Portugal and Spain itinerary help!

Old Jan 18th, 2017, 01:43 PM
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Portugal and Spain itinerary help!

Hi all! My husband and I are going to spend 2 weeks in either late march, April or May (haven't decided yet- and using miles for tickets) and would like help with an itinerary. We would really like to go to Lisbon for a few days and possibly the Douro Valley. We'd also like to go to Spain but can NOT decide between northern (San Sebastián) or southern (Seville). Northern Spain food sounds amazing!! Pintxos bar hopping is right up my alley. But then the sun, sangria and Flamenco dancing in Seville and other southern cities is also a hugely appealing! Does anyone have an option re: northern vs southern? I'm thinking one week in Portugal and one week in Spain. Don't want to move around a ton. Don't know yet whether to rent a car or not? Ideas?

We love food, great wine, pretty scenery, old architecture...relaxing.

Thank you!

Lauren
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 02:21 PM
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One way of doing it would be to go to Madrid, train to Salamanca and pick up a car there. But it would be a standard stick-shift if the listing provided by Kemwel represents the choice available in that city. The upper Douro valley is an easy drive from there. Visit the Douro valley and then from Vila Real go to Coimbra, Batalha or Tomar, to Lisbon. You can drive from Lisbon to Seville and Granada, but Seville is a real pain to drive (it was already in 1985), and from southern Spain take the train back to Madrid to return home.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...7623705654880/ and subsequent pictures.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 03:22 PM
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If super foodies, you could fly over to Palma Majorca:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJyegTHvmIQ
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 04:03 PM
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Trains and buses can be used to go everywhere - if going to cities like Lisbon, Seville, etc like said driving is awful. But even though you can take a train up the Duoro Valley - if you want to meander go by car.

Renting a car in one country and dropping off in another can result in steep extra drop-off fees.

anyway for lots of info on Spain and Portugal trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com.

Porto to me was a super nice really old-world looking town. Could base there and day trip to many neat places (Guimares, Braga, Duoro Valley by train or car).

If in March northern Spain will be cool - much cooler than the Seville area which offers so so much to see and do in a compact area: Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Jerez de le Frontera, etc.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 04:35 PM
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We spent five nights in Lisbon and loved it. Easy day trips by train, and Lisbon itself is a beautiful & walkable city.

I highly recommend the Hotel Avenida Palace. Perfect historic hotel, in the perfect central location.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 05:39 PM
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IMO, 1 week in Spain would not give you time for Andalusia, which IMO, requires more like 10 days. But unless you plan your trip for May, I’m not sure I’d want to spend a week in San Sebastian, as the weather is typically not great earlier than that – again, IMO. The food of Basque country is incredible! But, IMO, so is the food of Andalusia – or, for that matter, just about anywhere in Spain.

If you are committed to including both Lisbon and a part of Spain in this same trip, I would encourage you to think through your options and priorities a bit further, and to determine exactly when you would travel.

Hope that helps!
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 07:07 PM
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I had a really happy trip to Andalucia of much less than 10 days, and that would be my choice for Spring. It rains a LOT in northern Spain and northern Portugal. After Lisbon I would head south, even though I think the food of northern Spain is much more interesting than the food of Andalucia. But for much of the year it is boilingly hot in southern Spain, but some of the most amazing and beautiful sights of Europe are located there, so going when the weather is cooler can be a real asset if you like sightseeing that includes a lot of walking outdoors.

When I travel, I do what interests me, rather than have the travel destination dictate to me what to do or how much time to spend there. I often combine places that to other people wouldn't "feel right" to combine, and I very often skip places in guidebooks other people feel they must include if they are in the area. Most of all, I can't remember ever not going some place I wanted to go because I didn't have "enough time".

But I am hinky about weather, especially for a destination that needs nice weather to be fully enjoyed, so I tend to follow the sun.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 10:58 PM
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**a destination that needs nice weather to be fully enjoyed, so I tend to follow the sun.**
So there is no sun in the north of Spain?
The weather in the "sunny" south of Spain at the moment.
http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/album/e...6553991811.htm
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Old Jan 19th, 2017, 02:29 AM
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I have never encountered so many defensive people on a message board who try to twist a nuanced statement into something they can pick a fight about. I quite specifically said that I would head south, or follow the sun, in Spain during the SPRINGTIME. How does that become "there's no sun in the north of Spain?"

Does it really need to be spelled out that there are sunny days everywhere in the world that sometimes come out of season, and that when weather is discussed on a travel board, it is in broad terms. I like to credit people with some intelligence in a discussion, and not presume they need to have everything explained to them like kindergartners.
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Old Jan 19th, 2017, 09:44 AM
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well said farmoire!
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Old Jan 23rd, 2017, 08:05 AM
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Thanks so much everyone for the helpful feedback!! So it sounds like step 1 is to decide whether we are going in march April or May? (Would June be higher prices and more crowded?) And then once we figure out what month, then we would know whether to go to northern vs southern Spain.
With 2 weeks is it too much to do Portugal AND some of Spain? We don't want to be rushing about and like the idea of getting an apartment and basing ourself but we also don't know when we will have the chance to be back in Europe so we don't want to see too little of it.
Basically I really want to see Lisbon, and a wine country (anyone been to la rioja and the Douro valley have opinions about which is better?) and I'd like to eat some yummy tapas.

Sounds like a car is both needed for some areas (like wine country) and also a pain in the butt for other areas like the cities. Any opinions here?

So here are a couple possible itineraries:
Fly into Barcelona, 2 days there
Train to San Sebastián, 2 days there
Spend a couple nights in la rioja
Then somehow get to the Douro valley (or maybe skip if doing la rioja)
2 nights in porto
Train to Lisbon
5 days in Lisbon (with a day trip to Sintra)
Fly home from Lisbon.


Option 2:
Fly to Lisbon and spend 5 days
Then swing down to Seville and Granada area for 5-6 days
Train to Madrid and fly home
(There's no wine country in this itinerary but both la rioja and the Douro are too far north I think...)


Thanks everyone!!!!!
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Old Jan 23rd, 2017, 08:56 AM
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Option 2, and this:

http://catavino.net/wines-of-andaluc...ter-attention/
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Old Jan 23rd, 2017, 08:57 AM
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I like Option 2. It's simpler, and there's tons to see. While in Spain, don't forget to also visit Cordoba and the Mezquita. Spring is the optimum time to visit Andalucia. Vineyards are highly overrated. If you've seen one, you've seen them all. You may see some in Andalucia and, of course, the vast plantations of cork and olive trees.
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Old Jan 23rd, 2017, 11:27 AM
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If you want a wine tour or visit to a winery -how about Sherry> A short day trip from Seville by train or car goes south to Jerez-de-la-Frontera, home of sherry where you can visit the sherry houses (and also practice sessions of the behemoth Andalusian horses in the practice ring).

Sherry is a British corruption of the word Jerez- Brits have traditionally run the business to quench the thirst of old British ladies who dote on sherry.

Porto of course has Port Wine tours right in the town center.
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Old Jan 23rd, 2017, 06:15 PM
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Another vote for option 2 -- assuming you add Cordoba's Mezquita (as suggested by Bedar).
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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 08:45 AM
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Cordoba's Mezquita - former mosque now cathedral is a stunner but leave at least a whole day for several other sumptuous churches and monasteries and abbeys and narrow lanes around the town center.
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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 09:01 AM
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If you decide to go in April, Semana Santa is April 9 to 15. There will be processions in many towns, prices will be higher, but maybe it would be of interest to you. Sevilla, especially is known for its Semana Santa celebrations.

There are wineries in Andalucia - I met these folks at a conference, but have not taken any of their tours personally (though I would like to!)

http://www.tannintrail.com/
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Old Feb 27th, 2017, 08:01 AM
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Thanks so much everyone for the help! Now we are looking at end of May (our 3 year anniversary, plus my birthday and an extra day off work for Memorial Day). Does that change things for southern Spain? I'm thinking perhaps Madrid, (or Barcelona which I've been to but husband hasn't), San Sebastián (also heard amazing things about the Galicia region) for a week and then Lisbon for a week. Everything I've read in the forums said not to visit southern Spain after end of April. Too hot! We live in Tucson and it'll be hot by then so while we don't mind a little heat, we'd prefer not to be in 100 degree weather on our vacation.
Another thought is skip Spain altogether and do a week elsewhere in Europe (Amsterdam, southern France, maybe Italy...) and then fly to Lisbon and spend a week in Portugal. Husband really wants to visit Portugal so that half of the trip is a definite. The rest is up in the air. So many places in Europe to visit and sooooo little time!
Ideas? Suggestions?
Thanks everyone!!!!
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Old Feb 27th, 2017, 09:50 AM
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I would leave Portugal out of the equation this time around and give the full two weeks to Spain. Madrid, Toledo, Sevilla, Granada and then a flight to Barcelona to finish the trip should be doable with 14 nights.
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Old Feb 27th, 2017, 02:51 PM
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I would leave Portugal out of the equation this time around and give the full two weeks to Spain. Madrid, Toledo, Sevilla, Granada and then a flight to Barcelona to finish the trip should be doable with 14 nights.>

Or reverse the order - fly into Granada or Seville- for somewhat better weather in early spring and move to Madrid and bullet train to Barcelona, fly home from there.

That's still a lot on the plate though to digest properly.
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