Spain and Portugal Trip

I think the plan looks pretty good.

The only thing I could answer for certain is that, in my opinion, one day in Granada will be enough given that Alhambra is the priority..and you will also have the day of arrival..

I would take out Porto---but I'm a person that much prefers a longer time in one city than a shorter time in two.

Sounds good except Lisbon needs at least another day. Perhaps drop Porto?

Not too bad, but your itinerary is very light for how much time in each location.
Your plan doesn't include Segovia and Toledo that can be done on day trips from Madrid.

Also, not enough time in Seville.
You are missing Barcelona that deserves 3-4 days.
Not enough time in Lisbon.
Not visiting Sintra or Obidos.
Not enough time in Porto.
No time exploring the amazing Douro River Valley. Take the train up the river to Regua and/or Pinhao.

Another option is to do one country at a time.

5 location changes in 12 days seems like a lot - but we all travel differently.

If you’re committed to covering both countries in 12 days then here are thoughts :

It’s a good sampler of great places in both countries.

I liked Porto and Lisbon but if you want to trim somewhere perhaps drop Porto and spend more time in Lisbon.

If you’re planning on a future trip to azores could you visit Lisbon then? I presume flights from the US land in Lisbon and then you connect?

We went to Granada about 20 years ago. I loved wandering the moorish quarter.

Considering that you don't think you will return to mainland Spain or Portugal, I think it is a reasonable itinerary. I've been to all the places on your itinerary except for Porto. One day for Lisbon is definitely not enough so one change I might suggest is to drop Porto and spend all of your time at the end in Lisbon. From Lisbon, you could also visit Sintra for a day or spend a night there. Sintra will be easy to get to from Lisbon. Or spend a day or 1/2 day in Cascais.

Yes, flying is the best way to get to Lisbon from Seville.

That's too many cities in my opinion.

You have 12 days and 5 days are travel days. My advice is skip Portugal and do 3 cities in Spain. If you give Spain a chance, I think you'll be back because it's such a great country to visit on a vacation.

Given that you don't expect to return to the region anytime soon, I can understand wanting to visit both Spain and Portugal. I agree with the recommendation to drop Porto and add that time to Lisbon instead. If you can add one more day in Madrid, you can fit in a day trip to Toledo or Segovia (Toledo would be my priority), but with just two days I wouldn't try it. Madrid is worth at least two days on its own.

You probably know this, but be sure to book your Alhambra tickets as far in advance as possible - they sell out.

If budget allows and given your interest in history, consider investing in private guides for Toledo and for the Alhambra, as otherwise there's a lot of historical context you might miss.

We loved Porto and enjoyed it more than Lisbon, and our least favorite city in Spain is Madrid. So perhaps consider doing something like this:

Friday - arrive Madrid and train directly Granada
Saturday - Granada
Sunday - train to Cordoba
Monday - Cordoba
Tuesday - train to Seville
Wednesday - Seville
Thursday - Seville
Friday - fly to Lisbon
Saturday - Lisbon
Sunday - Lisbon
Monday - train to Porto
Tuesday - Porto
Wednesday - depart from Porto

Whatever you end up doing, have a great trip!

I think the OP's original itinerary looks fine. Someone above was disappointed by Madrid, whereas it's one of my favorite European cities. Great city for art, food and the fabulous Retiro Park.

Thank you all for the thoughtful feedback and suggestions. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to share their experiences and recommendations.

After reading through the comments and doing some additional research, I've decided not to do this trip in August after all. It sounds like the heat in Spain and Portugal during that time of year would make it less enjoyable than I'd hoped.

I'm now thinking of postponing it until either March or September 2027, as those seem to be much better times to visit in terms of weather and overall comfort. That would also give me more time to refine the itinerary and hopefully spend a little longer in both countries.

Thanks again for all the advice!