Spain/Portual w/ 12&9 yr. old boys
 

Any suggestions on cities, towns, sites and accomodations with two active boys?

Mel, It would help to know when, how long, car or not, ingress/egress airport <BR> <BR>Hard to answer with this limited info.

Bob, <BR> <BR>We will be travelling during June or July. We hope to spend two weeks in Spain or Portugal. We would like to find a central location each week to operate from where we can take day trips, see the sites around our "base camp". We will rent a car. Would like accomodations with swimming pool, kids love beaches. Staying in a castle could be neat for the kids. Thanks for your reply. Mel

There are many castles in both Spain and Portugal that young boys would enjoy. Obidos and Marvao both have pousadas in castles although Marvao is about as far as you can get from the beach. I found the beaches in the Algarve to be really magnificent, with great rock formations. Depending on your philosophical outlook, there's also bullfighting. Although the bull is tormented in Portugal it is not killed - still plenty to find objectionable. I think that both are good places for kids because there are many simple pleasures to enjoy - you don't have to drag them to museums and you can enjoy yourself just being in beautiful atmospheric locations.

Mel, Given 2 weeks and a car you can do <BR>a nice itinerary. However, there are <BR>many variations on a theme and it will <BR>not be easy to compose a good trip plan <BR>without some dialouge. I have some thoughts that would include most of <BR>Portugal and part of Andalusia in Spain. <BR>However, your base camp scenario may <BR>limit some options---but, a good idea. <BR>I see 4 base camps. The first near Sintra, the second at the Algarve, the <BR>third in Spain, and the last near Evora <BR>or Estromoz Portugal---unless you can <BR>fly out of Madrid. Contact me directly <BR>if you want. I have planned several <BR>customized itineraries to this area.