Spain & Portugal

Old Mar 17th, 2021, 11:57 AM
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Spain & Portugal

We are 2 couples looking to put together a 11-13 day trip to Portugal & Spain.

We were initially thinking of flying to Lisbon - taking a train to Porto - Flying to Madrid - going to Valencia and onto Barcelona

We plan on flying out of Barcelona to Geneva where we have already put together our Switzerland trip.

We plan to travel first class by train and stay in 4 star hotels. Looking to have all transfers prearranged and included.

Any ideas if there is a Travel Company who can put this together for us?

Thank you.

Rich
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Old Mar 17th, 2021, 12:34 PM
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No doubt you could easily find a travel agent to organise this but there is no reason why you couldn't save money and do it yourselves, quite easily. I think you have too many places to visit in the time you have available. It would be far too rushed, in my view, and you'd spend a disproportionate amount of time just getting from A to B.
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Old Mar 17th, 2021, 10:04 PM
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Five stops thirteen days equals a lot of train stations and airports. Very little else. If you're a train station fan that's one thing. If you're hoping to see much of anything in those cities you won't.

The hardest part of arranging that trip would be the transfers. I assume you mean to the hotel . But even that could just be walking to a waiting cab at the train station.
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Old Mar 18th, 2021, 02:25 AM
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I doubt a TA could do as well as the concierge of each of the 4 star hotels just planning time in each city. Can you imagine a swiss TA who knows Porto well.....?

I'd also reduce the number of stops. Porto is lovely but Lisboa is off the scale.

Flying is seldom faster than trains unless you are going long distances. The level of security, the out of the city centre in an industrial estate/shopping mall aspect of an airport is just a waste of time/life compared to train journeys. Take a picnic (hotel could provide) and meet other interesting people by taking a train (plus do your bit for the planet).

Planning is part of the holiday surely.
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Old Mar 18th, 2021, 10:03 AM
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"Can you imagine a swiss TA who knows Porto well.....?"
Yes, I do. Porto is rather popular with Swiiss travellers. There are furthermore two Swiss River Cruise Boat companies offering Douro cruises.

But that's rather an exception. Beside that, Bilboburgler is right.
Trains are the best sollution for Porto - Lisboa, Madrid - Valencia, Madrid - Barcelona and Barcelona - Valencia.
The overnight train Lisboa - Coimbra (Porto) - Madrid may be a good solution if you like to sleep in sleeping cars.
Barcelona - Geneva/Basel/Zurich is definitely faster by plane.
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Old Mar 18th, 2021, 11:45 AM
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I would definitely cut something, and the obvious choice would be Valencia.
Why do you think you need a tour company or to pay for transfers? Spain is quite an easy place to travel--and it is just city to city travel, no special help needed. That money would be better spent in restaurants.
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Old Mar 19th, 2021, 06:02 AM
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The train system is very very easy and the first class facilities very pleasant and cheap.
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Old Mar 30th, 2021, 01:41 PM
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I'll add to what others have said. Eleven days is barely enough for 2 destinations, unless you're very, very young and can go for hours on little sleep.
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