Has anyone taken these 2 tours one after the other? Both countries are so close to one another. Or is there a better way to see them both on the same trip? Are there any plans for a single RS best of Spain and Portugal tour? Any advice is appreciated. This would be our 1st RS tour experience.
Posted by
Tigard, OR, USA
1068 posts
I have no ideas about future plans for RS tours but in the past a few days in Lisbon were tacked on to the Spain tour and, in that regard, there was a single tour. They decided to make Portugal a separate tour and that ended the "combined" tour. Several times in the past I have taken tours back to back. Also, I have taken the RS Portugal tour, although I did not combine it with his Spain tour. There are many great ways to see these areas but combining the two tours is perfectly reasonable.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
There's no plan for a 2-country tour in 2016. The countries are close to each other, but public transportation across the border is more limited than you might imagine, so plan on one of the following choices:
- From the end of the 14-day Spain tour in Sevilla, the best ways to travel directly to Lisbon are either a 7-hour direct bus ride (runs 2x/day) or a flight (not always cheap, but we have seen some good deals at www.skyscanner.com).
- If you want to go from Sevilla to the Algarve coast first (not visited on the Portugal tour), then that's served by a direct bus, 4.5 hours to Lagos. Within Portugal, there are plenty of train and bus options to connect Lagos and Lisbon.
- Car rental is not cheap if you pick up in one country and drop off in another, so that's rarely first choice.
Posted by
WA, USA
330 posts
I have done Spain on my own using the Rick Steves guidebook.
I am going on my 1st RS tour in September and it is of Portugal, with my sister in law. She on the other hand has gone on two other previous RS tours and wanted me to join her on an adventure.
I think its a good idea to combine the tours, if you're wanting to see both countries and have the time.
I just came back from a trip from Portugal and Spain with my husband and son. We started in Lisbon, rented a car and drove to Lagos. From there, to Seville, Cordoba, Tarifa and Gibraltar. This was a lot of driving.
This upcoming RS tour to Portugal is only my second "group tour" in 50 years of traveling.
From what my sister in law has told me, I am looking forward to not driving, group dinners, to being shown special places that the general public would have a harder time finding. For example, I am looking forward to the cork farm tour, winery tour in the Douro Valley. Also, my understanding is that they help you with ideas on what to do in your free time.
I am hoping for a wonderful guided tour of Portugal and then hoping to convince my husband to go on the Sicily tour next year.
Hope this helps!
Have a super adventure!