20-Day Iberian Self-Launched Adventure: Madrid to Barcelona via San Sebastian, Porto, Lisbon, Seville & Granada

Start in Madrid and take a morning Renfe AVE/ALVIA train toward San Sebastián, breaking the journey in Zaragoza. Drop your bag, then wander the old town to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar. Continue by train to San Sebastián in the evening and settle into a hostel in the Parte Vieja (old town).

🚌Renfe AVE Madrid–Zaragoza ~£30-45 (1h20); Zaragoza–San Sebastián ~£25-35 (2-3h). Book on renfe.com or Trainline.

🛏Hostel in San Sebastián old town, dorm bed ~£22-32/night

• →Guided or self-guided walk of Zaragoza old town
• →Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar
• →Evening stroll on La Concha Beach promenade

Spend the day exploring Spain's gastronomic capital. Walk La Concha beach, then ride the vintage funicular up Mount Igueldo for panoramic views over the bay. In the evening, do a self-guided pintxos crawl through the Parte Vieja — three or four bars with a drink and a pintxo each is the classic local way to eat.

🚌Walkable city; local bus/tram for Igueldo ~£2-3.

🛏Hostel in San Sebastián old town, dorm bed ~£22-32/night

• →Mount Igueldo funicular & viewpoint (~£4)
• →Self-guided pintxos crawl in Parte Vieja
• →La Concha and Ondarreta beaches

Take an early bus or train to Bilbao and spend a few hours around the Guggenheim Museum exterior (or buy a ticket if you fancy going in — it's worth it). Continue along the coast to Santander, where you can walk the elegant seafront and El Sardinero beach in the late afternoon.

🚌ALSA coach San Sebastián–Bilbao ~£8-12 (1h15); Bilbao–Santander ~£9-14 (1h45).

🛏Central hostel/guesthouse Santander, dorm or private ~£25-35/night

• →Guggenheim Museum Bilbao exterior & riverside walk
• →Santander seafront and El Sardinero Beach

Bus to the beautifully preserved medieval village of Santillana del Mar and visit the Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana. Continue west to Asturias, basing yourself in Oviedo. Optional detour to Covadonga's sanctuary and lakes if you have a car, otherwise enjoy Oviedo's old town and cider culture.

🚌ALSA buses Santander–Santillana ~£4-6; Santillana–Oviedo ~£10-14 (2h30).

🛏Hostel or pension in Oviedo, dorm/private ~£25-35/night

• →Santillana del Mar medieval village walk
• →Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana
• →Oviedo old town and cider houses (sidrerías)

A long travel day west along the Camino route. Break it up with stops at Mondoñedo's 12th-century cathedral (and try the almond Mondoñedo cake) and the Roman walls of Lugo. Arrive in Santiago de Compostela and soak up the pilgrim atmosphere in the old town.

🚌ALSA coach Oviedo–Santiago ~£30-40 (6-7h) with stops, or Renfe via connections.

🛏Albergue/hostel in Santiago, dorm bed ~£20-28/night

• →Mondoñedo Cathedral and local pastry stop
• →Roman Walls of Lugo (UNESCO)
• →Evening wander in Santiago's pilgrim old town

Explore the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and the grand Plaza del Obradoiro. Join a free (tip-based) walking tour to get the history, then relax in the Alameda park and watch pilgrims arrive. Try Galician seafood — pulpo a la gallega and empanada are must-tries.

🚌All walkable within the old town.

🛏Albergue/hostel in Santiago, dorm bed ~£20-28/night

• →Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela (entrance ~£8)
• →Plaza del Obradoiro
• →Free walking tour (tip-based, ~£5-10)
• →Galician food tasting

Cross into Portugal today. Take a bus to Vigo or A Guarda, then continue south to Porto. If time allows, a stop at the island of La Toja or the ferry hop between Caminha and A Guarda is a scenic detour. Arrive in Porto and check into a hostel near the Ribeira or Trindade.

🚌ALSA/FlixBus Santiago–Porto ~£18-28 (4-5h), or via Vigo + cross-border bus.

🛏Porto hostel near Ribeira/Trindade, dorm ~£18-28/night

• →Scenic coastal crossing into Portugal
• →Optional La Toja island stop
• →Evening lights along the Douro in Porto

A full Porto day. Wander the Ribeira waterfront and cross the Dom Luís I bridge for views. Book a 50-minute Douro River cruise (six bridges) online in advance. In the afternoon, join a port wine cellar tour and tasting in Vila Nova de Gaia — Taylor's, Sandeman and Croft all offer affordable tastings (often bookable via GetYourGuide).

🚌Walkable; Gaia is across the bridge.

🛏Porto hostel near Ribeira/Trindade, dorm ~£18-28/night

• →Douro River six-bridges cruise (~£14-18)
• →Port cellar tour & tasting in Gaia (~£12-20)
• →Porto Cathedral and Ribeira waterfront

Free day to go at your own pace. Options include the Livraria Lello bookshop, Clérigos Tower climb for city views, the Mercado do Bolhão for lunch, and day trips to the Douro Valley vineyards or the seaside at Foz do Douro. Recharge before the Portugal-Spain legs.

🚌Local metro/tram ~£3-5; Douro Valley day trip by train ~£12-18 return.

🛏Porto hostel, dorm ~£18-28/night

• →Clérigos Tower viewpoint (~£6)
• →Bolhão Market food stop
• →Optional Douro Valley or Foz do Douro day trip

Train to Coimbra for a few hours exploring Portugal's oldest university city and its famous baroque library. Continue by bus or train to Fátima. Visit the Basilica of Fátima and the Cova da Iria. If you're there on the 12th/13th of the month, join the evening candlelight procession — a powerful experience.

🚌Comboios de Portugal Porto–Coimbra ~£12-18 (1h); Coimbra–Fátima bus ~£6-9.

🛏Pilgrim guesthouse in Fátima, ~£22-32/night

• →Coimbra University & Joanina Library (optional ~£10)
• →Basilica of Fátima
• →Cova da Iria and Chapel of the Apparitions
• →Evening candlelight procession (on 12th/13th dates)

Travel toward Lisbon with two UNESCO monastery stops. Start with Batalha Monastery, then Alcobaça Monastery, then detour to the Atlantic fishing village of Nazaré — famous for giant waves and a great viewpoint over the beach. Arrive in Lisbon in the evening.

🚌Rede Expressos/FlixBus Fátima–Batalha–Alcobaça–Nazaré–Lisbon, ~£15-22 combined.

🛏Lisbon hostel in Baixa/Alfama, dorm ~£20-30/night

• →Batalha Monastery (entrance ~£8)
• →Alcobaça Monastery (entrance ~£8)
• →Nazaré beach and Sitio viewpoint
• →Evening arrival in Lisbon

Morning self-guided or free walking tour of Lisbon's Baixa, then head to Belém. See the Torre de Belém, the Monument to the Discoverers and (optional) the Jerónimos Monastery. Wander the Alfama neighbourhood in the late afternoon and enjoy a fado dinner. Optional day trip to Sintra and Cascais if you prefer palaces to city streets.

🚌Tram 28 or metro to Belém ~£2-3/day pass ~£6.

🛏Lisbon hostel in Baixa/Alfama, dorm ~£20-30/night

• →Torre de Belém
• →Monument to the Discoverers
• →Alfama neighbourhood walk
• →Optional Jerónimos Monastery (~£12)
• →Optional Sintra & Cascais day trip

A long transfer day from Portugal back into Spain. Cross the border by bus to Badajoz, then continue via Cáceres with its stunning medieval old town and Plaza Mayor. Arrive in Córdoba in the evening and check into a hostel near the old quarter.

🚌FlixBus/ALSA Lisbon–Badajoz–Cáceres ~£20-30, Cáceres–Córdoba ~£20-28. Total ~7-8h.

🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Córdoba old town, dorm ~£20-30/night

• →Cáceres Old Town and Plaza Mayor
• →Spanish-Arabic architecture of Córdoba's old quarter (evening)

Book a timed ticket to the Mezquita-Catedral (Mosque-Cathedral) — the forest of arches is unforgettable. Stroll the Jewish Quarter (Judería) and visit the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos if time allows. In the evening, train to Seville (only 45 minutes).

🚌Renfe AVE/AVANT Córdoba–Seville ~£12-20 (45 min).

🛏Seville hostel in Santa Cruz/Triana, dorm ~£20-32/night

• →Mezquita-Catedral of Córdoba (~£12)
• →Jewish Quarter (Judería) walk
• →Optional Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (~£5)

Explore Seville independently: the vast Seville Cathedral and its Giralda tower, the Santa Cruz quarter's narrow lanes, Maria Luisa Park, and the gorgeous Plaza de España. In the evening, book a flamenco show — tablaos in Triana or the Casa de la Memoria are excellent value (GetYourGuide often has deals).

🚌Walkable; local bus/metro ~£2-3.

🛏Seville hostel in Santa Cruz/Triana, dorm ~£20-32/night

• →Seville Cathedral & Giralda (~£12)
• →Santa Cruz quarter
• →Maria Luisa Park and Plaza de España
• →Flamenco show (~£18-25)

Morning transfer to Granada. Book your Alhambra ticket well in advance (they sell out — reserved online, timed entry). Spend the afternoon exploring the Nasrid Palaces and Generalife Gardens. In the evening, head to the Sacromonte caves for a cave flamenco show — the most atmospheric in Spain.

🚌ALSA or Renfe Seville–Granada ~£15-25 (2h30-3h).

🛏Granada hostel in Albaicín/Centro, dorm ~£18-28/night

• →Alhambra complex & Nasrid Palaces (~£16-20, book ahead)
• →Generalife Gardens
• →Optional Sacromonte cave flamenco show (~£18-25)

Travel across Spain to Valencia on the Mediterranean coast. Once settled, explore the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences complex — the Hemisfèric, Science Museum and Oceanogràfic are all here. A great low-cost option is simply walking the Turia Gardens and photographing the architecture at sunset.

🚌Renfe/ALSA Granada–Valencia ~£25-35 (5-6h).

🛏Valencia hostel near the old town or Ruzafa, dorm ~£18-28/night

• →City of Arts and Sciences exteriors & Turia Gardens
• →Optional Oceanogràfic aquarium (~£25)
• →Valencia old town and Central Market

Morning city tour of Valencia's historic centre at your own pace, driving (or walking) past the old Turia riverbed and the Arts and Sciences buildings. Mid-afternoon, take the train up the coast to Barcelona. Optional stop at Tarragona to see the Roman Aqueduct and amphitheatre.

🚌Renfe Euromed/AVE Valencia–Barcelona ~£25-40 (3h); optional Tarragona stop.

🛏Barcelona hostel in Eixample/Gràcia, dorm ~£22-35/night

• →Valencia historic centre and Turia old riverbed
• →City of Arts and Sciences exteriors
• →Optional Tarragona Roman ruins

Barcelona's highlights at your own pace: walk the Passeig de Gràcia past Casa Milà (La Pedrera) and Casa Batlló (exteriors free), explore Montjuïc Park and the Olympic Ring, and see the Monument to Columbus at the port. Consider a Sagrada Família ticket (book ahead, ~£26) — it's expensive but unmissable. End with tapas in the Gothic Quarter.

🚌Metro T-casual 10-ride card ~£10; walkable Eixample.

🛏Barcelona hostel in Eixample/Gràcia, dorm ~£22-35/night

• →Passeig de Gràcia & Gaudí modernist buildings
• →Montjuïc Park and Olympic Ring
• →Monument to Columbus
• →Optional Sagrada Família (~£26, book ahead)

Final morning in Barcelona. Squeeze in a last breakfast of pa amb tomàquet and a wander through the Gothic Quarter or along Barceloneta beach before your onward flight or train. Trip ends in Barcelona.

🚌Metro/Aerobús to El Prat airport ~£5-7, or train from Passeig de Gràcia.

🛏Checkout day — no overnight (last night was day 19)

• →Gothic Quarter or Barceloneta beach stroll
• →Last tapas/coffee stop