Hi Everyone,

My family and I are planning a trip to Spain for March of 2017. We will be doing a two week long road trip, flying into Barcelona and possibly out of Lisbon. We have young children but they are great travelers. I would love some recommendations on what you recommend as the must see areas of southern Spain and southwest Portugal. I know traditionally, Barcelona is considered northern Spain but we have found great flights into Barcelona and out of Portugal and I have always wanted to see Barcelona. I'll refer to "southern Spain" going forward but understand this also includes Barcelona and possibly Madrid.

A couple of things to keep in mind:

1) We are pretty avid road trippers, as are our kids. We have road tripped through Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Central America, Canada and have seen 48 US States by car. We have done this with our children and we love it. Suggestions like, "Why are you taking your kids?" won't be particularly helpful because we love to take our kids everywhere we go and we have a blast doing it.

2) Also, we are aware of the drop fee when picking up a car in one country and dropping it in another. It's not particularly high, compared to what we've encountered in other countries, between Spain and Portugal. We love road trips and it actually is most economical and logistical for our family, when all things are considered. So suggestions such as, "You'd be better flying between cities" won't help too much either.

3) We understand that we are going to be slightly rushed. We want to see a LOT in 2 weeks. Two week road trips, covering a few countries at a time, is enjoyable for us. In doing this, we have covered a lot of land, have seen some amazing things, have enjoyed ALL of it!

I have used online forums many times in the past for European road trips. While it's been so helpful and I've been grateful for the perspective, I have been surprised at how many people have discouraged our method of travel (with kids, by car and covering multiple countries in 2 weeks) .. I'm hoping this time around any posters will take those things into consideration and will help more with other specifics, as that will be most helpful to our family.

We are a young family with young children, and perhaps my mom and aunt will be there too. They're in their upper 50's and are pretty much up for anything - they have lots of energy and are super easy going about everything.

As a group, I would say our main interests are:

-Making it a bit of a food tour - trying local foods wherever we go

- Checking out the Spanish Coast

- Seeing some of the architecture and historical sights.. We are not big museum people but if there was a MUST (like seeing the Louvre if you're in Paris) we're game.

- Enjoying the small towns, the shops (not strip malls), small restaurants on the side of the road. After an extensive road trip in Italy, we all concluded how much we loved the small towns of Italy and may have not missed much had we not gone to Rome.

- We love the mountains, the outdoors, lakes, the coast and basically any beautiful scenery we can find.

- My Grandma was a painter and used to paint beautiful paintings of Flamenco dancers, I would love to see some live Flamenco dancing if possible.

Where we need the most help - Where to go and how long to stay.. Mainly, where are our landing locations. After reading dozens and dozens of travel blogs and forums, I have concluded that it is totally doable to do a road trip with a loose itinerary to include the following:

Barcelona, Valencia, Granada, Seville, Faro and Lisbon.

Some cities we'll stay longer than others. Each place we'll have day trips to include other cities if we need to. Also, we don't need to stay in every place, necessarily. For example, it's reasonable to get from Seville to Lisbon in one day, maybe Faro isn't a place we need to stay overnight, but rather spend a long afternoon there.

Knowing all of this, how would YOU do a road trip from Barcelona to Lisbon?

Is Valencia worth a few days? Or just one?

Where would you say you could not miss?

Where will we find the most authentic culture, trying to avoid anything completely touristy (though we know we'll see a lot of that)?

Would you scratch my whole itinerary and do it differently to include Madrid?

If we're not big museum people, will we regret not going to Madrid?

Is there a place known for amazing food? Flamenco?

After I narrow down an itinerary, planning our hotels and how long to stay in each city, I'd love more input on what the must sees are within each location. Thanks in advance!! Hopefully I've provided enough information for you all.

You may want to browse thorugh these albums to get an idea of what you might want to see while creating an itinerary:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...7622974992586/

We also traveled through northern Portugal which would be pretty much irrelevant if you are coming from southern Spain; but if interested, click on my name to find the report.

For a two week trip, I would consider northern and central Spain, including Segovia, Avila, Salamanca, which would get you to the Douro valley in Portugal. I am deliberately leaving out Madrid wince a road trip appears to be your main interest.

not "wince", but "since"

The Michelin Green Guides for Spain and Portugal might also be useful in deciding on an itinerary.

"We understand that we are going to be slightly rushed. We want to see a LOT in 2 weeks."

Understood. Unfortunately, this trip would not be SLIGHTLY rushed -- it would, IMO, be ridiculously rushed. YMMV. You would see a lot of roads, including a disproportionate number of them, IMO.

Have you consulted the <i>Michelin Green Guides</i> for these parts of Spain? I strongly recommend them.

Good luck!

We have to assume you've never been to Spain or Portugal, but with the least number of side trips, you will be covering somewhere around 2500 to 3000 kms when you eventually reach the end of the road. Maybe mush more, depending on your interest. And all that with the possibility of 6 people being stuffed into a car (van)? You might want to rethink this trip.

I will give you some facts about the law(s) on driving in Spain and Portugal.
Some of which you may know and some not.
All passengers must wear seat belts. All children under a 12 and less than 1.35 metres tall must use approve seats. That is EU approved seats. Maybe you have to rent some?
The children must not travel in front seats.
All drivers will need an IDP.
Getting 4 adults and (how many?) children and child seats is not going to me comfortable even if you hire a large Audi or Mercedes. As above rent a "van" monovolumen.
Travel advice.
The greater part of the undeveloped coast is in the north of Spain. In other words completely touristy! Yes, you can find parts which are ok along the route between Barcelona and Andalusia but those areas are small.
The Portuguese Algarve has good beaches but nothing much of authenticity left.
If you heading south and want coast then leave off Madrid. Besides sometimes they ban cars from parking and are now talking about banning cars altogether on certain days due to pollution. This is normally with less than 24 hours notice.
If driving a large vehicle then be aware that Spanish and Portuguese car parks are underground and can be difficult to manoeuvre in.
You will need to pay toll roads in in advance for Portugal.
http://www.portugaltolls.com/

Do not forget when planning that Spain eats later, some public buildings do not open early, especially in smaller towns because you are travelling in what is considered off season. Some places close on Mondays, because they are open Sundays.
The last weekend in March the clocks in Europe change to summer time. Portugal is always an hour in front of Spain.
In March it will be dark by around 19:30 in (Madrid)Spain and around 18:45 in Lisbon.
My suggestion would be to take a number of stops thus breaking the trip down segments to save driving everyday.

This would be way too much time in a car versus seeing stuff for me.

I would spend a few days in Barcelona and then spend two weeks driving through the Pyrenees and end up in San Sebastián. That will give you great food, mountains, vineyards and beaches. And it will allow you to actually see something other than highways.

Have fun!

How did it go?

We are looking to take a similar trip in June and would love your recommendations. We have 3 kids - sesasoned road trippers! Starting in Barcelona and Departing from Lisbon.

Thanks!

Besides the warnings of others, a car in many Spanish towns is a PITA. They were not designed for modern transportation. Cars are excellent for visiting small places. But you can wave to most places as you pass by.

Just a minor point Barcelona, is not considered northern Spain. The north is from the Basque Country to Galicia.

The OP has never been back since posting two questions not even to say thank you for the information. So it is doubtful they will be here to reply to your question.

Hi,

I think your method of traveling is great, i love road trips and i ate flying. The car offers such a freedom.
2 weeks is not that much considering the distance involved.
I'm from Lisbon so i'll focus on the Portuguese road trip, it'll be , essentially a coastal trip:
You'll enter in Portugal by the south through Vila Real de Santo António, then the castle of Casto Marim, Cacela Velha fishing village, Tavira and it's amazing village, beaches and island, Olhão fish market and Faro old city and islands, Vilamoura and Albufeira amazing beaches, Ferragudo fishing village, Portimão Becah, then Lagos old cities and cliffs. After that the tip of the continent, Sagres. Then fallow the amazing "costa vicentina" to Lisbon stopping in some amazing beach village on the way like Aljezur, Odeceixe, Zambujeira do Mar, Vila Nova de Milfontes, Porto Covo, Santo André Lagoon.
https://www.visitportugal.com/en/node/73805
Before Lisbon you should stop in Évora to see this world heritage city, then Lisbon. You can choose key cities to sleep on the way. For Example in the Algarve Region Faro is right in the middle of the region, it´s a good base to explore, Tavira is also another key city to sleep, the same goes by to Lagos and Vila Nova de Milfontes and Évora.