I am currently planning a 21 to 25 day trip to the above countries. Right now on my itinerary I have Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Costa del Sol, Fez, Marrakesh, Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Seville, and Lisbon. I have no plans to rent a car during my trip, but would like to take the train or bus to additional locations. I'm curious if anyone has recommendations for small, not-to-be-missed towns while I'm in Spain or Portugal. I'd also like to make it to the Basque Region in Spain and just wondering if this is practical or if I should spend my energies elsewhere. I guess I just want to get as much of the variety that the country has to offer so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated and welcomed (particularly things to avoid). Thank you in advance for your tips!
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6788 posts
That's a great combination - I did something similar in September - October 2008. Some thoughts...
Barcelona is the "odd man out" in your Iberian itinerary - it's distant from everything else. But you can take the high speed train or fly (both inexpensive if booked in advance). The Basque country is interesting, but it doesn't fit on this trip - do it some other time.
Personally, I find the "costa del sol" repulsive (a mass-tourism nightmare, but tastes vary - I sure wouldn't waste a day there). Consider adding Seville, Cordoba, Segovia, and/or the White Hill towns of Andalucia - all are wonderful, top-notch destinations. You'll want a car, though, for the White Hill towns - it's worth it.
In Morocco, I see no reason whatsoever to go to Casablanca or Rabat on a short trip (maybe even on a long trip). Marrakesh, Fes and even Meknes (another old, walled city) are magical and absolutely worth visiting. BTW, Casablanca is nothing like the movie - really nothing much to see there. Rabat is a pretty ordinary city, not worth the time on a short visit. Stick to the Marrakesh - Meknes - Fes axis (all are served by a good train system) and you'll be better off.
Good luck and have fun.
Posted by
Lake Tahoe, Ca
17 posts
We're plannign a trip to Spain and Portugal in Sept and Oct. The White Towns near Sevilla caught our eye (although busses do go there, it does sound best to have a car). Also, check out Sintra outside of Lisboa. Magical! Lots of train each day
Posted by
Monein, Pyrenees, France
425 posts
Posted by
OP
Minneapolis, MN, USA
2 posts
Thank you everyone for your feedback thus far. Part of this itinerary is because I'm going with a group so the Costa del Sol and some of the Morraco itinerary I'd rather not do, but I am arriving a week earlier to try to fit in some of the other towns that aren't being featured in the group tour like Barcelona or the Basque Country (but it sounds like I'll take David's advice and skip that as it sounds over zealous). I would like to see the White Hill towns but I'm curious about the driving there. Is it manageable? I'm assuming it is as many others have done it before. But i've only taken mass transit when traveling overseas and never driven myself. Tips? Precautions, etc? Also, the other plan I had was to use Barcelona as a base to see some of the other nearby towns by train. Tips on towns to see or avoid in this area is also appreciated. Thank you in advance for your suggestions.
Posted by
Philadelphia
655 posts
We did a similar four week trip but did not include Barcelona which I really regret. It was the distance that kept us away so make special plans for that.
Consider adding Segovia. Toledo doesn't get as much attention in the guides as Granada and Seville but we found it very interesting.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6788 posts
Well, just remember you were warned - IMHO Casablanca & Rabat really are wasted days. Same for the costa del tourismo (as luck would have it, I was chatting with my dental hygienist today, she just got back from 3 weeks in Spain & Morocco, and she said the only place she didn't enjoy was the costa del sol - said she absolutely hated it, wished she had gone elsewhere.
As for driving and the white hill towns: the only really efficient way to see them is by car, but do NOT drive into Arcos de la Fronterra - part at the base, take a taxi/bus up to the top, and spend the night there. I drove into Ronda and it wasn't bad, although we went straight to our hotel and left the car parked there until we departed. Driving in Spain is no big deal, if you stay out of the big/old cities - there, a car is only a headache.
I think there's more good stuff for side trips from Madrid than there is from Barcelona - Madrid makes a better base (though Barcelona itself is great).
Lots of wonderful stuff - you'll have a great trip.