Portugal and Spain
 

We are planing a trip to Portugal and Spain. We arrive in Lisbon on June 3 and spend two nights in Lisbon. We then rent a car at the Lisbon airport and drive to Porto for two nights. Then spend one night in Evora. Then drive to Sevilla for two nights. Then drive back to Lisbon for two nights. Does this sound doable? Are we missing anything? I appreciate your comments.

Sounds like you'll be on the road more than anything else. Doable but I'd say less may be more.

****Does this sound doable?***
Yes but...see below...
****Are we missing anything?***
Yes a lot. far too much to write about here.
My suggestion is slow down and see more of the country you are visiting. At the very least drop off the Oporto. It will save doubling back on yourself.
Look at the route using a route planner and make adjustments.
Do not forget that all highways in Portugal are tolled. Taking a fast route will have a huge impact on your budget.

Do you already have RT flights from Lisbon?

It looks like you have a total of 9 nights. Two nights is 1 full day. So 1 day each in Lisbon, Porto, Seville and part of 1 in Evora, and otherwise, days of driving. Doesn't sound good to me.

I suggest making use of trains. For instance, arrive in Lisbon, several nights, train to Porto. Rent a car for the drive back south, visiting smaller towns and villages on the way back to Lisbon.

Or you could combine Lisbon & Seville by train.

You are backtracking. Any way you can start in Porto instead of Lisbon? Otherwise I agree with forgetting Porto.

You don't need a car for Lisbon to Porto. I did Evora to/from Lisbon without a car, but it would be useful once there.

Two nights net you one day. You could easily spend the whole trip in Lisbon, with day trips to Belem, Sintra and possibly Obidos.

I don't believe you can get to Seville from Lisbon by train, at least not easily. There is a night train from Lisbon to Madrid. For Seville you need a car or a bus.

Regarding train to Seville, listen to the above, as I stayed in the countryside at a friend's house and had to have a car. But my preference is always train in Europe when possible. I'd even go so far as to suggest, for so short a trip, that you not bother with the myriad small annoyances a car provides and go places you can get to easily by train exclusively. You won't be deprived.

Check the rules with your rental agency, if you do rent a car, in case there are stipulations about driving into another country, EU or no EU.

Way too much. There are many worthwhile towns in Portugal, especially in the north Braga, Coimbra, Viana do Castelo, and others.

See Spain some other trip.

BTW, a car is a burden in Lisboa.

I think a car is always a burden in one way or another. Trains are heaven.

Even in Portugal - with IME the worst most limited rail service in western Europe trains are great for all the destinations you want save Seville (no rail link from Portugal bus a direct bus from Faro) and driving yields no great countryside between Lisbon and Porto unless you have time to hit coastal areas.

I took trains to Evora a few times - don't need any car there either. Anyway consider trains - check these site for help planning such a trip: www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com; and www.seat61.com.

even on day trips form Lisbon like to Sintra and Obidos - fantastic places there is good rail service and from Porto to gems like guimares and Braga and the Duror River Valley and its vineyards.

* Train from Portugal to Spain, not really do-able.
* Not sure why Porto and Lisbon, both cities, not that much different and 4 nigths in Lisbon is too much unless you are doing day trips out to Sintra and the like
* Sintra is beautiful so many UNESCO places there.
* If you decide to only do one City (i.e. either Lisbon or Porto and you settle on Porto, look at Bussaco Palace)
* Yes parking is a pain in the capital and Portugal has tolls, but I'd say a car is a must to get to hidden little gems, also taking the none toll roads doesn't actually take that much longer for some trips, but if you are staying in cities perhaps don't hire the car until you are ready to head off to spain - there should be no problem taking care from Spain to Portugal with the big companies)
* The only real stretch in your Itinerary is Seville, but it is a fantastic city. One option rather than spending two nights in Porto again on the way back from Seville would be to take some time on the Algarve, but be careful where you choose, some places have been ruined for tourism.

again on the way back from Seville would be to take some time on the Algarve, but be careful where you choose, some places have been ruined for tourism.>

I stayed in Tavira not far from the Spanish border on the Algarve - a sweet old town and a great beach on a sand bar just out of town - but yes teh thecoquest says much of the Algarve has been ruined by high-rise blah flats catering to the multi-national foreign crowd like Brits who flock here for warm beaches that don't exist in the U.K.

"Not sure why Porto and Lisbon, both cities, not that much different"

Matter of opinion. I found them noticeably different, plus there are good day trips from each, and the port wine lodges across the river in Porto should not be missed.

" 4 nigths in Lisbon is too much"

Nonsense. I have visited Lisbon multiple times for longer than that each time.