panucci

We have never been to Spain and I am trying to put together a trip everyone will enjoy. We have a little over two weeks. Is that enough time to include Portugal? My daughters are 15 and 17. We have been to Italy 4 times and I was spoiled with the ease of planning trips there. I knew where I wanted to go, how to get around, what to see etc.... I am excited, yet a little nervous exploring new territory. I would love location, transportation and any other help you see fit. We LOVE the sea if that helps. Thanks.

panucci

I forgot this trip will be June of 2005.

lobo_mau

No, there's not enough time to include Portugal.

Tallulah

I guess that it rather depends what it is you want to see... There does seem to be a bias on this site towards posters who view a holiday as a non-stop guided tour, where EVERYTHING that can be done is done with little time for just, dare I say it.... relaxing! (Personally I believe that there's a lot to be said for just soaking up the atmosphere; I've always found that mixing with locals and steering clear of endless museums/galleries etc has resulted in a far stronger affiliation toward wherever I've been).

With two weeks you can easily fit in 3-4 places, of which you may want to mix city/beach etc. I'd recommend Barcelona and Seville with regard to Spain; I'm not all that familiar with Portugal other than Lisbon, which is pleasant but not all that exciting really. However, a few days on the Algarve at the end of the trip could be lovely and relaxing (there I go again, talking about relaxation on a serious travel forum - shoot me!!)

Not sure how you'd feel about this but you could consider sending your girls off to Ibiza for a couple of days if they really want a good party (personally my idea of hell but I'm no longer a teenager!). It will be very early in the season (pre-season, in fact) so unlikely to be all that busy but if they want to go clubbing, they can easily get a ferry over from Spain, and it would give you a bit of time to yourselves. It's not at all uncommon for British girls that age to go off to Ibiza in groups for a week/fortnight...

cmeyer54

We are taking our teen sons to Spain for spring break in late march 2005. Our plan is to spend 2 nights/2 days in Madrid, take the train to Seville for 3 days/3 nights; rent a car and drive to Malaga for 4 days and then back to Madrid and fly home. We'll do the major sightseeing in Madrid and Seville and beach/relax and do some sightseeing around Malaga. I realize we are skipping Barcelona and many on this board highly recommend it. However, with the limited time we have for the trip, this plan made sense. If you have a few more days, you might be able to include the Algarve(sp?) area of Portugal. Try looking at the Rick Steves plan for Spain/Portugal in his website.

mamc

With 2 weeks, I wouldn't include Portugal. We just spent 8 days in Andalucia and it was not nearly enough time. I would suggest 3 or 4 days in either Barcelona or Madrid and Toledo and then 10 days in Sevilla, Cordoba, the pueblos blancos, Granada and the beach - perhaps Nerja. Even though we were reluctant to leave our ususal haunts of France and Italy, we absolutely loved Andalucia.

rex

If you want to include (part of) Portugal, I don't see why it is any less practical than any of the dozen other areas of the Iberian peninsula. Two months isn't enough to "see it all" so, you have to be selective anyway.

Best wishes,

Rex

panucci

Thanks everyone! Can anyone tell me more about Ibiza? It sounds interesting. I was thinking of staying in 3 places starting either in Madrid or Bacelona. Nerja looks really nice. How is driving in Spain? Are there any places to avoid driving? I also agree I was trying to include too much. Portugal will be another trip.

Tallulah

Hello again!

Ibiza has become the UK clubber's paradise (though now rivalled by Ayia Napa in Cyprus). All the top DJs and club promoters basically de-camp there from about June to September every year. The age range of those who go out to enjoy the 'scene' is about 15 to 25 in the main, although I have friends in their 30s who go every year. The main very young scene is centred on San Antonio and the rather 'classier' and older scene is based around Ibiza Town. This link should give you some information....

http://www.ibiza-spotlight.com

You can get a ferry from Barcelona to the island which is why I was suggesting that your daughters, depending on what they are into, might appreciate a few days on their own to party (giving mum & dad some well deserved time alone too...)

Ibiza, aside from the party aspect in these two towns is actually a very pretty and lovely place to visit. But I'll be honest, I rather doubt that you'd want to be anywhere near either of these areas. Probably the best way to describe it is as rather like spring break - there's a lot of drinking going on, which might put you off given that you have to be so much older to drink in the States (I'm assuming you're from the US, forgive me if wrong). However, if you trust your daughters then I doubt that it would do any harm at all to let them off the leash a little - and it will make their friends very jealous!!