Self-Launched Portugal & Andalusia: Porto to Granada via Lisbon, Córdoba & Seville

Start early from Madrid and head northwest. Break the journey with a stop in Salamanca — one of Europe's finest university cities. Stroll the Plaza Mayor, admire the Romanesque Old Cathedral and the ornate sandstone facades of the university for free. Back on the road (or bus), continue to Porto, arriving in the evening. Check into your hostel in the Bonfim or Baixa neighbourhood and grab a francesinha for dinner.

🚌Take the Alsa or FlixBus coach from Madrid Méndez Álvaro to Salamanca (~£12, ~2.5hrs), explore on foot for 2–3 hours, then catch an Alsa bus onward to Porto (~£25, ~4hrs). Alternatively, take the RENFE train Madrid–Salamanca and then a cross-border bus to Porto. Budget ~£37 total transport for the day.

🛏Gallery Hostel Porto or Tattva Design Hostel — both well-rated, central, dorms from ~£18/night or private rooms from ~£40/night.

• →Free self-guided walk of Salamanca's Plaza Mayor and University facade
• →Arrive and settle into Porto — evening stroll along the Ribeira waterfront

Porto is one of Europe's most rewarding cities and today you'll cover its highlights at your own pace. Join a panoramic walking tour of the city centre, crossing to Vila Nova de Gaia for a Douro River cruise and a port wine cellar visit with tasting. The Livraria Lello bookshop (worth booking ahead, ~£6 entry credited against purchases), São Bento station's azulejo-tiled hall and the view from Clerigos Tower are all free or low cost. Book the river cruise and wine cellar visit directly or via GetYourGuide.

🚌Walk or use Porto's metro (single ticket ~£1.50). Douro River cruise departs from Cais da Ribeira.

🛏Gallery Hostel Porto or Tattva Design Hostel

• →Self-guided panoramic walk: Porto Cathedral, Palácio da Bolsa (Stock Exchange), Santa Clara Church — book Palácio da Bolsa entry direct (~£6)
• →Douro River 6-bridges cruise via GetYourGuide or direct (~£12–15)
• →Port wine cellar visit with tasting at Graham's or Sandeman, Vila Nova de Gaia (~£10–15)

Travel south with a mid-morning stop in Coimbra, home to one of Europe's oldest universities. Wander the Joanina Library area (book timed entry online, ~£5), the old cathedral and the Fado heritage quarter. Continue to Fátima in the afternoon — one of the world's great Catholic pilgrimage sites. Visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Fátima and the Cova da Iria shrine. If your timing aligns (13th of each month, May–October), the evening candlelight procession is a moving, free experience open to all.

🚌Take the Rede Expressos bus Porto–Coimbra (~£9, ~1.5hrs). Then Rede Expressos or local bus Coimbra–Fátima (~£7, ~1hr). Total transport ~£16.

🛏Casa de Retiros or Domus Pacis hostel/guesthouse near the sanctuary (~£20–35/night) — book early as Fátima fills up around pilgrimage dates.

• →University of Coimbra: Joanina Library timed entry (~£5, book online) and free courtyard/old cathedral visit
• →Basilica of Fátima and Cova da Iria shrine — free entry
• →Chapel of the Apparitions — free
• →Evening candlelight procession if dates align — free and open to all

A day of Portugal's greatest medieval monuments en route to Lisbon. Start at Batalha Monastery (UNESCO, ~£7 entry) — the Gothic masterpiece built to commemorate the Battle of Aljubarrota. Then Alcobaça Monastery (UNESCO, ~£7) where Portugal's medieval kings are buried in magnificent carved tombs. Make time for Nazaré, a traditional fishing village with a dramatic clifftop viewpoint (Sítio) — take the funicular up for panoramic Atlantic views. Arrive in Lisbon by early evening.

🚌Local Rodoviária buses connect Fátima–Batalha–Alcobaça–Nazaré (each leg ~£3–5). From Nazaré take a Rede Expressos bus to Lisbon (~£14, ~2hrs). Total ~£25.

🛏Lisbon Lounge Hostel or Home Lisbon Hostel — both award-winning, central, dorms from ~£20/night, private rooms from ~£50/night.

• →Batalha Monastery — entry ~£7, self-guided (audioguide available on site)
• →Alcobaça Monastery — entry ~£7, self-guided
• →Nazaré: Sítio viewpoint via funicular (~£2 return) and beach walk — free
• →Arrive Lisbon — evening tapas in Bairro Alto

Lisbon is easily explored independently — a city of trams, viewpoints (miradouros), custard tarts and Fado. In the morning, take Tram 15E to Belém and visit the Tower of Belém (~£8), the Monument to the Discoveries (free exterior, ~£5 interior) and take in the exterior of Jerónimos Monastery (~£12 entry if you go inside). The Pastéis de Belém bakery queue is worth it — ~£1.50 a tart. In the afternoon, explore the Alfama district on foot — the labyrinthine medieval quarter with its Fado soundtrack drifting from open windows. Optional: take the Sintra train from Rossio station (35 mins, ~£3 each way) and add Cascais — both easily done as self-launched day trips.

🚌Lisbon metro, tram and bus day pass ~£7. Train to Sintra from Rossio ~£3 each way if you go.

🛏Lisbon Lounge Hostel or Home Lisbon Hostel

• →Belém Tower entry (~£8, book online to skip queues)
• →Monument to the Discoveries — exterior free, interior ~£5
• →Jerónimos Monastery — exterior free, interior ~£12
• →Pastéis de Belém — ~£2
• →Self-guided Alfama district walk and São Jorge Castle (~£10)
• →Optional: Sintra day trip by train (~£6 return + palace entries from ~£8 each)

A long but rewarding travel day crossing into Spain. Mérida is an unmissable stop — its Roman theatre and amphitheatre are among the best-preserved in the world. The Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida (UNESCO) combines the theatre, amphitheatre, Roman bridge and a superb museum all on one combined ticket (~£10). Continue east to Córdoba, arriving by evening. Check into your hostel in the Judería (Jewish Quarter) area for easy access to tomorrow's highlights.

🚌Take the Rede Expressos bus Lisbon–Badajoz (~£18, ~4hrs) then an Alsa bus or regional train Badajoz–Mérida (~£5, ~40mins). After visiting Mérida, take an Alsa bus or RENFE train Mérida–Córdoba (~£20–28, ~3hrs). Total ~£43–51.

🛏Hostel Seneca Córdoba or Balcón de Córdoba (budget rooms) — dorms from ~£18, privates from ~£45.

• →Mérida Archaeological Ensemble: Roman Theatre, Amphitheatre and Roman Bridge — combined ticket ~£10, self-guided
• →National Museum of Roman Art, Mérida — ~£3
• →Arrive Córdoba — evening walk through the Judería

Córdoba's Mosque-Cathedral (Mezquita-Catedral) is one of the world's great buildings — a forest of red-and-white striped arches layered with a Renaissance cathedral inserted at its heart. Book entry tickets online in advance (entry ~£11, free Mon–Sat 8:30–9:30am if you're up early). Explore the surrounding Jewish Quarter's narrow whitewashed streets, the Calleja de las Flores, the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (~£5) and the 1st-century Roman Bridge. In the afternoon, travel to Seville.

🚌RENFE regional train Córdoba–Seville (~£12–18, ~45mins–1hr). Córdoba is very walkable — no local transport needed.

🛏Oasis Backpackers' Hostel Seville or Casa del Poeta — dorms from ~£18, privates from ~£45.

• →Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba (Mezquita) — entry ~£11 (book online), or free Mon–Sat 8:30–9:30am
• →Jewish Quarter self-guided walk — free
• →Calleja de las Flores and Synagogue of Córdoba — synagogue entry ~£0.30
• →Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos — ~£5
• →Roman Bridge — free

Seville is one of Spain's most beautiful cities and rewards a full day of exploration. The Cathedral — the world's largest Gothic cathedral — houses Columbus's tomb and is worth the entry fee (~£13, book online). Climb the Giralda tower for panoramic city views. The Barrio de Santa Cruz, Seville's old Jewish quarter, is a maze of orange-tree-lined alleys — best explored on foot for free. María Luisa Park and the extraordinary Plaza de España (entry free) are must-sees. Consider a tapas crawl in Triana across the river in the evening.

🚌Seville is very walkable. City buses ~£1.40/journey if needed.

🛏Oasis Backpackers' Hostel Seville or Casa del Poeta

• →Seville Cathedral and Giralda Tower — entry ~£13 (book online in advance, sells out)
• →Barrio de Santa Cruz self-guided walk — free
• →María Luisa Park — free
• →Plaza de España — free
• →Optional flamenco show via GetYourGuide (~£20–30)

Travel southeast with a stop in Ronda, one of Andalusia's most dramatic towns — perched on a sheer gorge 100m above the valley floor. Walk the Puente Nuevo bridge, peer into the gorge, visit the oldest bullring in Spain (Plaza de Toros, ~£8) and explore the old town. Continue to the Costa del Sol coast — base yourself in Málaga itself, which is far more interesting than beach resorts and is a great base for the coast.

🚌Take an Alsa bus from Seville to Ronda (~£14, ~2.5hrs). Then an Alsa bus Ronda–Málaga (~£10, ~2hrs). Total ~£24.

🛏Málaga: Feel Hostels Cultural (award-winning) or Picasso's Corner Hostel — dorms from ~£18, privates from ~£45.

• →Ronda: Puente Nuevo bridge and gorge viewpoints — free
• →Plaza de Toros bullring museum, Ronda — ~£8
• →Ronda old town and El Tajo gorge walk — free
• →Arrive Málaga — explore the Picasso Museum exterior and port area

Travel to Granada for the centrepiece of the whole trip — the Alhambra. This is Spain's most visited monument and tickets sell out weeks in advance: book online at alhambra-patronato.es the moment your dates are fixed. The Nasrid Palaces, Alcazaba fortress and Generalife Gardens together paint a picture of the Islamic golden age that is simply unmatched anywhere in Europe. In the evening, head up to the Sacromonte neighbourhood for a Flamenco Zambra cave show — book via GetYourGuide or direct with Cueva de la Rocío or Cueva María La Canastera.

🚌ALSA bus Málaga–Granada (~£12, ~1.5hrs). Granada city bus or walk to the Alhambra hill (~£1.40 or 20-min walk).

🛏El Granado Hostel or Oasis Backpackers' Granada — dorms from ~£18, privates from ~£45.

• →Alhambra: Nasrid Palaces, Alcazaba and Generalife Gardens — combined ticket ~£16 (MUST book online weeks ahead at alhambra-patronato.es)
• →Albaicín neighbourhood self-guided walk and Mirador de San Nicolás viewpoint — free
• →Optional: Flamenco Zambra cave show in Sacromonte via GetYourGuide (~£20–30)

Final morning in Granada — if you have time before your journey, visit the Royal Chapel (Capilla Real, ~£5) where Ferdinand and Isabella are buried, or browse the Alcaicería market. Then head back to Madrid. The ALSA bus is the budget option; the new high-speed AVE train (when running this route) or a bus via Córdoba gets you there in good time. Arrive Madrid by evening, rounding out a sensational 11-day sweep through two of Europe's most captivating regions.

🚌ALSA direct bus Granada–Madrid (~£25–35, ~5hrs) or RENFE train via Antequera-Santa Ana (~£35–55, ~3.5–4hrs). Book in advance for best prices.

🛏N/A — end of trip (or add a Madrid night: Hat Hostel or Cats Hostel, dorms from ~£20)

• →Royal Chapel (Capilla Real), Granada — ~£5
• →Alcaicería Moorish market browse — free
• →Return journey to Madrid