Spain & Portugal travel guide
Things to do in Spain and Portugal include city sightseeing, museums, historic sites, flamenco, beaches, festivals and wine country. Spain is strong for food, festivals and old towns, and Portugal offers trams, viewpoints and the Douro Valley. Plan one city and one main theme per day.
Facts checked 3 Nov 2026
Spain and Portugal offer more than one kind of holiday. You can spend a day on a museum, an evening at a flamenco show, a morning on a tram or an afternoon in a wine valley. The list below groups the main ideas by theme. Use it to choose what matters most, then give each city enough time to do it properly.
Barcelona's main sights are Sagrada Família, Park Güell and the Gothic Quarter. Madrid is known for the Prado Museum and the Royal Palace. Lisbon's top sights are Alfama and Belém, tram rides and viewpoints. Porto sits on the Douro waterfront. Our Spain Highlights 7N package covers Barcelona and Madrid, and our Spain Portugal 10N package covers Lisbon.
Seville is known for the Alcázar and its cathedral. Granada is known for the Alhambra. Évora and Coimbra are named among Portugal's top attractions, so they suit travellers who want historic towns beyond the big cities. Spain is especially strong for historic old towns, so a few days in Seville or Granada add depth to a trip.
Seville is one of the main places to enjoy flamenco. Plan an evening show as part of your Seville stay, and ask your planner about show options and timings before you travel. Our Spain Portugal 10N package includes free time in Seville, so you can plan this evening around the rest of your day.
Madrid's Prado Museum is one of the city's main attractions. Bilbao is known for the Guggenheim Museum, and Valencia for the City of Arts and Sciences. These suit a day of indoor sightseeing, which is useful during the hottest hours of summer.
Spain is especially strong for food and festivals. Portugal's festivals include Holy Week, Lisbon's June festivals and Porto's St. John celebrations. Plan your visit around a festival if one matches your dates, and book accommodation early, because demand is strong in the main seasons.
The Douro Valley wine region is one of Portugal's major attractions, and it works as a day trip from Porto. Sintra and its palaces offer a different kind of day out from Lisbon. Ask your planner for the right transport and timing before you choose a countryside day, because our research does not give travel times.
The Algarve is known for its beaches in Portugal. In Spain, the Costa del Sol and the Balearic Islands are the main beach destinations. Madeira and the Azores are island destinations in Portugal. For beaches, May to September is the main window in Spain, and May to October is the main window in Portugal.
Lisbon suits slow exploring. Ride a tram, walk the historic neighbourhoods and stop at viewpoints for the skyline. Pace the walks so you have rest breaks, because the hills can be tiring in the heat.
This guide is compiled from published tourism, weather and transport information. It was last checked on 2 November 2026. Opening times, event dates and entry rules change, so check them before you visit.
Ready-made trips
Barcelona 4N · Madrid 3N
Lisbon 5N · Seville 5N
*Approximate price per person, excl. GST. Contact us for exact pricing.
Packages cover stays, transfers, sightseeing and meals as listed. Flights are not included. Prices are per person, excl. GST.
FAQs
Short answers to what travellers ask about Spain & Portugal.
Barcelona's Sagrada Família, Park Güell and Gothic Quarter are among the strongest draws, along with Madrid's Prado Museum and Royal Palace. Seville adds the Alcázar, its cathedral and flamenco. Choose the cities that match your interests.
Lisbon's Alfama and Belém, tram rides and viewpoints are the main draws. Porto's Douro waterfront and the Douro Valley wine region are also major attractions, and Sintra and its palaces are a popular day out.
Yes. Seville is one of the main places to enjoy flamenco. Your planner can suggest show options and timings for the dates you choose, so you can fit an evening show into your Seville stay.
Portugal's festivals include Holy Week, Lisbon's June festivals and Porto's St. John celebrations. Spain is also strong for festivals. Check the dates with your planner, because festival timings change from year to year.
Spain is especially strong for food. Your planner can suggest areas and dining times in each city. Our packages include daily breakfast, and other meals are extra, so budget for lunches and dinners separately.
The Douro Valley wine region works well as a day trip from Porto. Our research does not give travel times, so confirm the transport and timing with your planner before you go.
Madrid's main draws in our research are the Prado Museum and the Royal Palace. Spend the rest of your time walking the city, shopping or sitting at a café, and ask your planner for other options.
Choose one or two main themes, such as museums and food, and one city per day. Keep one free day in each base, and avoid planning a long trip between two cities on the same day as a major sight.
Tell us when you want to travel and who is coming. A trip expert builds a day-by-day plan with prices that you can change.
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