotel to Sintra, the unesco World Heritage site and famed summer retreat in the mountains just outside the city. Focus on the over-the-top Pena National Palace (built in the mid-1800s), which is much more interesting than the nearby Sintra National Palace.
Designed by German engineer Baron Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege, Pena is a wild and woolly mash-up of architectural styles. Neo-Renaissance and neo-Gothic touches meet Moorish flourishes in additions to the old monastery. The rooms are surprisingly intimate, allowing guests to easily imagine life as a royal whiling away the summer months. Estrada da Pena, 2710-609; 351-21/910-5340
Vila Nova de Gaia
Graham’s Port Lodge
Porto, located about 170 miles north of Lisbon, has charm to spare, some of which comes from the presence of the port shipping houses spread out scenically along the south side of the Douro River, technically in the town of Vila Nova de Gaia.
Graham’s Port Lodge — the newest visitor experience among the fortified-wine producers—re-opened in March after a renovation. It is one of the largest, best-executed welcome centers in Europe, including a tasting room done up like a traditional gentleman’s club, a wine bar, a restaurant, a shop and a mini-museum of the brand’s history. Make sure to try the tawny ports. Rua do Agro, no. 141; 351-22/377-6484
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Porto
Livraria Lello & Irmão
Perhaps the world’s most beautiful bookstore, neo-Gothic beauty Livraria Lello & Irmão inspired J.K. Rowling, who once lived in Porto, for her design of the physical world in her Harry Potter books.
From the outside the building, built in 1906, looks like a church; inside the store is a perfectly composed vista of elaborately turned woodwork, trompe l’oeil paintings and a stained-glass ceiling dominated by a fantastical curving staircase with bright red steps. (Holster your camera—the staff strictly enforces a no-photos rule.)
Ironically, the selection of books is not that great, but visiting Lello—one of Portugal’s true architectural treasures—is still a must. Rua das Carmelitas 144; 351-22/201-8170
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