Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
A Road Trip Across Andalucia and Southern Portugal City Strolls, Coastal Hikes & Tapas Trails
Spain – Portugal – Andalucia – Malaga – Cadiz – Seville – The Algarve – Sagres
The fun kicks off in Andalucia with a guided horseback ride, clip-clopping along the coast (and perhaps reimagining life with a pony of your own). Then, gear up for the drive to Cadiz, where you’ll brush up on your knowledge of Spanish history during a guided Old Town tour. And when you’ve had your fill of sightseeing, there’s plenty of idyllic beaches, fresh seafood and spritzy sangria to keep you busy.
Set your sights (and sat-nav) on Seville next, where you’ll meet a local guide for a royal ramble around the city, admiring palaces and learning a thing or two about Spain’s kings and queens along the way. Then, there’s food, wine and some fancy footwork on the agenda. Follow a guide between the city’s best tapas bars before seeing if you have what it takes to master a few flamenco moves at a dance class...
Your final pin on your road trip map is Portugal’s Algarve. And, after a couple days of guided hikes along the coast and lazing around on the sands, you’re bound to be completely smitten.
Itinerary
100% customisable for you
The bags are packed, the countdown is over and excitement levels are officially sky-high – today, your adventure to Spain and Portugal begins.
Head to the airport, whizz through security and enjoy some bubbles in the lounge before boarding your three-hour flight to Malaga in Andalucia. Or, if you'd rather stick to solid ground, we could arrange for an epic road trip all the way from the UK instead.
After touching down in Malaga in the mid-afternoon, pick up the keys to your hire car and make the two-and-a-half-hour drive along the coast to your first hotel.
When you arrive, check in for a two-night stay and spend some time exploring the grounds. Perhaps make a beeline straight for the pool before enjoying sundowners and a late dinner at the hotel's restaurant, where we’ve already reserved you a table. We spoil you, we know...
Horse lovers, you’re in for a real treat. This morning, meet your expert equestrian guide, who’ll introduce you to your trusty steed for the day. Give them a good pat before being kitted out in your riding gear, then saddle up for a morning clip-clopping along the coast.
As you trot along pine-forest-lined trails, your guide will give you the lowdown on the landscape, filling you in on how this sun-drenched stretch of coastline earned its name: the Costa de la Luz (Coast of Light).
After lunch – a local restaurant for you, nosebags for the horses – make your way back to your hotel for an afternoon lazing by the pool. If you feel like eating out tonight, give our clued-up Concierge a call and they’ll happily reserve you a table at one of the best restaurants in the area.
Fire up the hire car this morning and embark on the 45-minute drive to Cadiz, one of the oldest cities in Western Europe. When you arrive, check in to your charming guesthouse – your home for the next two nights.
Then, meet your local guide for a private walking tour of the Old Town’s cobbled streets and winding alleyways.
After a visit to the food market (the best in the region, in our opinion), head to some of Cadiz’s highlights, including its ornate castles and cathedrals. History buffs will be in their element, as there are over three millennia of stories to uncover here, from the ancient Phoenicians to the signing of Spain's first constitution in 1812. The tour will also be tailored to your interests, so you can pick which chapters of the city’s past to delve into.
Your guide will leave you at one of their favourite restaurants for a late lunch, then the rest of the day is all yours to explore the city at your own pace.
Craving a beach day? Buckle in for another drive along the coast today, pulling over at whichever beach you think looks the most dreamy.
Find yourself a prime sunbathing spot and spend the day lazing on the sand, cooling off with intermittent dips in the sea and making a serious dent in your holiday read.
When you feel suitably sun-kissed, make your way to one of the beachfront bars for some seafood supper and spritzy sangrias as you watch the sunset cast everything in a golden glow. Cheers, or rather, salud to that.
Fancy hopping over to another country for the day instead? We can also arrange a day trip to Tangier in Morocco, where maze-like medina streets and cups of mint tea await.
After breakfast this morning, hit the road for the one-and-a-half-hour drive inland to Seville, admiring views of the rolling countryside along the way.
When you arrive, check in to your hotel in the heart of the city – your base for the next three nights. Drop your bags, then head out to explore the city streets in search of an al fresco lunch (our detailed Dossier has plenty of recommendations).
And, when the heat starts to bite, embrace siesta o’clock by retreating to your hotel, where a heavenly out-in-the-sun-all-day snooze comes easily after one too many plates of tapas...
Another day, another adventure. Wolf down breakfast this morning, then meet your expert historian guide for a walking tour of Seville.
As you admire the city’s architecture, your guide will fill you in on how religion has shaped the buildings around you. Wander around the Jewish Quarter and take in the oh-so-pretty Plaza de los Venerables square, snapping plenty of photos as you go.
Then, step inside the Royal Fortress, a former Moorish Palace that became home to Christian kings and queens following the reconquest in 1248. Your guide will trace its history back through the centuries (and yes, the Spanish Royal Family still holds court here today).
After lunch at a local restaurant, make your way to Pilatos Palace, arguably one of the most beautiful Renaissance buildings in Spain, and the Museum of Fine Arts. Let the oohing and aahing commence.
Spend the first part of today sightseeing around Seville. By the time evening rolls around, you’re bound to feel rather ravenous – but luckily, we have just the thing planned...
Meet your guide at your hotel, then follow the irresistible aromas and clinking wine glasses to the best tapas joints in town.
Hop between bustling bars, where traditional Semana Santa and Feria posters deck the walls and chefs whip up bite-sized delights. Your foodie guide knows exactly what to order, so expect (small) plate after plate of crispy patatas bravas, smoky chorizo, golden potato croquettes and sizzling garlic prawns.
Suitably stuffed, make your way to one of Seville’s best flamenco clubs for a lesson in the city's iconic dance. Watch as dancers in ruffled dresses twirl across the stage with fiery flair, their soulful vocals ringing out to the twang of the Spanish guitar. Then, it’s your turn – give those heels a good stomp and see if you can keep up with the pros.
You’ve had quite the week in Andalucia, and now it’s on to Portugal – another country (and another stamp for the passport).
After one last traditional Spanish breakfast this morning, hit the road for the three-hour drive to Sagres, set in the heart of the Portuguese Algarve. Along the way, roll down the windows, tune into our destination-specific playlist and let the singalong commence.
When you arrive in this charmer of a coastal town, check into your beachfront villa – your peaceful retreat for the next two nights. That long drive calls for some well-earned R&R, so surrender to the spa and treat yourself to a soothing massage or rejuvenating facial. We can even pre-book your treatments, so all you need to do is turn up and relax...
Don your trekking gear and lace up your best walking boots this morning, then meet your guide for a full day of hiking along the southernmost tip of the Algarve.
Together, you’ll explore the beaches and coves between Salema and Ingrina, where jaw-dropping views, sloping red cliffs and the ruins of Fort Figueira give way to shimmering ocean panoramas.
Keep those binoculars poised for sightings of the local birdlife, including peregrine falcons and blue rock thrushes. All that exploring is bound to work up a mighty appetite, so round off your adventure with a picnic on the sand, tucking into a spread of traditional Portuguese treats. Pasteis de nata, anyone?
After lunch, cool off with a refreshing dip in the sea before making your way back to your hotel. As for dinner, leave plans in the hands of our Concierge, who’ll know just the spot for a celebratory final meal.
Time flies when you’re having fun and, sadly, your adventure across Spain and Portugal has come to an end.
Enjoy one last beachside breakfast, bask in those final rays of vitamin D and then, however reluctantly, prise yourselves off the sun loungers for the 30-minute drive to Faro Airport. Here, drop off your trusty hire car and board your three-hour flight home – plenty of time to flick through your photos and start plotting your next escape.
Not quite ready to put the brakes on your road trip? We can extend your stay by adding a few more Portuguese destinations to your route, so the adventure doesn’t have to end in the Algarve...
Why visit Spain with Original Travel ?
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
Enquire nowA few of the benefits of travelling with us to Spain
- Our local Concierges
- The Original Travel app
- Destination Dossier
- 24-hour helpline
- Expert guides
- 100% carbon absorption
Why visit Portugal with Original Travel ?
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
Enquire nowA few of the benefits of travelling with us to Portugal
- Our local Concierges
- The Original Travel app
- Destination Dossier
- 24-hour helpline
- Expert guides
- 100% carbon absorption
