Essential France, Spain & Portugal — Self-Launched
17 days · France, Spain & Portugal
G Adventures charges £3,870
No-markup version: ~£2,280 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 17-day independent rail-and-bus route from Paris to Seville covering the same ground as the G Adventures 'Essential France, Spain & Portugal' tour: Paris, Lyon, Nîmes (with Pont du Gard), Barcelona, Madrid (with a Salamanca lunch stop), Porto, Lisbon, Évora/Olhão and Seville. Instead of a CEO and group hotels you book your own budget guesthouses and hostels, use the same public TGV, Renfe and CP trains the tour uses, and pick up the included experiences (walking tours, port cellar visit, flamenco, Fado) via GetYourGuide, Klook or direct booking. Costs are rough backpacker/mid-budget estimates in GBP for one person sharing twin/dorm rooms, excluding flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Paris — evening orientation walk
Paris, France
Land at CDG or Orly and take the RER B train into the city (~€11.80, or Roissybus ~€17 from CDG). Check into a hostel or budget hotel near Gare du Nord / Canal Saint-Martin. In the evening do a free self-guided wander: Île de la Cité, Pont Neuf and the Latin Quarter light up nicely after dark. Grab a cheap crêpe or falafel on Rue des Rosiers for dinner. If you want company, join a free walking tour (tip-based, ~€5-10 tip) or a hostel pub crawl.
🚌RER B from airport (~£10)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, Gare du Nord / 10th arr. (£25-35)
- →Evening self-guided walk: Île de la Cité & Latin Quarter
- →Optional tip-based free walking tour
Paris — Montmartre & city from above
Paris, France
Take Métro line 2/12 to Abbesses and walk up through Montmartre past Sacré-Cœur for the city view. Buy a croissant or pain au chocolat from a boulangerie on the way. Use a carnet of 10 Métro tickets (Navigo Easy, ~€17) for the day. In the afternoon choose one: Louvre timed ticket (~€22 via the official site or GetYourGuide), stairs walk-up to the Eiffel Tower 2nd floor (~€14), or a Seine river cruise (~€16 via GetYourGuide). Book ahead in May-October.
🚌Métro day travel (~£8, Navigo Easy carnet)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, Paris (£25-35)
- →Montmartre & Sacré-Cœur walk
- →Louvre or Eiffel Tower stairs or Seine cruise (pick one)
- →Optional Montparnasse Tower rooftop (~€20)
Train to Lyon — Fourvière & old town
Lyon, France
Morning TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon to Lyon Part-Dieu (~2h, book on SNCF Connect 2-4 weeks out for €25-45; last-minute can hit €70+). Drop bags at your hostel in Presqu'île or Croix-Rousse. Ride the funicular (included in a TCL day ticket, ~€6.70) up to Fourvière for the basilica and the panorama, then walk down through Vieux Lyon's traboules. Dinner in a bouchon — a fixed-menu bouchon is ~€25-35.
🚌TGV Paris–Lyon (~£25-40), TCL day ticket (~£6)
🛏Hostel private twin or budget hotel, Presqu'île (£22-32)
- →Notre-Dame de Fourvière & funicular
- →Vieux Lyon traboules self-guided walk
Lyon — food capital free day
Lyon, France
Free day in Lyon. Cheapest and best food move: Les Halles Paul Bocuse market for cheese, charcuterie and praline tart sampling (~€10-15), plus the Croix-Rousse food market (closed Mondays). Walk the Saône and Rhône banks, cross to the Confluence district, or ride the TCL metro to the Parc de la Tête d'Or. Optional GetYourGuide food tour runs ~£50-70 if you'd rather be led; otherwise follow a self-made route between a bouchon lunch and a Les Halles dinner.
🚌TCL metro/tram day ticket (~£6)
🛏Hostel private twin or budget hotel, Lyon (£22-32)
- →Les Halles Paul Bocuse market
- →Croix-Rousse & Parc de la Tête d'Or walk
- →Optional guided food tour
Lyon to Nîmes — 'French Rome' walking tour
Nîmes, France
Regional train Lyon–Nîmes via Avignon or direct TER (~2h15-3h, ~€30-45 on SNCF Connect). Check into a guesthouse or hostel in the old town. Afternoon: do the Roman circuit on foot — the Arènes (amphitheatre, ~€12), Maison Carrée (UNESCO, ~€8), Tour Magne and the Jardins de la Fontaine (free). Self-guided audio versions are available via the Nîmes tourist office app; alternatively a 1.5h guided old-town walk is ~€15 via GetYourGuide. Evening: cheap tapas-style plates on Rue de l'Aspic.
🚌Regional train Lyon–Nîmes (~£30-40)
🛏Guesthouse or hostel, Nîmes old town (£25-35)
- →Roman Nîmes self-guided walk
- →Arènes & Maison Carrée tickets
Pont du Gard day trip — then onward to Barcelona
Nîmes → Barcelona, Spain
Local bus 168 from Nîmes station to Pont du Gard (~€1.50 each way, 30-40 min) and walk the 30 min river path to the aqueduct; bridge access is ~€9.50, or view it free from the riverbank. Lunch in Remoulins or back in Nîmes. Then take the evening train: Nîmes–Barcelona is best via a Renfe AVE/SNCF through train or change at Figueres-Vilafant, ~4h, ~€55-80 if booked ahead. Arrive Barcelona Sants, metro to your hostel in the Gothic Quarter or Eixample.
🚌Bus 168 to Pont du Gard (~£3 return), train Nîmes–Barcelona (~£50-70)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget pensión, Barcelona (£25-35)
- →Pont du Gard & river walk
- →Evening stroll Las Ramblas & Gothic Quarter
Barcelona — Gaudí and the old city
Barcelona, Spain
Book a GetYourGuide 'Gothic Quarter + Gaudí highlights' walking tour (~£20-28) or DIY: Cathedral, Plaça Reial, El Born, then the Sagrada Família timed ticket (~€26-37, must book online weeks ahead) and Park Güell (~€18). A 24-hour T-casual 10-ride metro card is ~€12.85 and covers the day. Evening dinner in Gràcia or a vermouth bar in El Raval, ~€15-20.
🚌Metro 10-ride card (~£11)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget pensión, Barcelona (£25-35)
- →Gothic Quarter walking tour (self or GetYourGuide)
- →Sagrada Família entry
- →Park Güell entry
Train to Madrid
Madrid, Spain
Morning Renfe AVE Barcelona Sants–Madrid Atocha, ~2h45, ~€35-80 depending on how far ahead you book (Renfe 'Promo' fares are cheapest). Check into a hostel around Sol/La Latina. Afternoon free: walk Plaza Mayor, Gran Vía, Retiro Park and the Temple of Debod at sunset (all free). Dinner in La Latina — a menú del día at lunch or a €12-18 tavern dinner; the Sunday El Rastro market if your dates line up.
🚌AVE Barcelona–Madrid (~£35-65)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hostal, Sol / La Latina (£25-35)
- →Plaza Mayor, Gran Vía & Retiro walk
- →Temple of Debod sunset
Madrid — art museums free-time day
Madrid, Spain
Pick your art: Reina Sofía (~€12), Thyssen-Bornemisza (~€13) or the Prado (~€15) — note the Prado is free 18:00-20:00 Mon-Sat and Sun 17:00-19:00, and Reina Sofía free in the evenings. Alternatively Royal Palace (~€12-14). Lunch a menú del día in Huertas (~€13-16). Late afternoon people-watch in Mercado de San Miguel (pricey) or a local market like Mercado de San Antón. Optional day trip to Toledo by Avant train (~€11 each way, 33 min) if you want a change of scene.
🚌Metro 10-ride card (~£11)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hostal, Madrid (£25-35)
- →Prado / Reina Sofía / Thyssen entry
- →Royal Palace or Toledo option
Long travel day to Porto via Salamanca
Madrid → Porto, Portugal
No direct day train exists, so replicate the tour's routing overland: early bus or train Madrid–Salamanca (~2h30 by ALSA/Avanza bus, ~€20; or Renfe Media Distancia ~€25). Spend 2-3 hours in Salamanca — Plaza Mayor, the cathedral and the golden-stone university quarter on foot. Then continue by ALSA/Flixbus Salamanca–Porto (~4h30-5h, ~€25-35) arriving early evening. Alternatively split the trip with a night in Salamanca to break it up. Check into a hostel in Ribeira or Baixa.
🚌Bus Madrid–Salamanca–Porto (~£45-55)
🛏Hostel dorm, Ribeira / Baixa, Porto (£18-28)
- →Salamanca old town & Plaza Mayor stop
Porto — Ribeira, Douro cruise & port cellar
Porto, Portugal
Morning self-guided orientation walk: São Bento station azulejo tiles (free), Clérigos Tower, Livraria Lello (~€8 timed ticket) and down to Ribeira. Optional 50-minute Douro six-bridges boat cruise (~€20, book at the Ribeira kiosks or GetYourGuide). Afternoon cross to Vila Nova de Gaia for a port wine cellar tour and tasting — Taylor's, Sandeman or Ramos Pinto are all ~€18-25 booked direct or via GetYourGuide, cheaper than the big-name walk-ins. Dinner on Rua das Flores ~€15.
🚌Walking + tram 1 (~€3) or Bolt (~£4)
🛏Hostel dorm, Porto (£18-28)
- →Ribeira & São Bento orientation walk
- →Douro river cruise
- →Port wine cellar tour & tasting
Train to Lisbon — Alfama & Fado evening
Lisbon, Portugal
CP Alfa Pendular or Intercidades Porto Campanhã–Lisbon Oriente, ~2h50-3h15, ~€25-40 booked on cp.pt. Check into a hostel in Baixa or Alfama. Afternoon orientation walk: Praça do Comércio, Rossio, Santa Justa lift (€6, or walk the free route) and up into Alfama's alleys. Evening: a Fado show — small Alfama tascas do dinner-plus-Fado sets for ~€25-40 including a drink, or a GetYourGuide Fado + dinner package ~£45. Book ahead; the good rooms are tiny.
🚌CP train Porto–Lisbon (~£25-40)
🛏Hostel dorm or guesthouse, Baixa / Alfama (£22-32)
- →Alfama & Baixa orientation walk
- →Fado show in Alfama
Lisbon free day — Belém or Sintra
Lisbon, Portugal
Choose your day out. Belém: tram 15 (~€3) to the Jerónimos Monastery (€18) and Belém Tower (€8), plus the famous pastéis de Belém (~€1.50 each). Or Sintra by CP train from Rossio (~€4.80 return, 40 min) for Quinta da Regaleira (€15) and Pena Palace gardens (€10-20) — book timed entry ahead, it sells out. Evening back in Lisbon: cheap seafood and vinho verde in Cais do Sodré or the Time Out Market (~€15-20).
🚌Tram to Belém or CP train to Sintra (~£5-9)
🛏Hostel dorm or guesthouse, Lisbon (£22-32)
- →Belém monuments & pastéis de Belém
- →or Sintra palaces (Regaleira, Pena)
Lisbon → Évora — Chapel of Bones & Alentejo
Évora, Portugal
Rede Expressos or Flixbus Lisbon Sete Rios–Évora, ~1h40, ~€12-15. Check into a small guesthouse inside the walls. Visit the Capela dos Ossos (~€6, the ghoulish Chapel of Bones the tour includes), the Roman Temple of Diana (free) and Évora Cathedral (~€4.50 for the roof, worth it). Lunch a cheap Alentejo prato do dia ~€10. Late afternoon bus or train onward to the Algarve: Évora–Faro by bus ~3h (~€20), then local train to Olhão (10 min, ~€2).
🚌Bus Lisbon–Évora (~£12), bus Évora–Faro (~£18)
🛏Guesthouse in Olhão or Évora (£25-35)
- →Chapel of Bones
- →Évora Roman temple & cathedral roof
Olhão — fish market & beach day
Olhão, Portugal
Morning at Olhão's famous fish market (free, best before 10:00) and the crumbling Moorish-style Bairro Ribeirinho. Take the ferry from Olhão to the Ilha da Armona or Culatra (return ~€3.60-5, 20-30 min) for sand, no crowds and beach-bar grilled fish for lunch. In the evening, cheap and excellent seafood back on the mainland at a tasca (~€15) with a glass of Algarve rosé.
🚌Local ferry to the islands (~£4 return)
🛏Guesthouse in Olhão (£25-35)
- →Olhão fish market
- →Ilha da Culatra / Armona beach day
To Seville — Alcázar & flamenco
Seville, Spain
Bus Olhão–Seville via Faro and Huelva (ALSA/Damas, ~3h30-4h total, ~€22-30) or a combination of local train to Faro then ALSA coach. Check into a hostel in Santa Cruz or Triana. Afternoon: Alcázar of Seville timed ticket (~€15.50, book direct weeks ahead — it sells out) and a free walk through the Santa Cruz quarter. Evening flamenco: a 1-hour show at Casa de la Memoria (~€25) or a GetYourGuide tablao ticket (~£22-30) — much cheaper than the big tourist shows.
🚌Bus Olhão–Seville (~£22-28)
🛏Hostel dorm, Santa Cruz / Triana (£22-32)
- →Alcázar of Seville entry
- →Flamenco show
Seville — cathedral, market and departure
Seville, Spain
Last morning: Seville Cathedral and La Giralda (~€12), the Torre del Oro riverside, and the Mercado de Triana for breakfast and jamón shopping. Platillos and a caña for a final lunch (~€12). Depart from Seville airport (bus EA from Puerta de Jerez, ~€4, 35 min) or take the Renfe AVE onward to Madrid (~2h30, ~€40-70) if you're flying home from the capital.
🚌Airport bus EA (~£3.50) or AVE onward to Madrid
🛏—
- →Seville Cathedral & Giralda
- →Triana market
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£2,280 | £3,870 |
| Duration | 17 days | 17 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,590 per person (41%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£2,280
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Essential France, Spain & Portugal — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £2,280 per person for 17 days in France, Spain & Portugal. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £3,870 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £2,280 — a saving of roughly £1,590 (41%) per person.
How long is the France, Spain & Portugal trip?+
This itinerary runs 17 days, covering 17 day-by-day stops through France, Spain & Portugal.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, city-breaks, foodie trip through France, Spain & Portugal, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.