My Portuguese husband and our two teens (13 and 16 yrs old) from Quebec, Canada, are planning a four week trip in Portugal and Spain with an arrival in Lisbon on July 4th, 2022. Our intention is to spend 3 weeks in Portugal and the fourth week in Spain. What itinerary would you recommend for a family that wants to relax and also discover both countries, while keeping the teens interested? What are the must sees in Spain if we only have one week and want to see Madrid?
Thank you!
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Posted by
Calgary, AB, Canada
568 posts
Hi,
A bit more information might be helpful. Do you plan on renting a car at all, and how do you plan to get from Portugal to Spain?
In Portugal I would dedicate 4-5 days to Lisbon and the area. Sintra is worth a day trip, or even an overnight or two as it may be cooler there. Porto deserves 2-3 days in my opinion, more if you want to day trip out to the Douro. If not renting a car there is a train that connects Lisbon and Porto that also stops in Coimbra.
If you plan on flying to Madrid from Porto, then I would maybe try to go to a beaching town on the silver coast between Lisbon and Porto. You would probably want to pick up a car in Lisbon with that itinerary and drop the car in Porto. Your other option might be to make your way to the south to the Algarve, with its beautiful beaches and rock formations. I'm not sure if from Faro you can get a flight to Madrid, probably. Another option would be to take a bus from the Algarve to Seville and then train to Madrid. With that plan I would dedicate a bit more time to Spain.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Hello Lisa!
Thanks for the recommendations. We would be renting a car. I wonder if you can take the car across to Spain, though.
Are there activities that anyone would recommend in Portugal? Any boat trips on the Douro River to recommend? Other activities?
Posted by
Washington DC
28249 posts
It won't be a problem to drive the car into Spain (absent some massive change in the COVID situation). Just don't plan to rent in Portugal and return the car in Spain ($$$). While it's not as hot as Andalusia, central Spain (including Madrid and Extremadura) can be rather unpleasant in mid-summer. Temperatures in the north (Santiago de Compostela and the rest of Galicia) would be more pleasant.
I understand wanting to see the capital, but many of us find Madrid far from the most interesting city in Spain, aside from its magnificent art musuems. How will your children feel about the art museums?
Posted by
11609 posts
You do not want a drop a rental car off in another country. We were quoted 1000€ fee to drop a car rented in Lisbon off in Spain.
I like Madrid a lot and love walking around the city, visiting Retiro Park, different neighborhoods.
You could drive to Salamanca, not as far to get a sampling of Spain.
I really like Galicia, an easy drive from Porto. Baiona and the Rias Baixas towns, Santiago de Compostela, Oviedo, Leon.
We took a taxi from Porto to Vigo to pick up a Spanish rental car, started in Baiona at the waterfront Parador and enjoyed this area so much.
Look at staying in Paradors in Spain and Pousadas in Portugal. They mostly are historical properties.