Portugal, Andalusia & Morocco: 18-Day Self-Launched Edition

Fly into Madrid (Barajas), take the Metro Line 8 + 10 into the centre (~€5, ~40 min) or the Airport Express bus (€5). Settle into a hostel around Sol/La Latina. Buy a Renfe ticket for tomorrow's train to Porto or Salamanca. Evening free-tapas crawl in La Latina: it's genuinely possible to eat well for €12–15.

🚌Metro Line 8 from airport to centre, ~£4.50

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse near Sol/La Latina (~£30)

• →Metro transfer into Madrid
• →Evening tapas in La Latina
• →Pick up train tickets / install Renfe app

The tour runs Madrid–Porto in a day via Salamanca. Cheapest realistic independent version: Renfe/Alsa bus Madrid–Salamanca (~£18, 2h30), a few hours exploring the golden-stone university city and Plaza Mayor, then onward bus or train Salamanca–Porto (Alsa/Flixbus, ~£20–25, 5h). Arrive Porto in the evening; book a guesthouse in Ribeira or near Trindade. Alternatively, a direct Ryanair Madrid–Porto flight (~£25–40) if you'd rather skip Salamanca.

🚌Bus Madrid–Salamanca ~£18 + Salamanca–Porto ~£22

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Ribeira / Trindade (~£28)

• →Salamanca Plaza Mayor & university quarter walk
• →Bus onward to Porto
• →Evening stroll along Ribeira waterfront

Self-guided Porto day covering the same stops the coach makes. Climb to Porto Cathedral (£3), visit the Palácio da Bolsa with its Arab Room (£8, timed slots), and Santa Clara church. In the afternoon do a 50-minute Douro six-bridges river cruise from Ribeira (~£15, book on Klook or at the quay), then cross to Vila Nova de Gaia for a port cellar tour and tasting at Sandeman, Graham's or Calém (~£15).

🚌Walkable day; metro/tram optional ~£3

🛏Same Porto guesthouse (~£28)

• →Porto Cathedral
• →Palácio da Bolsa guided visit
• →Six Bridges Douro cruise
• →Port wine cellar tour & tasting in Gaia

Train or bus Porto–Coimbra (Rede Expressos/Flixbus ~£10, 1h15). Spend the morning at Coimbra's Joanina Library and old university (£12), then continue by bus Coimbra–Fátima (~£8, 1h). Visit the Basilica, Cova da Iria and Chapel of the Apparitions — free to enter. If you're there on the 12th/13th of a month, the evening candlelight procession is worth timing for.

🚌Bus Porto–Coimbra ~£10 + Coimbra–Fátima ~£8

🛏Pilgrim guesthouse near the sanctuary (~£30)

• →Coimbra University & Joanina Library
• →Fátima Basilica and Cova da Iria
• →Optional evening candlelight procession

Hiring a car for this leg (or joining a small day tour) is the practical way to link Batalha Monastery (UNESCO, £6) and Alcobaça Monastery (£6) — both sit between Fátima and Lisbon. A one-day rental from Fátima with drop at Lisbon runs ~£35–45 plus fuel. Alternatively use the Rede Expressos bus Fátima–Lisbon (~£10) and do a GetYourGuide day trip from Lisbon to Batalha/Alcobaça/Nazaré on another day (~£45). Check in around Alfama or Baixa-Chiado.

🚌One-day car hire ~£40 + fuel ~£10 (split if sharing)

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Alfama (~£32)

• →Batalha Monastery
• →Alcobaça Monastery & Gothic church
• →Stop at Nazaré for the cliff viewpoint

Tram 15E from Praça da Figueira to Belém (£1.80). See Belém Tower and the Monument to the Discoveries exterior (free) and either the Jerónimos Monastery interior (£12) or the free church. Cross to the MAAT riverside. Afternoon: free walking tour of Alfama, Castelo views and a ginjinha. Sintra is an easy half-day by train from Rossio (£2.50 each way, 40 min) — Pena Palace timed tickets ~£18 if you add it on.

🚌Tram 15E + metro day pass ~£6

🛏Same Lisbon hostel (~£32)

• →Belém Tower & Monument to the Discoveries
• →Jerónimos Monastery
• →Free walking tour of Alfama
• →Optional Sintra day trip by train

Long travel day, but doable independently: bus Lisbon–Badajoz (~£20, 3h30), then Badajoz–Mérida (~£7, 1h) where the Roman theatre and amphitheatre at the Alcazaba are superb and cheap (~£13 combined). Then Mérida–Córdoba bus or train (~£15–20, 2h30). Total ~9h of travel, so leave Lisbon early. Booking the whole Leg on a single Flixbus/Alsa combo keeps costs down.

🚌Buses Lisbon–Badajoz–Mérida–Córdoba ~£45 total

🛏Guesthouse in Córdoba's Judería (~£30)

• →Mérida Roman theatre & amphitheatre
• →Walk across the Roman Bridge
• →Evening in Córdoba's Judería

Morning at the Mezquita-Catedral: book the first entry slot online (~£13) to avoid the crush, and add the bell tower if you want the city view. Wander the Jewish Quarter and Calleja de las Flores. Midday Renfe Avant or Media Distancia train Córdoba–Seville (~£13, 45 min). Evening: flamenco at a small tablao in Triana or a free rehearsal bar.

🚌Renfe Córdoba–Seville ~£13

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Seville old town (~£30)

• →Mezquita-Catedral timed entry
• →Judería & Calleja de las Flores
• →Optional flamenco tablao

Book Seville Cathedral + Giralda online (£12) and the Real Alcázar (£14) in advance — both sell out. Walk Barrio de Santa Cruz, then cross to María Luisa Park and the Plaza de España for the free sunset. A free walking tour of the old town in the morning orients you for ~£0 (tip-based). Try a menú del día lunch for ~£11.

🚌Walkable; occasional bus ~£3

🛏Same Seville guesthouse (~£30)

• →Seville Cathedral & Giralda
• →Real Alcázar
• →Barrio de Santa Cruz walk
• →Plaza de España at sunset

Train or Alsa bus Seville–Málaga (~£20–25, 2h30) and local Cercanías to Torremolinos (~£2). Check into a beach-side budget hotel. Optional detour: a GetYourGuide or local-bus day trip to Ronda from the Costa del Sol (~£35) for the gorge, Puente Nuevo and white-washed town — or do Ronda as a stop between Seville and the coast if timing suits.

🚌Bus Seville–Málaga ~£22 + Cercanías ~£2

🛏Budget hotel near the beach, Torremolinos (~£35)

• →Optional Ronda day trip
• →Beach afternoon
• →Promenade walk in Torremolinos

Full free day. Swim, do the Caminito del Rey gorge walk if you book ahead (~£12 + shuttle, ~1h from Málaga) or take the local train into Málaga for the Picasso Museum and Atarazanas market. Málaga's Alcazaba (£3.50) is a lovely low-key alternative to Granada's crowds. Keep the evening early — tomorrow is a big transit day.

🚌Cercanías to Málaga return ~£6

🛏Same Torremolinos hotel (~£35)

• →Beach time
• →Optional Caminito del Rey
• →Optional Málaga old town & Picasso Museum

The tour's hardest day to replicate cheaply — but it's just a chain of buses. Alsa bus Torremolinos/Málaga–Algeciras (~£18, 2h30), then the ferry Algeciras–Tanger Med (FRS/AML, ~£35, 1h30) or the faster Tarifa–Tangier Ville fast ferry. From Tangier, take the ONCF train Tangier–Fez (~£20, 4h30, book on the ONCF site). Expect ~11 hours door to door. Check into a riad in the Fez medina (£20–28). Bring euros for the ferry; change to dirhams in Tangier.

🚌Bus ~£18 + ferry ~£35 + train ~£20

🛏Riad guesthouse in Fez medina (~£25)

• →Ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar
• →ONCF high-speed train Tangier–Fez
• →Arrival in the Fez medina

Hire a licensed local guide through your riad or a GetYourGuide Fez medina walking tour (~£25) — genuinely worth it in the world's biggest car-free medina. Cover the Royal Palace golden gates, the Mellah (Jewish Quarter), Bab Bou Jeloud (Blue Gate), the tanneries, Bou Inania madrasa (£2) and the souks. Eat at a cheap tajine spot for ~£5. Do not accept unsolicited 'guides'.

🚌Walking; petit taxi ~£2

🛏Same Fez riad (~£25)

• →Guided medina walking tour
• →Royal Palace gates & Mellah
• →Chouara tanneries
• →Bou Inania madrasa

The tour crams Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakech into one day. Better independent version: ONCF train Fez–Rabat (~£12, 3h), quick look at Hassan Tower, Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the Kasbah of the Udayas, then train Rabat–Casablanca (~£4, 1h). See the Hassan II Mosque exterior (interior tours ~£12, timed) and the Corniche. Then train Casablanca–Marrakech (~£9, 2h45) in the evening. Long but all on one reliable rail network.

🚌ONCF trains Fez–Rabat–Casablanca–Marrakech ~£25

🛏Riad or hostel in Marrakech medina (~£25)

• →Hassan Tower & Mausoleum of Mohammed V, Rabat
• →Hassan II Mosque exterior, Casablanca
• →Corniche walk
• →Evening train to Marrakech

Barnes 4-star equivalent swapped for a riad. Morning: Bahia Palace (£6) early to beat the crowds, El Badi Palace (£6) and the Saadian Tombs (£6). Midday: Koutoubia exterior, Menara Gardens if you have time. Afternoon: get lost in the souks and Medersa Ben Youssef (£5). Evening: Jemaa el-Fna food stalls (~£6) and the storytellers and musicians. Optional Chez Ali Fantasia dinner show (~£30) if you want the tour's optional extra.

🚌Walking; taxi ~£3

🛏Same Marrakech riad (~£25)

• →Bahia Palace & Saadian Tombs
• →Souks & Medersa Ben Youssef
• →Jemaa el-Fna at dusk
• →Optional Fantasia dinner show

Train Marrakech–Tangier (~£22, 6h on the Al Boraq / night option) then ferry Tangier Ville–Tarifa or Tanger Med–Algeciras (~£35) and bus to Málaga/Torremolinos (~£15, 2h30). Alternative: a cheap direct Ryanair Marrakech–Málaga flight (~£35–60) which saves 8 hours — check for Tuesday/Saturday services. Back in Spain, return to your Torremolinos budget hotel for two recovery nights.

🚌Train ~£22 + ferry ~£35 + bus ~£15 (or flight ~£50)

🛏Budget hotel, Torremolinos (~£35)

• →Ferry back to Spain
• →Evening on the Costa del Sol

A deliberately slow day to mirror the tour's second Costa del Sol stop. Beach, cheap chiringuito lunch (~£10), and plan tomorrow's Alhambra. Alternative: take the bus to Gibraltar for the day (Alsa from Málaga/Torremolinos ~£15 each way, plus the frontier walk) if the Rock appeals more than sand.

🚌Local, ~£5 (or £30 return to Gibraltar)

🛏Same Torremolinos hotel (~£35)

• →Beach & chiringuito lunch
• →Optional Gibraltar day trip
• →Pre-book Alhambra ticket for tomorrow

Bus Torremolinos/Málaga–Granada (~£12, 2h). The Alhambra needs booking 4–8 weeks ahead on the official site (£16, includes Generalife) — this is the single most important booking of the trip. Spend 3–4 hours in the Nasrid Palaces and gardens. Optional evening flamenco zambra in Sacromonte cave (~£20). Then Renfe Granada–Madrid (~£35–45, 4h) or an evening flight from Granada to Madrid (~£40) to finish the circuit where the tour ends.

🚌Bus ~£12 + train Granada–Madrid ~£40

🛏Night in Madrid before onward flight (~£30) or onward travel same day

• →Alhambra & Nasrid Palaces
• →Generalife Gardens
• →Optional Sacromonte flamenco zambra
• →Train or flight to Madrid