Where to go in Portugal in April: cities and spring getaways

27 March De 2026

April changes the way Portugal invites you to travel. The days begin to draw you outdoors, but a getaway does not yet need to revolve around the beach or the usual rhythms of summer. It is a good time to return to the cities, walk along the coast, finally visit somewhere that has been on your list for a while, or simply spend a few days away without planning every hour of the trip.

Spending the day outdoors again

There comes a time of year when cities once again call for days without much of a plan: leave the hotel, choose a direction and let the streets decide where to stop next.

April is particularly well suited to this kind of city break. In Porto, a walk might begin downtown, descend towards Ribeira, cross the Douro and end over dinner without every stop having been decided in advance. Between sloping streets, markets, galleries, cafés and restaurants, the city itself can fill the day.

In Lisbon, the idea can be similar, although the scenery changes. A passing tram, a street climbing towards another neighbourhood, a viewpoint discovered along the way or a free table on a terrace can be enough to change the route. April lends itself to precisely this side of both cities: walking, stopping and carrying on without turning the day into a checklist of attractions.

Going to the Algarve without planning a beach holiday

Travelling south in April is an opportunity to experience the Algarve from a different perspective. In Lagos, the coast remains central to the experience, but that does not mean spending the entire day on the sand. Paths along the cliffs, the viewpoints of Ponta da Piedade, small beaches and the historic centre make it easy to shape very different days within the same trip.

It is also a good time to walk along the coast, stop at the viewpoints and return to town for lunch or dinner without feeling as though you are interrupting a “beach day”. If you are considering the Algarve for a short break, our guide Where to stay in the Algarve: why Lagos is one of the best areas can help you decide whether the city suits the kind of trip you have in mind.

APRIL, WITHOUT A FIXED ITINERARY

Sometimes, the number of days you have is the best place to start.

A weekend — city streets, restaurants and time to explore on foot

3 or 4 days — combine city life, coastline and time outdoors

A few extra days — travel a little further and leave room to discover the destination at your own pace

Moments of escape by the ocean

Taking a few days to cross the Atlantic

If you can extend your getaway for a few days, April can be the perfect excuse to leave mainland Portugal for Madeira. Funchal brings city and nature together without asking you to choose between them: start the day among the markets and streets of the centre, visit a garden, walk beside the Atlantic or use the city as a starting point for discovering other landscapes across the island.

Where you stay can also shape the experience. Staying in the centre puts the city streets on your doorstep, while choosing the Ajuda area brings you closer to the sea and the waterfront promenade. If Madeira is on your list, we explore these two possibilities in Where to stay in Funchal: two ways to experience the city.

Finally taking the trip you keep putting off

Not every getaway needs to take you far. Some cities remain on the list for years precisely because they seem easy enough to visit “one day”. Coimbra fits that idea particularly well.

The University and the Alta are reason enough to visit, but they do not need to fill the entire itinerary. Walking down the old streets towards the Baixa, crossing the Mondego, stepping into a bookshop or lingering over lunch are also ways of getting to know a city whose scale works particularly well for two or three days. April might simply be the excuse you needed to stop postponing the trip.

What is the weather like in Portugal in April?

April is a transitional month, and conditions can vary considerably between northern Portugal, Lisbon, the Algarve and Madeira. It is therefore worth checking the forecast shortly before travelling and keeping some flexibility in your plans. A day that is less inviting for the coast can become an afternoon at a museum, a long lunch or an opportunity to discover another part of the city.

Rather than building the entire getaway around a weather forecast made weeks in advance, choose somewhere that gives you different ways to spend the day. That flexibility is part of what makes travelling in April so appealing.

YOUR NEXT GETAWAY

Start with the place where you would like to wake up.

A street in the centre of Porto, the light of Lisbon, the cliffs of Lagos, the Atlantic in Funchal or a morning among Coimbra’s historic buildings. April can simply be the starting point.

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