We’ve freshly returned from 2 weeks in Spain and Portugal and, despite the jet lag, I’ve been absolutely dying to start writing some recommendations! We had a phenomenal, albeit very busy time, and I have so much to write about I am struggling to know where to start, so here’s my strategy…

This post is designed to give you a quick itinerary for a two week trip through these two countries, hitting as many castles, palaces and other examples of impressive architecture as humanly possible.

Firstly, I must say that you cannot go wrong booking a holiday in either or both of these two countries. There is so much to love in each. Spain with its strong cultural aspects, unmatched food scene and relaxed lifestyle. Portugal with its ocean breezes, fresh seafood and hip and trendy atmosphere.

I would recommend them for new travellers and seasoned adventurers alike. They are great places to see history amazingly preserved, to pick up a few words in a new language, to eat AMAZING tapas and drink way too much wine, and to feel like royalty, wandering through grandiose palaces and castles surrounded by swaying palm trees.

A warning, if you are looking to plan a trip to Barcelona, this is not the post you are seeking. I know. I’ve heard the hype, but we chose not to include it in our adventures at this time as it was out of the way and did not truly fit with the travel vibe we were trying to accomplish. In fact, in the following posts I will be trying my hardest to steal you away from Barcelona and pique your interest in the South of Spain, or Andalucia. There are few places I have seen in my travels that I have loved in the way I loved Seville and its surrounding cities, and I intend to show you why.

So if you want to do Spain and Portugal like us (and I might be biased but I would not change a thing we did), here are my recommendations for a two week vacation.

Day 1: Madrid

Madrid is a bustling, modern city, with some old world charm still to be found. As the current capital city of Spain, the “active” Royal Palace can be found here, although no-one currently resides in it.

There are many options for rooftop bars, high-end shopping and other modern pleasures. However, you can also find old family owned restaurants, tapas bars and centuries old monuments. Madrid is a very livable city, but also a place where 24 hours goes by in the blink of an eye.

Day 2: Cordoba

Cordoba is an Andalucian city in the South of Spain, easily accessed by train from Madrid. It is home to one attraction in particular that can’t be missed, the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba or, in short, “The Mezquita”. Known for its narrow streets decorated with flower pots, this is a great first stop in the South of Spain.

Day 3 and 4: Seville

Seville, or Sevilla as the locals lovingly refer to it (the Spanish pronunciation of this city), is a place that was truly the highlight of this trip.

A beautiful city with amazing history and the home of tapas and flamenco dancing. Orange trees line the cobblestone streets. Horse drawn carriages wait outside the palace, plaza and cathedral to take you on a tour.

It requires a minimum of two days to see this city. I’d be tempted to give it longer if you have the time.

Day 5: Granada

A third, beautiful Andalucian city, Granada, is an absolute treasure. With a neighbourhood of all whitewashed buildings called Albaicin and an interior, fortified ancient city, the Alhambra, found within it.

The Alhambra is the South of Spain’s most popular attraction, with approximately 6,000 people touring through it daily. It is a must-do activity for those visiting Andalucia. The intricate carving in its palaces is unmatched anywhere else.

Day 6, 7 and 8: The Algarve

A bus ride brings you to the first stop in Portugal, the seaside town of Lagos. Situated on the Southern coast of Portugal, Lagos is a popular base for exploring an area known as the Algarve.

The entire coast is fascinating to see, with the Atlantic Ocean eroding away at the shore-line, carving caves and pillars where boats will take you touring, and sandy beaches for sunbathing. It is a great place to relax in the middle of a busy itinerary.

Day 9 and 10: Lisbon

A busy city with a lot of charm. Lisbon is undergoing a huge tourism boom that has allowed this very old seaside city to update, with renovations occurring continuously over the past few years.

The food is incredible, especially the pastries. You can’t miss out trying pastel de nata!

The vibe is decidedly of a fishing town. The miradouros (lookouts) provide some of the best city views I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Lisbon gets three days total in this itinerary as it is large enough to spend a lot of time in, especially if you wish to see Belem (more on that in my future posts).

Day 11: Sintra

An easy day trip from Lisbon that is not to be missed. Sintra is home to a large number of palaces and castles owned by some of the richest families of the region. Some dating back as far as 900 AD.

The history is fascinating to me, and I’ll explain further in my future posts, but these families uniquely chose to build their castles on the mountaintops of this town. Probably the most magical day trip we took in our two weeks here. I highly recommend it.

Day 12: Lisbon, again

A final day in Lisbon to catch up on everything we had missed, search for more miradouros and eat just a couple more (5 or 10) pastel de nata.

If you’re looking for Day 13 and 14 they were spent in the clouds. They were our travel days. If you are fortunate to live close enough to Spain and Portugal to be able to spend these two extra days touring, I would highly suggest adding Porto, Portugal to this itinerary. We haven’t made it there yet, but I hear amazing things, especially if you’re a wine lover like myself.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my guide for spending 2 weeks in Spain and Portugal. Please check out my posts on each of the above destinations!

Salud,

Hill XO

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