We’re planning a 5 week trip next winter to continue exploring Spain. We’re thinking of flying into Portugal to rent a car for a month because it seems that car rental and flight prices are much cheaper there and it would give us an opportunity to also see some of Portugal. We spent a fair bit of time in Seville, Barcelona, Alicante and Madrid a couple of years ago and are looking forward to seeing more of this beautiful country! We’d appreciate any advice, cautions or recommendations as we are in the early stages of planning. Thanks!
Posted by
Paris
6897 posts
Hi,
5 weeks lets you do a good tour of Portugal + Western Spain.
I would plot a circular route starting and ending in Lisbon, as follows:
- Sintra
- Coimbra
- Porto & vicinity (Guimarães, Braga)
- Douro valley (not at its best in Feb! but you can at least pass through and stop for the night)
- Salamanca
- Cáceres & vicinity (Trujillo, Mérida)
- Córdoba
- Granada
- white villages
- Sevilla
- Evora
- Lisbon
I would avoid the Algarve (dead) and Galicia (wet) at that time of the year. Otherwise it can be quite cold, but still enjoyable.
Posted by
OP
7 posts
Thank you for the suggestions, Balso - exactly the type of information we are looking for! Anyone else have other suggestions or considerations?
Posted by
Fairfax, VA
763 posts
I've not travelled in Spain much, but northern Portugal in February is cold, gray and damp. The only thing you'll see in the Douro is dead hillsides and a muddy river. There may be a vineyard or two open, but to learn about production and have a tasting, I think that you'd be much better off visiting a cellar in Porto. Check the weather in Braga and Guimaraes. Depending on you tolerance for less-than-optimal weather, you may be better off delaying the north outside of Porto until another time.
Posted by
Paris
6897 posts
Great point above. Perhaps best to go south towards Andalucía first, then work your way north: if you hit N Portugal towards early March, it will be markedly better.
Posted by
OP
7 posts
Thank you both for your suggestions - you’ve really helped us to figure out a comfortable, general plan for our trip. We have even booked our flights and rental car now! And have a much better understanding of what this trip could look like. Originally we thought we’d cover all of the places throughout Spain that we missed on our first trip there. Now we’re going to focus on the west side and Portugal - and plan for another trip in a few years! One question I now have is how/whether it would be possible to visit the Canary Islands? Are they better to visit as a 2-3 week trip on their own - or would you recommend we include them in our travels through Spain?