- We travelled from Madrid to Lisbon in three weeks
- In Spain, we took a high-speed train from Madrid to Seville and then by bus to Portugal
- We stayed at lovely mid-range hotels and apartments
- Read our full Spain – Portugal itinerary below
Did someone say Eurotrip? Hell yes! We went on our version of an Iberian Eurotrip by bus (and one train) last summer, and our itinerary took us from Spain to Portugal in 21 days. Spain and Portugal were everything we had wished for and more.
If you are dreaming of visiting the most beautiful places in Portugal and Spain, want to see some of the most famous landmarks in Europe, and experience vibrant cities, scenic small towns, Atlantic beaches and fantastic food and wine, you can simply copy our itinerary, and you are ready to go.
This 3-week trip itinerary does not have to be undertaken by bus. If you’re driving yourself, simply head to your parking spot instead of the bus station, and you’re ready to go. If going by train, you must be a little creative (and patient), as there are no trains between Seville and Evora. While trains are much more comfortable than buses, taking the bus is quite a bit cheaper than the train. In Portugal, buses also run more frequently than trians.
So enough with the dillydally: Here is our tried-and-tested 3-week itinerary for Spain and Portugal by bus.
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3 Weeks Spain & Portugal by Bus Itinerary Map
At first, we only planned for a trip to Portugal. However, we started toying around with the idea of a Spain and Portugal trip when we saw that flights to Madrid are so much cheaper than to Lisbon. And we are happy we did. Spain turned out to be fantastic and a perfect contrast to Portugal.
We didn’t want to go on a whirlwind tour of Spain and Portugal. Instead, we stayed at least 3 nights in each place, unpacked our suitcase and tried to experience the best of every city. It is a holiday after all.
In the end, we found it the cheapest to fly from Hong Kong to Madrid and return from Lisbon on Qatar Airways.
Distances in Spain and Portugal are short, and both countries have excellent public transportation networks. We only took a high-speed train from Madrid to Seville since it gets you there in 2.5 hours instead of 6 hours by bus. From there, we used the Spanish bus company ALSA to get to Faro in Portugal. Once in Portugal, we exclusively used Rede Expresos for the remaining part of the trip.
Book your bus tickets on Omio, so there is no need to go to the bus terminal before departure to buy tickets.
Our Spain & Portugal Road Trip Route: Madrid > Seville > Evora > Lisbon > Nazare > Porto > Lisbon
- Madrid: 3 nights: Stay at Hostal Met Madrid
- Seville: 3 nights: Stay at Apartamentos Edificio
- Evora: 3 nights: Stay at Casa dos Castelos
- Lisbon: 5 nights: Stay at Gorgeous Bairro Alto
- Nazare: 4 nights: Stay at Zulla Surf Village
- Porto: 3 nights: Stay at Porto Arte
- Lisbon: 1 night: Stay at 4U Lisbon IV
3 Weeks Spain & Portugal Itinerary: Detailed Breakdown
Madrid
The most difficult choice we had to make on this trip was whether to visit Madrid or Barcelona. After hours on Google, a consultation with a clairvoyant and a flip of a coin, the decision fell on Madrid. And man, how happy are we with that! Madrid is a stunning city, and we can see ourselves returning here.
Book yourself a room at Hostal Met Madrid, just off Plaza Mayor and explore the best of Madrid on foot with our self-guided walking tour.
Top things to do in Madrid
- EAT EAT EAT. Overdose on tapas at Mercado de San Miguel .
- Visit the picturesque Plaza Mayor
- See the stunning, modern interior of the Almudena Cathedral
- Stroll and shop on Gran Via
- Vibes and day drinking in La Latina
- Gorge on chocolate con churros at Chocolatería San Ginés
- Admire Picasso’s Guernica and other modern masterpieces at the Reina Sofia
- Sundowner drinks and Madrid’s best view at Circulo de Bellas Arte
If you have more time in Madrid, perhaps consider taking a day trip to Toledo or visiting one of the incredible museums.
Seville
Madrid – Seville: Renfe Train €53.40 2H 30M
Take the high-speed Renfe train from Atocha station in Madrid, which will whizz you off to Seville at speeds of up to 270 km/h. The landscape from the window is that of 50 Shades of Brown through rolling fields and olive trees.
Arriving in Andalusia’s capital is to arrive at the Spain that we dreamed of seeing. Immediately, it feels MUCH hotter, looks more colourful, and you can tell North Africa is just across the horizon.
Check into Apartamentos Edificio Constitución, just across the street from the Alcazar and Seville Cathedral, and enjoy knowing that you are in the best location to explore Seville. Then go out and meet Seville: She is sexy and will seduce you in no time! We’ll play matchmaker and introduce her to you with our Seville Guide 🙂
Top things to do in Seville
- Watch the sunset from the Mushrooms
- Marvel at the Moorish Real Alcazar.
- Admire the mammoth Seville Cathedral, then climb the Giralda Tower for a sweeping view over Seville
- TAPAS! Sangria! Ole!
- Revel in the most authentic flamenco show at Casa Anselma
- Master the art of siesta
- See the striking Plaza de Espana
Evora
Seville-Evora: ALSA & Rede Expresos €37.60 7 hours
Adiós Spain, Olá Portugal! Today, we take our first bus and cross the border to Portugal. After changing buses in Faro and Albufeira, we headed inland to Portugal’s Alentejo region. Seville and Evora might look close on the map, but no direct buses connect these cities. Read here how to travel by bus between Seville and Evora.
Evora, with its small-town charm, excellent food and wine and historical importance, is indeed one of Portugal’s gems. Stay at Casa dos Castelos in the old town of Evora and prepare to gear down for a few days. Explore Evora’s white and yellow alleys between wine-tasting sessions. Read here about things to do in Evora and why you should not miss it on your Portugal itinerary.
Top things to do in Evora
- Explore the cork forests of the Alentejo.
- Practice your sommelier skills and find your favourite Alentejo red.
- Visit the chilling Chapel of Bones.
- Get lost in the cobbled alleys.
- Stuff yourself with regional food of the Alentejo.
- See the Roman temple of Diana.
Lisbon
Evora – Lisbon : Rede Expresos – 1H 30M
Lisbon, Lisbon…where do we even start? Portugal’s colourful capital wasted no time becoming one of our favourite cities ever.
She is sexy and easy to love. We are staying for 5 nights, so we settle in and make ourselves at home.
We like how Lisbon is so cool, without trying. Talking about cool, here is our cool-without-trying itinerary for 4 days in Lisbon.
Get yourself a
Top things to do in Lisbon
- Ride the trams up and down Lisbon’s seven hills.
- Find the best view from the numerous miradouros.
- Explore beautiful Belem.
- Bask in the cool vibes at LX Factory.
- Pastel de Nata!
- Have the best seafood at Cervejaria Ramiros (Anthony Bourdain approved).
- Shop for treasure at the Thieves Market.
- Take a day trip to Sintra.
- Sail along the Tagus River at sunset
Nazare
Lisbon – Nazare : Rede Expresos €11.40 1H 50M
If you are a surfer you probably had wet dreams of Nazare before. You should check out Nazare in central Portugal even if you’re not a surfer. After two weeks of active sightseeing, you deserve a few days of long walks on the beach, refreshing dips in the Atlantic and even more fresh seafood. It’s one hell of a charming seaside town!
Zulla Surf Village in Sitio, near Praia do Norte, is where you want to be. You might come here for the waves, fantastic pool and the cool surf vibes. If you’re in luck, your stay will coincide with the swell, and there is no better place to see the power of the Atlantic than in Nazare. Some of these waves can reach a height of up to 30 meters!
Top things to do in Nazare
- Stand in awe of the crashing waves at the Nazare lighthouse.
- Feel the wind on your face and salt in your hair on the wide, empty Praia do Norte.
- Ride the funicular between Sitio and Nazare.
- Eat fresh barnacles and wash them down with beer.
- Take a surf lesson.
- Rent a little beach cabana for the day.
- Take refreshing dips in the Atlantic after roasting in the sun.
Porto
Nazare – Porto : Rede Expresos €16.10 3H 30M
Porto is, without a doubt, one of the coolest cities we have ever visited. This stunning city is probably our favourite of all the places we visited on this trip. Home to the world-famous port wines, Porto has so much more to offer than just fortified wine. With its joyous vibes and stunning scenery, you’re guaranteed a good time in Porto. Read our Porto guide to experience the best the city has to offer.
Base yourself at Porto.arte apartments and explore Porto on foot. It’s a small city that is not overrun with tourists and is perfect for walking.
Top things to do in Porto
- Take a day trip to the stunning Douro Valley
- Go on a port cellar tour and wine tasting in Gaia
- Admire Porto’s vibrant street art
- Eat a franscesinha
- Seek out Porto’s brilliant azulejo-covered buildings
- Walk across the imposing Dom Louis bridge
- Watch the sunset from Serra do Pilar or Jardim de Morro
Lisbon
Porto – Lisbon : Rede Expresos €19 3H 50M
Our flight home leaves from Lisbon, but Porto has an international airport, so see if you can get a flight home from here if you don’t want to backtrack to Lisbon.
We stayed at 4U Lisbon IV Guesthouse near the airport since we had an early morning flight the next day.
On our last day in Lisbon, we revisit a few of our favourite spots, eat pastel de nata like it’s the end of the world, drown our sorrows at Wines of Portugal in Praça do Comércio and have a last supper at Cervejaria Ramiros.
What Will We Change If We Do Spain & Portugal Again?
We are pretty chuffed with our itinerary and feel we saw everything we wanted within our time frame. Dare we say it’s a perfect itinerary? With more time, we would probably spend an extra day or two in Madrid for a day trip to Toledo.
With less time…we really don’t know which place we’ll cull since they are fantastic. We will probably shave a day off Evora, Lisbon and Nazare and get a flight home from Porto instead of returning to Lisbon. It is a tough choice to make.
Spain and Portugal Trip Planning Resources
Have more time to enjoy your holiday in Spain and Portugal by booking the essentials in advance.
- For the best prices on international flights to Europe we always use Trip.com ourselves.
- For hotels we always use Booking.com .
- Book all your bus tickets in one go from Omio. There is no need to go to the bus terminal before only to buy tickets.
- If hiring a car, Discover Cars has the best deals.
- Buy train tickets or your Europe Rail pass online before arrival.
- Find your day trips and other activities in Spain and Portugal here.
How Much Did Our Three Weeks in Spain & Portugal Cost?
Do you need to sell a kidney?
That’s always the first thing that flashes through our minds when planning a trip to Europe. While Spain and Portugal are surely not cheap destinations, we returned home with all our organs in place. We expected Portugal to be a lot cheaper than Spain, but in the end, there was no real difference between the two. So how much does it cost to travel to Spain and Portugal for 3 weeks?
Jin, our minister of finance and number crunching, held meticulous records of all our spending. We spent an average of US $92.85 per person per day. We stayed in ensuite double rooms in Madrid and Nazare while staying in apartments in Seville, Evora, Lisbon, and Porto. When we go on holiday, we go all out and honestly don’t hold back – it is a holiday, after all. We ate and drank like glitterati.
Our budget includes all transportation in Spain and Portugal, all accommodation, entrance fees, food and drink and shopping. Not included are flights to and from Europe, travel insurance and the cost of the Schengen visa for De Wet. (Count yourself lucky if you won the nationality lottery – you will never know the bureaucratic ballache of obtaining a Schengen visa).
Aaaaand that’s how you really travel Spain and Portugal by public transport. Any questions or suggestions on our itinerary? Let us know in the comments below.
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