Lisbon-Seville-Madrid
Apr 27th, 2007, 03:14 PM
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Lisbon-Seville-Madrid
Hi-
Okay, after much flight searching, my husband and I have finally booked flights for our week trip June 1-10. We would love some help or advice with our itinerary!
June 2- Arrive in Lisbon. Day in Lisbon
3- pick up rental car, drive to Granada, Spain (long drive, we know)
4- day in Granada, at Alahambra
5- drive to Cordoba, day in Cordoba
6- drive to Seville, drop of rental car, day in Seville
7- day in Seville
8- train to Madrid in AM, day there
9 - day in Madrid
10- leave
It seems that we can only rent a car for a minimum of 3 days, which is why we thought about doing Lisbon-Granada right away.
Is Cordoba worth it? I have heard/read good things about Rhonda, too, but am not sure when we could see that.
Any hotel advice, also?
For this driving, could someone who JUST learned to drive a manual car do it?
Any help would be GREAT!
Thanks!!!
Okay, after much flight searching, my husband and I have finally booked flights for our week trip June 1-10. We would love some help or advice with our itinerary!
June 2- Arrive in Lisbon. Day in Lisbon
3- pick up rental car, drive to Granada, Spain (long drive, we know)
4- day in Granada, at Alahambra
5- drive to Cordoba, day in Cordoba
6- drive to Seville, drop of rental car, day in Seville
7- day in Seville
8- train to Madrid in AM, day there
9 - day in Madrid
10- leave
It seems that we can only rent a car for a minimum of 3 days, which is why we thought about doing Lisbon-Granada right away.
Is Cordoba worth it? I have heard/read good things about Rhonda, too, but am not sure when we could see that.
Any hotel advice, also?
For this driving, could someone who JUST learned to drive a manual car do it?
Any help would be GREAT!
Thanks!!!
Apr 27th, 2007, 04:05 PM
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Exactly - you will have part of a very jet-lagged day in Lisbon. I see no sense in going there at all. Nor to Madrid for one day. since you have so few days on the ground I would suggest you concentrate on Andalusia and see more if it.
(We have been twice the first time for 10 days, the second for a week- and still have much to see.)
(We have been twice the first time for 10 days, the second for a week- and still have much to see.)
Apr 28th, 2007, 01:57 AM
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Have you checked into what it's going to cost you to turn in a Portugal Rent a Car in Spain (Sevilla)?? It may be prohibitively expensive!
So your flights are already ticketed: open Jaw U.S. to Lisbon; return from Madrid. Unless you sleep on flights, your arrival day in Lisbon could be a 'wash.'
I concur with lobo_mau and nytraveler. One day isn't enough for Lisbon or Madrid. You're trying to squeeze too much into a limited time. I would Bus Lisbon-Sevilla and base in Sevilla for Andalucia daytrips.
So your flights are already ticketed: open Jaw U.S. to Lisbon; return from Madrid. Unless you sleep on flights, your arrival day in Lisbon could be a 'wash.'
I concur with lobo_mau and nytraveler. One day isn't enough for Lisbon or Madrid. You're trying to squeeze too much into a limited time. I would Bus Lisbon-Sevilla and base in Sevilla for Andalucia daytrips.
Apr 28th, 2007, 03:18 AM
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You might look back on this trip (not without affection, I might add) as your own personal "Amazing Race." I have made up a 'Cheat Sheet' of how to get from Seville to Lisbon, or vice versa, by public transit (I'll top it for you). So as one quite familiar with the options, I agree with Ned - the car could be major bucks to drop off. If you're going to do this, and do it cost-efficiently, take the bus.
Consider two alternatives: Alter your itinerary radically, and spend your time in Lisbon (3 or 4 nights - well worth it, we loved Lisbon); one-two nights in between Lisbon and Madrid; and 3 nights Madrid. This means dropping Andalucia entirely.
Or: Lisbon 2 nights (you need to at least allow for possibility that flight is late, etc.) Fly from Lisbon to Malaga, then immediately bus from Malaga to Granada. Granada 2 nights.
Bus Granada to Cordoba, 1 night.
Late afternoon the following day, high speed train Cordoba-Madrid, 3 nights. This version has you dropping Seville.
Alternatively, you drop the 2 nights in Granada and the 1 in Cordoba, and spend 3 nights in Seville after taking the bus there from Lisbon. You can then take the fast train directly from Seville to Madrid.
I do hope you enjoy your trip. Tip: Next time, request a review of your itinerary BEFORE you book your tickets, as it is much easier to change plans, then change tickets.
Consider two alternatives: Alter your itinerary radically, and spend your time in Lisbon (3 or 4 nights - well worth it, we loved Lisbon); one-two nights in between Lisbon and Madrid; and 3 nights Madrid. This means dropping Andalucia entirely.
Or: Lisbon 2 nights (you need to at least allow for possibility that flight is late, etc.) Fly from Lisbon to Malaga, then immediately bus from Malaga to Granada. Granada 2 nights.
Bus Granada to Cordoba, 1 night.
Late afternoon the following day, high speed train Cordoba-Madrid, 3 nights. This version has you dropping Seville.
Alternatively, you drop the 2 nights in Granada and the 1 in Cordoba, and spend 3 nights in Seville after taking the bus there from Lisbon. You can then take the fast train directly from Seville to Madrid.
I do hope you enjoy your trip. Tip: Next time, request a review of your itinerary BEFORE you book your tickets, as it is much easier to change plans, then change tickets.
Apr 28th, 2007, 03:38 AM
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jhm2jhm2, I had tried to do a similar itinerary and then dropped Lisbon/Portugal altogether in favor of time in Andalucia postponing Portugal for a later date. As it is, there are too many things to see there AND we drove on-average nearly 350 km a day to see'em!
But if you have already booked your flights you may not have much choice. I should tell you that car rentals in Spain/Portugal are extremely expensive compared to in States (if that's where you live). A Mercedes van for eight days cost us 800 Euros or $1,100 (not to mention the price of gas that is more than twice as expensive).
My only comment is your trip is too short. Madrid and its neighboring region alone needs 4-6 days. But you may not have a choice to its okay.
Anyway, download from www.maribelguides.com and enjoy the trip.
But if you have already booked your flights you may not have much choice. I should tell you that car rentals in Spain/Portugal are extremely expensive compared to in States (if that's where you live). A Mercedes van for eight days cost us 800 Euros or $1,100 (not to mention the price of gas that is more than twice as expensive).
My only comment is your trip is too short. Madrid and its neighboring region alone needs 4-6 days. But you may not have a choice to its okay.
Anyway, download from www.maribelguides.com and enjoy the trip.
Apr 28th, 2007, 03:39 AM
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Hmmm.... it apparently is http://maribelsguides.com/.
Apr 28th, 2007, 04:05 AM
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Sorry to have to agree with the others but there's no way I'd do that trip. I'm usually one who sees the value in "sampling" areas, I don't believe you need a week in every place you go to have an enjoyable trip. But your itinerary is just crazy.
I just came back from Andalucia (10 days for just Seville, Cordoba and Granada and I don't feel I really saw "everything" in even that amount of time). Have you checked the weather for that time of year in Sevilla, etc - I think it will be pretty hot by June. So I think if I were you I'd drop Andalucia for this trip and save it for another time.
I'd spend at least 3 days in Lisbon and then travel to Madrid. There are a couple of major towns between Lisbon and Madrid (Evora Portulgal, Salamanca Spain) that might make for a way to break up the trip. Or you could fly. I think it's a pretty long train/bus ride. If you had more time than you wanted in Madrid you could do day trips to Toledo, Segovia, etc.
If you really want Andalucia this trip then I'd look into flying from Lisbon to Sevilla, maybe the same day you get there (risky if your first flight is late, but people do it) and save Lisbon for another trip. I'd also still eliminate either Granada or Madrid. Public transportation between Sevila, Cordoba, Granada and Madrid is pretty good so I'd skip the rental car if all you want to see are cities.
I just came back from Andalucia (10 days for just Seville, Cordoba and Granada and I don't feel I really saw "everything" in even that amount of time). Have you checked the weather for that time of year in Sevilla, etc - I think it will be pretty hot by June. So I think if I were you I'd drop Andalucia for this trip and save it for another time.
I'd spend at least 3 days in Lisbon and then travel to Madrid. There are a couple of major towns between Lisbon and Madrid (Evora Portulgal, Salamanca Spain) that might make for a way to break up the trip. Or you could fly. I think it's a pretty long train/bus ride. If you had more time than you wanted in Madrid you could do day trips to Toledo, Segovia, etc.
If you really want Andalucia this trip then I'd look into flying from Lisbon to Sevilla, maybe the same day you get there (risky if your first flight is late, but people do it) and save Lisbon for another trip. I'd also still eliminate either Granada or Madrid. Public transportation between Sevila, Cordoba, Granada and Madrid is pretty good so I'd skip the rental car if all you want to see are cities.
Apr 28th, 2007, 04:21 AM
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Thanks for all the help! it certainly seems that we have too much on our itinerary...
We actually have not booked tickets, as we panicked at the last second. Our original plan was to just visit Andalucia and Madrid, but flights in-out of Madrid were too expensive. We then found cheap(er) flights both into Lisbon/out of Madrid and in/out of Lisbon.
Given these two options, would you recommend seeing only Portugal or a combination Portugal-Spain?
Our concern is that we know very little about Portugal - How's the food? What else other than Lisbon do we need to see? How do we get around?
Thanks again so much for all your help!
We actually have not booked tickets, as we panicked at the last second. Our original plan was to just visit Andalucia and Madrid, but flights in-out of Madrid were too expensive. We then found cheap(er) flights both into Lisbon/out of Madrid and in/out of Lisbon.
Given these two options, would you recommend seeing only Portugal or a combination Portugal-Spain?
Our concern is that we know very little about Portugal - How's the food? What else other than Lisbon do we need to see? How do we get around?
Thanks again so much for all your help!
Apr 28th, 2007, 05:47 AM
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Lobo mau actually lives in Portugal, I will defer to him for more advice about Portugal, the country.
With only 8 nights, I suggest a focus on Lisbon and one other area in Portugal, simply based on logistics. First, it's a smaller country, and second, if you are finding Madrid flights too expensive, then there is little point recommending Spain, since most transatlantic flights involving Seville connect through Madrid. Good luck!
With only 8 nights, I suggest a focus on Lisbon and one other area in Portugal, simply based on logistics. First, it's a smaller country, and second, if you are finding Madrid flights too expensive, then there is little point recommending Spain, since most transatlantic flights involving Seville connect through Madrid. Good luck!
Apr 28th, 2007, 06:15 AM
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Well then I would definitly do Portugal. We did a 12 day trip last summer that we loved. My photos of that trip are at: www.pbase.com/annforcier - that may give you some ideas of places you might want to go. I'll try to find my trip report. We rented a car for half the time and did Evora, Marvo, Coimbra, Obidos and spent the rest of the time in Lisbon with a day trip to Sintra.
There are lots of discussions here on LIsbon, check out threads titled "Things to do in and around Lisbon" and "the Lisbon dining club". lobo and matt are fodorites who live there and often host dinners. Lisbon, and all of Portugal are wonderful. If you've found an airfare deal I'd just go there and save Spain for some other time.
There are lots of discussions here on LIsbon, check out threads titled "Things to do in and around Lisbon" and "the Lisbon dining club". lobo and matt are fodorites who live there and often host dinners. Lisbon, and all of Portugal are wonderful. If you've found an airfare deal I'd just go there and save Spain for some other time.
Apr 28th, 2007, 10:45 AM
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If I am reading this right you are changing your plans and staying in Lisbon. In my opinion, you will be happy you did. I have been to both Spain and Lisbon and I am confident you will love Lisbon. There is so much to see and do, it's a wonderful country. I have some information about both Spain and Portugal on my site http://www.bombasticlife.com
Have a wonderful trip!
Have a wonderful trip!
