Paris to Portugal

Paris · Pau · Porto · Algarve · Lisbon · May 2026

Designed by Erin | 2026

Some trips are just logistics. This one was something else entirely.  This family came to me with three wishlists woven into one itinerary.

Their son had just returned from two years serving a mission in Lisbon. Dad had served in Pau, France - years earlier. And Mom had dreamed of Paris since high school French class.

One trip. Three homecomings. My job was making sure none of them got lost in the shuffle.

from the journal:

Five destinations is a lot of packing and unpacking. For this family every stop had a reason. But if you want slower, I'd scale to 2–3 destinations and really sink in.

From the Editory house - porto

I put them in Montmartre — and I'd do it again every time. Cobblestone streets, patisseries on every corner, that unmistakable feeling of I'm actually here. For a family experiencing Paris for the first time, it sets the whole tone instantly.

"We are honored that Porto will be part of such a special reunion. Our kitchen team will prepare a special welcome treat placed in the rooms before arrival — a warm welcome to Portugal."

In the Algarve I put them right on the coast — ocean view from the hotel, ocean view from their room. I knew this family. Pool days and nowhere-to-be afternoons are their love language. The Algarve delivered.

Erin's Notes

The routing looked strange on paper — Paris, train to Pau, flight back through Paris to Porto. Geographically it made zero sense. But it made complete sense for this family. We started in Paris because they had a nonstop from home. And the Pau detour wasn't a logistics problem. It was the whole point.

Midway through the Algarve, train strikes hit. They texted me nervous - what would they do? I had new tickets sorted before they had time to worry. They didn't miss a single stop. That's the part of this work nobody sees from the outside - but it's exactly why it matters.

Ready to design your own?

Whether you've had a destination on your list for years or you're starting from scratch — I'd love to help you figure it out.

French Macarons - tres bien!

view from the hotel room!

favorite Pau neighborhood