First up on this West Portugal road trip, Lisbon has been grabbing everyone’s attention in recent years. Its reputation as a hub of all that’s cool and creative is now common knowledge — which is why it’s the perfect start to a holiday.

Get ready for incredible scenery, amazing food and great value — oh, and lots of walking uphill. The city is laid out over seven hills, which makes for a serious thigh workout but also spectacular views.

Begin with a stroll through the Moorish Alfama, one of the most characterful neighbourhoods in the city. Then take Tram 28E up to the Castelo de São Jorge and wander along the ramparts. In Belém, visit the beautiful Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, or head to the site of Lisbon’s Expo 98 and explore the aquarium.

Enjoy exquisite seafood, from octopus to snails, as well as those famous custard tarts. Finish with a shot of ginjinha, the cherry liqueur, then head out to explore Lisbon’s late-night scene in the Bairro Alto.

Surfers already know Peniche — its beaches are some of the best for waves in the country. But for those on a road trip through western Portugal, Peniche is the perfect follow‑up to a few days of late nights and indulgence in Lisbon. It has an authentic, slightly gritty feel, and you’ll still come across fishermen mending their nets by the harbour.

In August the town puts on the Nossa Senhora da Boa Viagem festival. So head to your next stop to enjoy the fresh sea breeze and even fresher sardines.

To see what makes those waves so great, head to Praia dos Supertubos — in October it hosts the Rip Curl Pro. Another must‑see is Ilha da Berlenga, a granite island and nature reserve about 11 km off the coast.

Check out the local artisan speciality, Renda de Bilros, or bobbin lace. For sunset, head to Cabo Carvoeiro at the tip of the peninsula.

Running between Peniche and Coimbra (next on this road trip through western Portugal) is a route of three towns famous for their incredible, UNESCO-listed monasteries. "Famous" is relative here — Alcobaça, Batalha and Tomar are well off the usual tourist trail.

Situated in the Leiria region of central Portugal, the monasteries of Alcobaça, Batalha and Tomar (Tomar is in the Santarém region) all lie within a 65 km stretch of one another. They're ancient and beautiful, but each has a very different cultural and architectural history. A road trip between them is easily done and well worth it.

First up is Alcobaça, an old town straddling the Alcoa and Baça rivers. Its monastery, the Royal Abbey of Santa Maria, was founded in 1153 by Cistercian monks on land donated by Dom Afonso Henriques, Portugal’s first king. Talk about legendary.

Second up, Batalha literally means "battle". The Monastery of Batalha commemorates the Portuguese victory over the Castilians in 1385. A masterpiece of Gothic architecture, it was the country’s principal religious building for the next two centuries.

Lastly, Tomar’s monastery is the Convent of Christ. It’s probably the most fascinating of the three — originally a 12th-century Templar stronghold. Not sure why that’s such a draw? The Templars were one of the most controversial orders in European Christianity, and they remained active in Portugal long after they were outlawed by the Pope.

Next up, back to more urban pleasures as you arrive at your next West Portugal road-trip destination.

Beautiful Coimbra is famous for being the hilltop home of Portugal’s oldest and most distinguished university. But aside from being full of super-smart students, the city has heaps of gorgeous architecture to admire and is basically a history lesson in the form of a city — a history lesson with a fun side, though, thanks to its many reasonably priced bars.

Visit the university’s Baroque library with its elaborate frescoes. Also check out St Michael’s Chapel with its 3,000-pipe organ. Then there’s the Sé Velha, the city’s 12th-century cathedral. On your way, keep an eye out for students dressed in traditional black capes, carrying briefcases with coloured ribbons.

Be sure to catch one of the hourly performances at the Fado Centre on the Escada do Quebra-Costas — a street whose name roughly translates as ‘Backbreaker’. Because, yep, Coimbra, like Lisbon, is painfully hilly.

Last stop on your Portuguese coastal adventure is Porto. Like Lisbon, Porto is making a name for itself as a hip and happening city.

A thriving centre for art, fashion and nightlife, with a gritty grandeur and arty edge, it’s also home to a rather famous fortified wine, which is another plus. So there’s no better place to spend your last few nights in Portugal than Porto, your final western Portugal road-trip destination.

Art lovers must visit the famous Serralves art centre, home to a major collection of works by Joan Miró. But there’s also cool street art everywhere, as well as the stunning azulejos, or blue ceramic tiles, in places like São Bento railway station. For views, head up to Jardim do Morro.

When it comes to dining, there are Michelin-starred restaurants or equally good local petiscarias. Plus, across the water in Vila Nova de Gaia, barrels of maturing port will be calling your name.