My husband is retiring from 32 years at Boeing in Everett, WA on March 15th, 2018. I would like to plan a trip for April 2018 to celebrate/relax/rejuvenate. I was thinking about Portugal hoping for some nice weather, but I am also wondering if we should include Spain. I've always thought dreamt of seeing Barcelona. I think 3 weeks of travel would be ideal.
Thank you for the suggestions.
Posted by
Folsom
2738 posts
Spain is big. Portugal is smaller but has much to see. Travel between the two countries is not easy and almost always involves a flight. I would pick one. We enjoyed both countries but Spain could do with three weeks. Portugal probably two,
Posted by
San Jose
1194 posts
Aerospace is demanding, especially in the number of hours worked. I was exhausted after I finished my work. It took several months of sleeping in before I felt relaxed.
I don't know how it is with your husband. He may be ready to travel overseas after a month. Then again, he may still be unwinding. I'd check with him on how he feels about it.
I waited several months before I took my first big trip and I'm glad I did. Once I was physically rested I could enjoy the travel in full.
Posted by
OP
10 posts
Thank you for the suggestions. I do expect that rest is an important consideration. Maybe sticking to Portugal and taking things slowly there would be rich. Is there a city or two that we could use as a "home base"? I love small towns and exploring.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
The first two weeks of April is school holidays, so places will be busier and more expensive.
Portugal is easily a 3 week trip and Spain 6 weeks, as it's a big country if you want to see a good proportion of both.
In Portugal, you could have a week in Lisbon, a week travelling up to Porto and a week on the Algarve or the Alentejo. Add on a few days in Barcelona if it's high on your wish list. Flying is the best option as other transport links between the countries aren't great.
Posted by
California
107 posts
Congrats to you and your husband. I would say go end of May and all of June. We traveled in Andalusia this June for 4 weeks and only did all of Southern part. We are going back in 2018 to Portugal and will spend two weeks there and back into Andalusia and up to Barcelona. We even felt 4 weeks was not enough. My husband can work remotely but if you are retired than take 6 weeks and you will enjoy many sites with leisure.