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Spain and Portugal: Madrid, Seville, Granada, Lisbon and Porto

13 days from Madrid to Porto: Toledo, two nights each in Seville and Granada with the Alhambra early, three in Lisbon with Sintra, and three in Porto with the Douro Valley.

13 days · Madrid to Porto · up to 12 guests

The facts

At a glance

Length
13 days, 12 nights
Start and end
Madrid to Porto
Group size
7 to 12 guests
Activity level

Moderate

City days of 6 to 10 km on foot over cobbles and hills, with long spells standing in palaces and museums; steep lanes and steps in Toledo, Granada's Albaicín, Lisbon's Alfama, Sintra and Porto's Ribeira, and about 3 hours on foot at the Alhambra. Road days stay at or under about 4 hours of driving, with a long stop in the middle. Every demanding day has an easier option, and you can sit out any part.

Meals included
12 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners
Room of your own
+ CAD 1,175 (estimated price)
Season
March to June and September to early November

Highlights

Why this trip

  • Toledo's cathedral and El Greco's Burial of the Count of Orgaz before the day-tour coaches
  • The Prado at opening with an art guide, then the fast train to Seville
  • The Real Alcázar of Seville at opening, the Giralda and a flamenco evening
  • Córdoba's Mezquita and a long lunch on the road to Granada
  • The Alhambra's Nasrid Palaces on an early timed entry, and San Nicolás at sunset
  • Jerónimos at opening, fado in Alfama and Pena Palace on the first slot
  • Port lodges in Gaia and a day in the Douro Valley with lunch at a wine estate
  • Three nights in Porto, with the Palácio da Bolsa and a cruise under its six bridges

What makes this trip different

  • Free time is part of the plan

    Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.

  • Solo without the penalty

    A room of your own is + CAD 1,175 (estimated price).

Day by day

Itinerary

PORTUGALSPAINANDALUSIAAtlantic OceanMediterranean Sea12345MadridDays 1 to 3ToledoDay 2SevilleDays 3 to 5CórdobaDay 5GranadaDays 5 to 7LisbonDays 7 to 10SintraDay 9PortoDays 10 to 13Pinhão (Douro Valley)Day 11

Tap any stop on the map to open that day

Arrive in Madrid

Madrid Airport (MAD) to your hotel in central Madrid

  • Dinner
  • Stay in Madrid
  • Drive about 30 min

Fly into Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD), about 15 km from the centre. A driver meets you in arrivals at any time of day and takes you to the hotel, about half an hour away. If you land early, walk to the Retiro park and its glass Crystal Palace, or wander the Paseo del Prado, where the city's three great art museums stand within a few minutes of each other.

Evening

In the early evening your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a short briefing on the two weeks ahead: which tickets are timed, where the trains and the short flight fall, and how the free afternoons work. Then we walk through the Barrio de las Letras, the old writers' quarter where Cervantes is buried, to a restaurant for a welcome dinner of Spanish dishes. Madrid eats late, and nine in the evening is an early table here.

Included

  • Pick-up at Madrid Airport (MAD)
  • Welcome briefing with your guide
  • Welcome dinner in the Barrio de las Letras

Free time: Free until the early-evening briefing

Activity: Plan to land by mid-afternoon to join the briefing; later arrivals are met and briefed the next morning.

  1. Madrid2 nights
  2. Seville2 nights
  3. Granada2 nights
  4. Lisbon3 nights
  5. Porto3 nights
  • Overnight stop
  • Day trip
  • By boat or train
Print itinerary

Wildlife and weather: Spring and autumn are mild and the best time for walking cities; the Douro harvest runs from about mid-September to early October. In July and August Seville, Córdoba and Granada often pass 40 C, so we sightsee in the morning and rest at midday, while Lisbon and Porto stay milder. Winter is cool and showery with short days but quiet sites.

Want this plan in your inbox?

Get the day-by-day itinerary by email, or ask us anything about this trip. A trip planner replies the same or next business day.

Before you book

Right for you?

Good for you if you want

  • First-timers who want Madrid, Andalusia, Lisbon and Porto in one trip without one-night stops
  • Wine lovers who want port lodges and a Douro day included
  • Travellers who want the Alhambra booked and guided, not left to chance
  • People who like a guided morning and a free afternoon
  • Solo travellers who want a small group and a fair single price

Not for you if you want

  • Step-free travel: cobbles, hills and stairs are everywhere, and Toledo, the Albaicín, Alfama, Sintra and Porto are steep
  • Travellers who want Barcelona; see our Lisbon to Barcelona trip instead
  • Anyone wanting a beach stay; there is no Algarve or Costa del Sol time
  • Travellers who will not fly: one short flight links Andalusia and Lisbon

Book flights after we confirm your seat.

12 nights

Where you'll stay

Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.

  • Madrid2 nights
  • Seville2 nights
  • Granada2 nights
  • Lisbon3 nights
  • Porto3 nights

One price

What's in the price

Included

Accommodation

  • 12 nights: 2 in Madrid, 2 in Seville, 2 in Granada, 3 in Lisbon and 3 in Porto
  • Central hotels of a 3-star-plus standard with private bathrooms; we name each hotel when we confirm your dates
  • Hotel city taxes

Transport

  • Pick-up at Madrid Airport (MAD) and drop-off at Porto Airport (OPO)
  • Our own vehicle and driver for Toledo, Seville to Granada via Córdoba, Granada to Málaga Airport, Belém, Sintra and the Douro Valley
  • Reserved trains: Madrid to Seville (high-speed) and Lisbon to Porto (Alfa Pendular)
  • Flight from Málaga to Lisbon, economy with one checked bag
  • Luggage moved by vehicle between hotels, stations and airports
  • Douro boat trip from Pinhão and the six-bridges cruise in Porto

Your guide

  • A See Sight Tours guide with the group from day 1 to day 13
  • Licensed local guides in Toledo, at the Prado, the Real Alcázar, the Mezquita, the Alhambra and Jerónimos
  • Quiet-guide headsets at the big sites and in Alfama and Sintra

Activities

  • Toledo: the Cathedral, Santo Tomé and the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca
  • Madrid: the Prado and an evening walk from the Plaza Mayor to the Gran Vía
  • Seville: Santa Cruz, the Real Alcázar, the Cathedral and the Giralda, Triana and a flamenco show
  • Córdoba: the Mezquita-Catedral and the Judería
  • Granada: the Alhambra with the Nasrid Palaces and the Generalife, and the Albaicín at sunset
  • Lisbon: Jerónimos Monastery, a pastéis de nata tasting in Belém, the Baixa and an Alfama evening walk
  • Sintra: Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira
  • Porto: São Bento station, the Ribeira, a port lodge tasting in Gaia, the Palácio da Bolsa, São Francisco and the Bolhão market
  • Douro Valley: Pinhão and a wine estate visit with a tasting
  • All entrance fees for included sights, on timed entries where the site offers them

Meals

  • 12 breakfasts
  • 4 lunches: in Toledo, Córdoba, Sintra and at a Douro wine estate
  • 4 dinners: a welcome dinner in Madrid, a tapas evening in Granada, a fado dinner in Alfama and a farewell dinner in Porto

Not included

  • International flights to Madrid and from Porto
  • Visa or ETIAS fees, if they apply to you
  • Travel insurance
  • Meals not listed
  • Drinks outside the included meals and tastings
  • Tips for your guide and driver
  • Optional activities, such as the Royal Palace of Madrid, São Jorge Castle, the Clérigos Tower climb or Livraria Lello
  • Extra baggage on the Málaga to Lisbon flight beyond one checked bag
  • Personal expenses

Extras

Room of your own
CAD 1,175 (estimated price)

When you can go

Dates and prices

Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.

Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.

Before you book

Booking terms

Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.

Business addresses

See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584

Guest reviews

What guests say

Reviews from guests on our day tours.

Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
google

5/5

Parminder did a great job guiding us around, giving us tips & teaching us the history of the falls. A great experience!

Jane
October 06, 2026
gyg

5/5

Good views of the surrounding area of Halifax in a comfortable minivan

Susan
October 06, 2026
gyg

5/5

June was brilliant- made good contact beforehand and really attentive and knowledgeable. Made me feel like I was special- something only experience can do. Thank you June.

Tom L
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Our host was very knowledgeable, friendly and even provided some humor.

MandL83
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Peter was a very good guide, giving us insight into the various parts of the Park, including parking lot congestion details, trail and viewing location suggestions.

Darren O
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Excellent morning spent with my guide Nancy. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Thoroughly enjoyed my trip

4.7/5 from 38,601 guest reviews

Good to know

Questions

What does the Spain and Portugal trip price include?

Twelve nights in central hotels with city taxes, 12 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 4 dinners including tapas and fado, airport transfers both ends, reserved trains, the Málaga to Lisbon flight, our own vehicle on road days, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, licensed local guides, and every entry in the day plan, from the Alhambra to a Douro wine estate.

How big is the group?

The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. That is small enough for one table at lunch, one guide's voice in the Nasrid Palaces and the lanes of Alfama, and quick boarding on trains, against the 28 to 50 seats of larger tours and coaches.

Who leads the trip?

A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from the Madrid airport pick-up to the farewell dinner in Porto. At the big sites, where local rules or the quality of the visit call for it, a licensed local guide joins us: Toledo, the Prado, the Alcázar, the Mezquita, the Alhambra and Jerónimos.

How fit do I need to be?

Moderate fitness is enough. Expect 6 to 10 km a day on foot over cobbles and hills, with steep lanes in Toledo, the Albaicín, Alfama, Sintra and Porto, and about 3 hours at the Alhambra. Every demanding day has an easier option, such as a minibus, a taxi or a café stop, and you can skip any part.

I am travelling solo. What does a single room cost?

A room of your own is from CAD 1,175 more for the whole trip, and it is a real room with its own bathroom, not a converted twin. Solo travellers are welcome; if you would rather share a room, ask us about sharing when you request to book.

When is the best time to go to Spain and Portugal?

March to June and September to early November are best, with warm days for walking. Late September adds the Douro grape harvest. July and August are hot in Andalusia, often over 40 C in Seville and Córdoba, so we sightsee in the mornings. Winter is cool and quieter, with shorter days.

How does booking work?

Pick a departure and send a request to book. We check availability and provide the final quote, itinerary and booking terms before you accept. No payment is taken when you send the request. Once confirmed, we buy your Alhambra tickets in your name once the Alhambra releases them, and the Málaga to Lisbon flight, so we ask for passport details then.

Can I do this trip on my own dates?

Yes, as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, with your own guide, vehicle and timed entries. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section for a quote on the same hotels, trains and local guides, without a group or tour leader.

Do I need a visa for Spain and Portugal?

Canadian, US, UK and Australian passport holders do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days in the Schengen area, which includes both countries. The EU's ETIAS travel authorisation is not yet in operation and its start date is not confirmed; we tell you at booking if it applies to your trip.

Why fly from Málaga to Lisbon instead of driving?

Granada and Lisbon are about 700 km apart by road, and no through train links them. Driving would mean a full day on the road, so we drive an hour and a half to Málaga and fly to Lisbon in about 80 minutes, arriving by mid-afternoon with time for a first walk.

Should I choose this trip or the Lisbon to Barcelona version?

Choose this one if you want Porto, port wine and the Douro Valley, and a shorter 13 days with no long road day. Choose the Lisbon to Barcelona trip if Gaudí's Barcelona matters more than northern Portugal. Both include the Alhambra, Seville, Lisbon and Sintra with the same guide-led style.

Can you handle vegetarian or other dietary needs?

Yes. Tell us your dietary needs when you book and we pass them in writing to your guide and every restaurant on the trip. With a group of 12 or fewer we choose restaurants with real vegetarian and non-seafood mains, and order from the menu rather than a fixed group plate.

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