itinerary help Spain-Portugal

For windmills look up Consuegra and Campo de Criptana. You might be able to fit one or the other in depending on your route with a car. Here are a few suggestions that may match what you are looking for: Baeza, Úbeda, Jaén, if you start in Granada and work your way east. The Alhambra is absolutely stunning. For me some of the most photogenic towns are in Extremadura near the Portugal border. Look into Trujillo, Guadalupe, Cáceres, Plasencia. If you like Roman ruins check Mérida and Badajoz. In Portugal I liked Nazaré. Tomar is also on my wish list but I have not yet been there. It will be hard to fit in so many places in both Spain and Portugal in two weeks. I think I would choose one or the other.

Before you plan to see Portugal and Spain in the same trip, investigate how you will get between them. There are a very few trains (often at middle-of-the-night hours) and some buses. A car rented in one country and dropped in the other can have very high drop charges (hundreds of euros). There are also flights. But overall, it's much harder than you would think.

You can certainly pick up a car in Spain and return it in Spain, seeing part of Portugal along the way. But with just two weeks, I'd stick to one country.

Next, look at the dates of the April Fair in Seville, and Santa Semana, and investigate what they involve. As Chani says, for each of these, decide if you want to participate in them, taste them, or avoid them. Note that participating in them requires paying very high hotel rates and booking far in advance to get rooms.

Thanks for the input. I think we will stick to Spain then with the 2 weeks and do Portugal another time. I really appreciate the ideas.

Easter is April 1 (no fooling) so Semana Santa is the last week in March. Feria in Sevilla typically begins 2 weeks after Easter. There's a horse fair in Jerez and a patio fair in Cordoba, both are tail-end of April or beginning of May.

My suggestion is into Sevilla and out of Malaga (works in the opposite order too). If you can't get flights in/out of Sevilla (it's a small airport), Madrid is convenient.

Cordoba is my favorite Spanish city (Toledo might be second). There's a lot to explore and it's well worth a couple nights if not more. It's quieter and smaller than Sevilla (3 nights). Pick up a car, 2-4 nights exploring the pueblos blancos. I used Ronda as a base and drove around exploring the villages. I'd rather drive than change locations. The roads are easy to drive (though it can be pretty tricky driving in some of the villages themselves) and scenic with pull-outs to admire the views and take photos. Then 1-2 nights in Antequera will allow you time to visit the "pink lagoon" (there should be lots by April, there weren't a lot when I went in February, only a couple hundred) and time to hike in El Torcal. Antequera itself is interesting and there are prehistoric dolmens just outside the town. Then Granada and drop the car. Some folks love Granada, others not so much (I'm in the latter category). I spent 4 nights and felt 3 would have been enough. One full day and one evening for the Alhambra, one more day for the city's sights - Albaicin, cathedral, Moroccan market . . . Then 2-3 nights in Malaga, a pretty town with Roman ruins, interesting museums, and a beach, though the water will probably still be pretty cold in April. Can you make it 3 weeks? Even though these places are not small villages, the historic centers are small and enjoyable.

For the Andalucian experience - go to a horse show at the Royal Stables in Cordoba (several evernings a week) and/or at the Royal Equestrian School in Jerez as day trip from Sevilla by train (2-3 late morning shows a week), see fflamenco at the Casa de Flamenco in Sevilla, and tapas, tapas, tapas. Be sure to try some salmorejo, the Andalucian version of gazpacho. Peek into every patio and entryway to see the colorful tiles (azulejos).

I've been to Sevilla and Cordoba 3 times, Ronda twice, and I know I'll be back. I hope to return to the Alhambra a second time.

Oh my goodness, thank you so much. We are the same as you, we would rather drive than change locations. This sounds like a great itinerary for us. I didn't know Cordoba was so interesting. We loved Toledo. Where would you base to see the windmills?

Thank you!

As an addendum to another response, Consuegra and Campo de Criptana are south of Madrid, but not very far south. They are only a 30 minutes drive from each other and off the same road. In addition the windmills, there's also a castle at Consuegra. Going from Consuegra to Campo de Criptana there are a few places with windmills, but Campo de Criptana has the largest concentration.

Sorry, I haven't seen any windmills in Spain. Before you decide on your itinerary, check out Feria in Sevilla. If it falls within your dates, decide if you want to experience or avoid it; the same with Jerez and Cordoba.

Aside from the Mezquita, there are no "major" sights in Cordoba, but some lovely/interesting second-tier ones. Palacio de Viana has lovely patio gardens, Casa de Sefarad describes Jewish history and life in the Middle Ages, there's a small museum of culture at in the tower of the Puento Romano and nice views from the roof. I enjoyed the evening walking tour (you must book in advance with the TI to make sure there's a tour in English). I was underwhelmed by the Alcazar and the gardens had just been pruned in February, but in April the gardens should be good. If you can get a guided tour, Medinat al Zahara is very interesting. I'm not sure how great it would be without a guide.

Day
1. Arrive Sevilla (5)
2. Sevilla
3. Day to Cordoba
4. Sevilla
5. Day to Jerez
6. Pick up car. Drive via Arcos to Ronda (2)
7. Pueblos blancos
8. Drive to Malaga/Nerja (2)
9. Nerja
10. Drive to Granada (2)
11. Alhambra
12. Drive to Baeza/Ubeda (1)
13. Drive to Consuegra (1)
14. Drive to Madrid (1). Return car.
15. Depart Madrid

We are going to Southern Spain plus Guadalupe, Salamanca & Valladolid in October 2017. We just finished Portugal in late April-May. If you want a good 14 day detailed itinerary of Portugal trip PM me & I'll pass it on to you.