Spain and Portugal Honeymoon in November 2014

Purchase an open jaw airline ticket to max your trip effectiveness.
Honeymoon..... So do you want this to be a trip or a romantic journey?
Why Portugal?
What do you value doing?

Someone responded and said " Why Portugal?". Is there a reason that you asked that? Is it not worth going to Portugal? Should one spend more time in Spain and not go to Lisbon, Portugal?

Back in June 2003, we visited both Spain and Portugal and drove between the two. As Spain is big and needs several weeks (or more) to see, we confined our Spain portion to Andalusia in the south (Granada, Ronda, Seville, Arcos de la Frontera, etc.). In Portugal, we visited Evora, Lisbon, Sintra, and Obidos. No better place for Port wine than Portugal!

We returned to the Iberian Peninsula this past November, and toured some more-northerly locations in Spain, including Madrid, Segovia, Toledo, Bilbao, San Sebastian (Donostia), Girona, and a very short time in Barcelona. We used trains, buses, a cheap flight on Vueling Air, and rental cars to get around. In November, Madrid was a comfortable temperature but not hot, while it was rainy and actually cold some days closer to the ocean. Bring sweaters and/or jackets, or plan to cuddle up with each other if it gets chilly.

I have encountered folks who are typically planning a first visit to Spain and think a visit to Portugal is a "natural" link. What they usually do not comprehend is the vast geographic distances within Spain, the huge menu of opportunities within Spain and the time it takes to cover just Spain.
Portugal is a great place to visit!

Here are Rick's suggested Portugal itinerary and Spain itinerary, either of which would keep you busy for two weeks. Combining them makes more sense for a longer trip, or if you plan to fly between the two. If you like the itinerary plans at those links, you can flesh them out with Rick's guidebooks for each country. You can also start with the TV shows online for a more visual reference.

Initially we were planning to cover Madrid, Barcelona, Seville....from there to Faro and finally Lisbon...plan to travel mostly by AVE train or bus. We also thought to spend 3 days in each place....since this is our first trip, not sure if this would be apt or we how we can plan. Please suggest....

Thanks a ton!

I just booked a trip, here is the itinerary:
Fly in to Madrid-3 nights. Will day trip to Toledo
Train to Granada-2 nights
Train to Seville-2 nights
Fly to Lisbon(55 min on TAPortugal, $75 per person)
Lisbon-3 nights.

I should add that while in Lisbon we will day trip to Sintra.

Ir I would have 5 mor days I would fly into Barcelona before heading to Madrid for 3 nights and add one more stop for 2 nights. Maybe in Portugal.

Jody's itinerary is almost exactly what I would suggest.

The only change: Spend first night in Toledo.

AVE trais don't serve Portugal, but slower trains, buses, and flying are options.

This would be a 2 weeks trip...We plan to start from barcelona to madrid....then seville...to faro and finally to lisbon....about 3 days in each place.

Also, can we drive (rent a car) from madrid to seville and how much time would it take?

Thanks for suggestions... :)

You can drive a car from madrid to seville, but there is not really a good justification to do so.
First, AVE train is fast and comfortable. Buy advance tickets and it is cheap.
Second, drive is long and not the great for scenary.
Third, madrid is the new york of europe and driving in the narrow streets of seville will lead to grounds for divorce.
Need i say more?
Been there and done that.