Iberian Highlights

Barcelona Lisbon

Visits 5 destinations

8 Days

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Cruise along the Douro River in Porto, explore some of the world’s top museums in Madrid and visit Sintra’s fairy tale castle.

Tapas, sangria, delicious pastries, and siestas - no one knows how to live quite like the Spanish and the Portuguese! On this epic Iberian trip you’ll dance the flamenco until dawn, sample some of the best local wines in Europe, be blown away by incredible architecture and experience sunsets so gorgeous you’ll think you were dreaming. From cruising along the Douro River in Porto to exploring some of the world’s top museums in Madrid and visiting Sintra’s fairy tale castle, this is a trip that will make you fall in love with the Iberian Peninsula.

We spend 8 days exploring Spain, Portugal. We visit Barcelona, Madrid, Salamanca, Porto, Lisbon.

What Is Included...

  • Your legendary Busabout crew

  • 7 nights’ accommodation

  • 7 breakfasts

  • All coach transport

  • A visit to Sintra

Trip Highlights
  • Visit the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid
  • Cruise along the Douro River in Porto
  • Hike to the castle of Lisbon

Check these off your bucket list

Lisbon Lisbon
Porto Porto
Salamanca Salamanca

8 Day Itinerary

Iberian Highlights 8 day full itinerary breakdown and route map

Day 1

Barcelona to Madrid

That’s right, you’ve been counting down the days for this adventure to begin, and now the moment is finally here! We kick off the trip nice and early this morning, as we depart Barcelona and start our scenic meander through the Spanish countryside towards Madrid. Settle into our comfy coach and meet your new travel buddies on our journey through the region of Castilla-La Mancha, famous as the setting of Cervantes’ “Don Quixote” novel. Keep your eyes open for the Osbourne billboards, now used as the national emblem of Spain! Upon our arrival into Madrid, you’ll notice there’s a lot to see and do. Home to aristocratic palaces, incredible museums such as the Reina Sofia (where you can see Picasso’s Guernica!), and bustling nightlife. We’ll stretch our legs on an orientation walk through the main squares of the city: Plaza Espana, Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor. Later we’ll relax and get to know each other better with a tasty dinner and drinks in the hippest district of Madrid!

Day 2

Madrid

The day is yours to explore Madrid, so have a chat with your awesome guide to sign up for any optional excursions that take your fancy! If you’d rather just have a wander at your own pace, we highly recommend you visit the Golden Triangle of Art; that’s the Prado Museum, the Reina Sofia Museum, and the massive Royal Palace. If that doesn’t entice you, then go for a stroll round the Botanical Gardens and enjoy the outdoors! Tonight we’ll meet up to discover more of Madrid’s nocturnal attractions. - Breakfast included

Day 3

Madrid to Avila to Salamanca

It’s time to hit the road with our morning departure towards Salamanca. We’ll stop to stretch our legs for a couple of hours at the city of Avila, known as the Town of Stones and Saints, claiming that it’s one of the towns with the highest number of Romanesque and Gothic churches per capita in Spain. Then we’ll climb back aboard our coach and continue our drive, arriving early afternoon into Salamanca, home to the oldest university in Spain! This is one of the most lively cities in the country due to the big population of students. We’ll go on an orientation walk past the Cathedral (try to spot the frog or the astronaut here) and Plaza Mayor. This evening we’ll head out for a few drinks in one of the city’s local student bars! - Breakfast included

Day 4

Salamanca to Porto

Today we head towards Porto! This charming city is known for its architecture, the Douro River, Port wine valley, and “azulejos”: the local form of street art on hand-painted tiles. Once we arrive mid-afternoon you’ll have some time to freshen up before we head out on our orientation walk. We’ll explore the Douro River, check out the local cuisine and head out to sample the famous Port wines of the region. - Breakfast included

Day 5

Porto

You have the entire day to spend wandering the beautiful streets of Porto. For any Harry Potter fans in the group, head to the Livraria Lello Porto, one of the bookshops which inspired the Hogwarts library. If you feel like checking out the scenery from the water, meander to the Douro River for a cruise. For those who are really hungry (and feel like a challenge), head to a local eatery and try to take on the ‘francesinha’, the mother of all layered sandwiches. If you can finish one, you have our respect! Later this evening we’ll meet back at the hostel and head out for a sunset picnic dinner at one of the city’s viewpoints. Take in the view overlooking the medieval Ribeira district and gear up for another epic day to come. - Breakfast included

Day 6

Porto to Lisbon

Say farewell to Porto, as we climb back aboard our coach this morning on our drive to Lisbon. We’ll make a stop in the UNESCO-listed Sintra! You’ll be rewarded with stunning views over the Sintra-Cascais National Park. After you’ve stretched your legs, we continue onwards to our destination of Lisbon arriving mid-afternoon. Take some time to check in before we go for a stroll through the Old Town of Lisbon, Bairro Alto, which is very popular with students! Tonight we’ll go to the Timeout Food Markets. Save some energy for later as we’ll explore the nightlife and grab a few drinks in Bairro Alto and the famous Pink Street. - Breakfast included

Day 7

Lisbon

It’s your final full day, so get your comfy shoes on and get exploring! We highly recommend signing up to the optional walking tour of Lisbon’s most picturesque and oldest quarter, Alfama. The tour lasts about 3 hours, and will cover the history of Lisbon’s rise to the title of Europe’s capital of espionage, the haunting traditional music, and the towering walls of Sao Jorge Castle. In the afternoon, head to the area of Belem and visit the original Pasteis de Belem factory for the best pastel de nata in Lisbon! We hope you’ll join us later for an optional dinner to celebrate our last night together. After we’ll get some drinks at a rooftop bar overlooking Lisbon’s Old Town and reflect on the trip of a lifetime! - Breakfast included

Day 8

Lisbon

The tour ends after breakfast. We hope to see you again soon! - Breakfast included

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