Spanish and Portuguese Landscapes — Self-Launched
11 days · Spain & Portugal
Europamundo charges £1,355
No-markup version: ~£816 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, self-launched version of Europamundo's 11-day Madrid–Andalusia–Lisbon–Porto–Galicia loop, done by public bus and train with hostel and budget-hotel stays. You cover the same headline sights — the Alhambra, Seville's cathedral and Triana, Mérida's Roman theatre, Lisbon's Belém, a Douro rabelo cruise, the Bom Jesus funicular, Santiago de Compostela, Lugo's Roman walls and León cathedral — but booked yourself via Renfe, ALSA, FlixBus, GetYourGuide and direct ticket sites. Cuts out coach days and 4-star hotels in favour of more time in Seville, Lisbon and Porto. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Madrid — Plaza Mayor and La Latina
Madrid
Land at Barajas and take the Metro L8 + L10 or the Airport Express bus (€5) into the centre. Check into a hostel or budget hotel around Sol/La Latina/Chueca. Ease in with a walk through Plaza Mayor, the Royal Palace exterior and Almudena cathedral, then eat your way along Cava Baja in La Latina — vermouth, tortilla, gambas al ajillo. Sort your tickets tonight: Alhambra (book weeks ahead — it sells out), Renfe/Alsa seats for Granada, and the Seville→Lisbon leg.
🚌Airport Express bus €5 or Metro €5-7; all central walking
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse near Sol/La Latina (£20-30 pp)
- →Self-guided wander of Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol
- →Tapas crawl along Cava Baja / La Latina
- →Book Alhambra, Renfe and ALSA tickets online
Madrid: Prado, Retiro and Bernabéu
Madrid
Do the classic Madrid circuit on foot and by Metro: Paseo del Prado, Cibeles, Neptuno, Puerta de Alcalá, Plaza de Colón, then into Retiro Park for the lake and the Palacio de Cristal. Book a Prado timed ticket online (€15, free 6-8pm Mon-Sat) and add the Santiago Bernabéu stadium tour (€25-35, book direct) if you're a football fan. Evening: sunset from the Templo de Debod, free.
🚌Metro single €1.50-2 or 10-trip ticket ~€12
🛏Same hostel, Madrid (£20-30 pp)
- →Paseo del Prado / Cibeles / Puerta de Alcalá walk
- →Museo del Prado timed ticket (~£13)
- →Retiro Park and Palacio de Cristal
- →Santiago Bernabéu stadium tour (~£25)
Madrid → Granada and the Alhambra
Granada
Take the morning AVE/Renfe or ALSA bus south. The train is ~3h15 and roughly £35-45 booked early; ALSA coaches take ~4h30 and cost £15-22. Drop bags at a hostel in the Albayzín or Realejo. Book your Alhambra ticket direct on the official portal (€19.09 general, timed Nasrid Palaces slot) — this is the single most important booking of the trip. Late afternoon: free walk up through the Albayzín for the classic Alhambra-from-San Nicolás viewpoint, then free tapas with drinks in the Realejo.
🚌Train ~£35-45 (3h15) or ALSA bus ~£15-22 (4h30); local bus €1.40
🛏Hostel in Albayzín/Realejo, Granada (£18-28 pp)
- →Renfe or ALSA to Granada
- →Alhambra and Generalife Gardens timed-entry ticket (~£16)
- →Albayzín sunset viewpoint at San Nicolás
- →Free tapas evening in Realejo
Granada → Nerja → Málaga → Ronda → Seville
Seville
This is the tour's monster coach day — do it as a smarter two-parter. Take the ALSA bus Granada→Nerja (~1h45, £7) for the Balcón de Europa clifftop, then continue along the coast to Málaga (~1h, £5) for the Alcazaba, cathedral and a beach-side lunch at El Pimpi or the Atarazanas market. From Málaga take the train or bus to Ronda (~2h, £8-10) for the Puente Nuevo gorge — then the evening bus/train on to Seville (~2h, £10-12). If that feels too tight, skip Ronda and go Málaga→Seville direct on the Avant train (~1h55, £25). Either way you sleep in Seville.
🚌ALSA buses Granada-Nerja-Málaga (£12) + Ronda (£9) + Seville (£11); or Avant train Málaga-Seville ~£25
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Seville centro/Triana (£22-32 pp)
- →Nerja Balcón de Europa
- →Málaga Alcazaba and Atarazanas market lunch
- →Ronda Puente Nuevo and gorge viewpoint
- →Evening arrival in Seville
Seville: cathedral, Triana and flamenco
Seville
Full day in Seville. Book the cathedral and Giralda ticket online (~€12-16) for an early slot, wander Santa Cruz's alleys, cross to Triana for the ceramics shops and a slow lunch on Calle Betis. Skip the tour's boat ride and instead rent a rowboat in Plaza de España's canal or just walk the Guadalquivir banks at sunset. Tonight book flamenco yourself: Casa de la Memoria (~€22) or La Carbonería (free/cheap) rather than the tour's €40-70 add-on — or a tablao with a drink for ~£20.
🚌All walking; tram €1.40 if needed
🛏Same hostel, Seville (£22-32 pp)
- →Seville Cathedral and Giralda ticket (~£13)
- →Santa Cruz and Triana neighbourhood walk
- →Guadalquivir riverside sunset
- →Flamenco show at Casa de la Memoria (~£19)
Seville → Mérida → Évora → Lisbon
Lisbon
A long travel day, but very doable on public transport. Early ALSA/Renfe bus Seville→Mérida (~2h, £10-14). Leave bags at the bus station lockers and walk 10 minutes to the Roman theatre and amphitheatre — entry €12-15, or free on Sundays — plus the Alcazaba and Diana's temple. Mid-afternoon take the ALSA/FlixBus Mérida→Évora (~3h, £15-18), a quick wander of the Roman temple, Praça do Giraldo and the eerie Chapel of Bones (€6, if time), then evening bus Évora→Lisbon (~1h45, £9-12). Sleep in Lisbon's Baixa or Alfama.
🚌ALSA buses: Seville-Mérida ~£12, Mérida-Évora ~£16, Évora-Lisbon ~£10
🛏Hostel in Baixa/Alfama, Lisbon (£20-30 pp)
- →Mérida Roman theatre and amphitheatre entry (~£11)
- →Évora old town and Chapel of Bones
- →Evening arrival in Lisbon
Lisbon: Belém, tram 28 and Sintra option
Lisbon
Walk or tram to Belém for the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (€12, book online) and Torre de Belém, then pastéis de nata at the original Pastéis de Belém. Afternoon: ride tram 28 through Alfama and Graça, and climb to the Miradouro da Senhora do Monte for sunset. For the tour's Sintra/Cascais add-on, do it better yourself: take the CP train from Rossio to Sintra (~45 min, €2.30 each way) and visit Quinta da Regaleira (€12) and Pena Palace — total under £25 versus the €40 group tour.
🚌Lisbon day pass €6.80; Rossio-Sintra train €4.60 return
🛏Same hostel, Lisbon (£20-30 pp)
- →Jerónimos Monastery and Torre de Belém (~£16)
- →Pastéis de Belém
- →Tram 28 through Alfama
- →Optional DIY Sintra: Quinta da Regaleira and Pena Palace (~£25)
Lisbon → Fátima → Porto and Douro cruise
Porto
Morning train or bus to Fátima — Rede Expressos/FlixBus is ~1h30 (£7-10), and the sanctuary is free to enter. Continue Fátima→Porto by bus or via Lisbon on the fast train (total ~3h, £15-20). Check into a hostel in the Ribeira/Baixa area. Book a 50-minute Douro rabelo boat cruise direct with a Ribeira operator or on GetYourGuide (~£15-18) — the classic six bridges route. Sunset at the Miradouro da Vitória, then dinner in Ribeira or a francesinha in Bolhão.
🚌Bus Lisbon-Fátima ~£8, Fátima-Porto ~£12-15, or Comboios de Portugal train
🛏Hostel in Ribeira/Baixa, Porto (£20-30 pp)
- →Fátima Sanctuary (free)
- →Douro River rabelo boat cruise, 50 min (~£16)
- →Ribeira riverside and Vitória viewpoint
Porto → Braga (Bom Jesus) → Cambados → Santiago
Santiago de Compostela
Early train Porto→Braga (~1h, €3-8), then city bus #2 up to Bom Jesus do Monte. Ride the 1882 water-powered funicular up (€1.50-2.50, the world's oldest) and walk the zigzag staircase down. Continue by bus Braga→Vigo/Valga→Cambados (~2h30-3h, £12-16). In Cambados, skip the group glass-bottom boat and simply book a mussel-and-Albariño tasting at one of the Ría de Arousa bateas or a harbour-side marisquería (~£15-20), or join a shared boat tasting on arrival. Evening bus Cambados→Santiago (~1h15, £6-9). Stay in the old town near the cathedral.
🚌Train Porto-Braga ~£6; buses Braga-Cambados ~£14, Cambados-Santiago ~£8
🛏Albergue or budget hostal in Santiago old town (£18-28 pp)
- →Bom Jesus funicular and sanctuary (~£2)
- →Cambados old town and Ría de Arousa
- →Mussel and Albariño tasting (~£18)
- →Arrival in Santiago de Compostela
Santiago → Lugo → O Cebreiro → León → Madrid
Madrid
Morning in Santiago: the cathedral and Praza do Obradoiro, plus the market. Then bus to Lugo (~2h, £9-12) to walk the complete UNESCO Roman walls — free, and the best-preserved in the world. Bus on to O Cebreiro (~1h, £5-7) for the stone village if you have time, then continue to León (~2h, £9-12). In León, buy a ticket to the Gothic cathedral (€7-10) for the stained glass — the finest in Spain. Take the evening Alsa or Renfe train to Madrid (~4h bus £20-25, train from £30).
🚌Buses Santiago-Lugo ~£10, Lugo-O Cebreiro ~£6, León; Alsa/Renfe León-Madrid ~£22-30
🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Madrid centre (£22-32 pp)
- →Santiago cathedral and Praza do Obradoiro
- →Roman Walls of Lugo walk (free)
- →O Cebreiro stone village stop
- →León Cathedral stained glass (~£8)
Madrid and departure
Madrid
Last morning: the Mercado de San Miguel or El Rastro flea market if it's a Sunday, or the Reina Sofía for Picasso's Guernica (€12, free in the last hours). Pick up souvenirs in Malasaña, then take the Airport Express bus or Metro to Barajas for your flight home.
🚌Airport Express bus €5 or Metro €5-7
🛏—
- →Mercado de San Miguel or El Rastro
- →Optional Reina Sofía / Guernica (~£10)
- →Transfer to Barajas airport
Self-launched vs. Europamundo
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Europamundo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£816 | £1,355 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £539 per person (40%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Europamundo-style trips? Check them out here.~£816
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 Spanish and Portuguese Landscapes — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £816 per person for 11 days in 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 Europamundo?+
Yes — Europamundo charges around £1,355 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £816 — a saving of roughly £539 (40%) per person.
How long is the Spain & Portugal trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 day-by-day stops through 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, foodie, city-breaks trip through 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.