Hi everyone!. My wife and I and another couple have just decided on a last minute 11-13 day trip to Spain/Portugal..We are thinking about the second half of August....Never been in either place, but read some of the posts and spoke to some friends that have been there... <BR>We are looking to do some sightseeing and to absorb some local culture, as well as rest somewhere on the beach (Costa del SOL??) at the end opf the trip. <BR> <BR>I need help with logistcs, i.e. where do I fly in? What are the MUST cities/places to visit. How long to stay in each place? A day trip or overnight? Do i rent a car (we ususally prefer to travel by car from place to place) or rail/buses? I also can use help on hotels, restaurants, sights, places that are not necessarilly swarmed with tourists, travel tips, personal experiences, things to avoid, etc..Any and all advise will be much appreciated...Thanks in advance....In return, i can share some info from my trip to Italy/South of France... <BR>

Vit, I am a TRIP PLANNER and know this <BR>area well. My best advise is to not even think about August---too hot. <BR>I can plan the entire logistics for you <BR>as I have done for about 45 other couples in the past, but you need to contact me directly. In that time frame <BR>you will be limited---it would take 5 <BR>weeks to see it all. I would fly into and out of Lisbon and include the best <BR>parts of Moorish Spain--Andalusia--to <BR>include Seville and the white hill towns <BR>such as Ronda for the Spain part.The <BR>rest would be in Portugal and would include central Portugal and the Algarve <BR>You do not have much time--you need help <BR>to optimize your itinerary. <BR> <BR>

I can not suggest hotels. However, why not land in Lisbon and depart from Madrid (or vice versa). You can pretty much make a striaght line and choose from seeing (in addition to Lisbon & Madrid), Evora (which has several smaller interesting hill-top towns around it, Salamanca, Avila, Segovia, toledo and Madrid. I am not suggesting that all of these sights could be seen in such a short trip but they are on more or less of a straight line for people travelling by car. Now, if you want to go to the beach - that's a different question. I don't personally like to Costa del Sol - too built up. There are nice places on the Atlantic coast of Portugal. Nazare is well-known and there are many others. You could do the same trip I've mentioned above by going from Lisbon to an Atlantic coast beach and then across to Spain. Or I guess, you could go to Grenada, Cordoba & Seville and skip Madrid. You need to read the books and figure out what kind of a trip you want.

Vit, <BR>The 2nd half of August in Spain is HOT HOT HOT! The best of Spain for first time visitors is definitely the South (Sevilla, Granada, Cordoba, Ronda, the White towns) but all of these will be total frying pans at that time of year. Even madrid is unbelievably hot and semi-closed as many Spainards are also on vacation. Definitely skip the costa del sol as being too built up and ugly and filled with British fish and chip shops everywhere. At this time of year you should head North and see the sights and coast. La Coruna, Santiago de Compostela, Picos de Europa, San Sebastian, Barcelona, Sitges, etc.. while not as amazing as southern Moorish Spain are definitely worth seeing and you will get lots of local color, beaches, mountains, etc... Good luck! Maria

<BR>Vit, we were in those two countries this past spring, and I can ditto practically everything said above. Beaches are different, not exactly what you may be used to here (depending of course on what you are used to, and what you expect.) <BR>Allow at least three days for Lisbon, Caisais, Sintra and Estoril coast area - my favorite. Aug. is popular month (and rest of the year too it seems) for British and German tourists on the Costa Del Sol as well as the Algarve. Lots of other tourists too as well as locals from inland because it's so hot. I hope my older posts have been of some help. Have a great trip.