16 days to spend in Spain and portugal
 

Hi

Would like to get some suggestions for group of 6 ladies travelling in May 2012 from Canada total approx 16 days?- we can omit Madrid - but would like to include at least a few days in Costa del SOl.
We are looking for some ideas of maybe central places to stay where we can do some day trips - do we need a car? or can we manage on bus from the hubs, Maybe no more than 4 major stops, and open jaw on flights - how can we maximize the travel opportunities?
What kind of budget do we need- is it better to rent apts?

Thanks I appreciate all your wisdom!

If you're travelling around for 16 days and wanting 4 stops, then you'll find it difficult to rent an apartment for(an average of) 4 days. Owners really want to rent by the week at that time of the year when the season is starting.

On the Costa del Sol there are several places to use as a base, depending on where you want to go. If you want to see Granada, then I'd stay in Malaga. If Gibraltar, then Puerto Banus near Marbella.

16 days isn't an awfully long time to go to Spain and Portugal and the truth is that you just won't see much of either place, losing at least half a day a time to relocate. Maybe do this:

Fly into Barcelona 4 days
Train to Valencia 4 days
Train to Malaga/Marbella 4 days
Train to Seville 4 days

If you can fly home from Seville, then good, but you have to train to Madrid to fly home, so allow time and maybe one night near the airport.

Budget is up to you as there are lots of hotels in each place to suit most pockets. Car hire makes it much easier and time saving to get around, bearing in mind that you'll need a bigger vehicle to take 6 (or two cars). Book that in advance, as there aren't that many companies who have larger vehicles.

I agree with Lifeman. Save your time visiting only Spain and the 4 cities listed are a very good choice

It would be helpful to know where you're flying in and out of.
If it's an international flight into Madrid, then there's several lovely places to visit which are a short train journey from Madrid's Atocha station e.g. Avila, Toledo or Segovia.

Good day trips from the cities Lifeman suggested. See www.maribelsguides.com for downloads of these cities. If you must go the Portugal, you could take the bus from Seville to Lisbon and skip Valencia. Inexpensive 1 1/2 hour flight, Barcelona to Granada. So, fly open jaw, into Barcelona and out of Lisbon. kayak.com Richard

Linca

Does four days in Valencia sound like a lot for a first timer?

I would avoid cars except for a day trips. Cars in Spanish cities is more of a burden than a convenience.

I'd focus on 2 main areas and spend approx 1 week in each. For example, you could easily spend 10 days in Andalucia and the remainder in Barcelona. This would give you a good overview of a couple of regions. I wouldn't try to squeeze Spain and Portugal into one trip - you can't even see the highlights of Spain in 16 days.

If your trip is the beginning/middle of Spain it's a great time to visit as many festivals will be happening in the large and smaller towns (spring feria, May crosses, Cordoba patio festivals, etc...).

I'd get the group together, look at some websites/travel books and narrow down where you want to visit.

I wouldn't skip Madrid if you enjoy art and culture. It has some of the world's best museums, and not just the Prado. It also has a very lively street life.
After Spain's Costa del Sol you can move on to Portugal's Costa do Sol. That's now better known as the Lisbon Coast and it's less than 30 minutes by train from the center of Lisbon. It includes the towns of Cascais http://www.lisbonlux.com/cascais/ and Estoril http://www.lisbonlux.com/estoril/

This way you can also visit Sintra http://www.lisbonlux.com/sintra/ which is one of Iberia's most beautiful destinations. Combined with Lisbon you could spend about one week in Portugal, and the rest in Spain, which could include Barcelona, Madrid, and Costa del Sol. More about Lisbon and how to get around: http://www.lisbonlux.com/

Melissa82, welcome to Fodors. I see you're a new user. Any chance that you are also somehow associated with this website you have linked to in 9 or 10 posts today?