We're considering a trip that will include France, Spain, and Portugal. It will be 2 weeks preferably but possibly into 3 weeks. Any tips on must see places? We love to add in nature and hiking wherever we go. Are we biting off more than we can chew with these 3 countries in under 3 weeks? If so, we'll likely drop Portugal.
Posted by
8 posts
I think 3 countries in 3 weeks is too much, especially given what you like to do, hiking etc. But Portugal is a great country. IDK that knocking that country out is the one to omit.
Posted by
🏝️ Hobe Sound, FL⛱️
3279 posts
Doing three countries in three weeks is too much. Most Americans don’t realize how large Spain and France are. You will spend too much time just traveling in country. Are you taking public transportation or renting a car? Returning a rental in a different country means drop fees of $600 or more. Consider visiting Portugal and southern Spain or possibly France and northern Spain to truly enjoy yourselves.
Take a look at the various itineraries that are offered on this site to familiarize yourself with what to see and then plan accordingly.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
393 posts
So many places to see. You really need to spend some time exploring guide books and on this RS website's various itineraries for France, Spain and Portugal.
We have been to Spain twice and France 3 times. (One of our trips did combine 10 to 12 days Spain & a week in Provence.) We have spent a total of about 4 weeks in Spain and 6 weeks in France. In Spain, we have just spent a week total that overlapped, in large part because we stayed with friends who have homes in both Madrid and a small village in Extremedura. In France, our only overlap was a long weekend in Paris on our most recent visit.
So, do you like big cities, museums, small hilltop villages, history, and/or architecture? Apart from hiking, are you interested in Moorish history and culture? Cave dwellings and cave paintings? Cooking classes? Wine tasting? Beaches? France and Spain are each about the size of Texas and as geographically/geologically as diverse as California.
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
7146 posts
Too much with too little time. Scrap two of the countries and concentrate on a small area of the remaining country.
Posted by
Sunriver
1321 posts
France and Spain are large enough to spend 2 weeks in ONE of those. For nature and hiking France wins. You could do France and western Switzerland (not on your list of course). If beaches were on the list I'd say Portugal and Spain. Northern Spain is good for hiking so you could do that and add France but the best (IMO) hiking/nature) is in the Alps not the Pyrenees.
So hiking - days trips or over night?
Posted by
Seattle, WA, US
468 posts
Yes--as others has said that is a lot of geography for your time frame. Maybe one country with a side trip into another country, but mostly concentrating on one.
Posted by
4961 posts
Three is too much, two might work depending on how you narrow it down to specifics--for example the Basque region would have you skirting the border. It also depends on your transport choice. Everyone is always surprised at the difficulty of planning an easy Portugal-Spain trip by public transport, but if you can do a loop with a car, the parks that border the Tagus River are stunning.
You might scope out your flight options a bit to see what your realistic possibilities are.
What month?