South of Spain with Lisbon — Self-Launched Edition
8 days · Spain & Portugal (Madrid to Lisbon)
Europamundo charges £985
No-markup version: ~£670 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched take on Europamundo's 8-day "South of Spain with Lisbon" group tour, running from Madrid down through Granada, Málaga, Ronda and Seville, then crossing into Portugal via Mérida and Évora to finish in Lisbon. Instead of a coach full of up to 72 travellers and fixed 4-star hotels, you'll use Spain's fast AVE trains, regional buses and Blablacar rides, staying in hostels and budget guesthouses. You'll book the Alhambra, Seville Cathedral, Mérida's Roman theatre and Lisbon's sights yourself through GetYourGuide, Klook or direct ticket sites. Estimated at roughly £640-700 per person for the 8 days (excluding flights), covering accommodation, intercity transport, key entry tickets and food.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Madrid — Plaza Mayor & La Latina
Madrid, Spain
Land in Madrid and check into a hostel around Huertas, La Latina or Malasaña (the social heart of the city and close to the metro). Unlike the tour's outer-city 4-star hotels, a central hostel puts you right among the tapas bars. Spend the late afternoon wandering Plaza Mayor and the tangled lanes of La Latina, then join a free walking tour of Habsburg Madrid to orient yourself (tip-based, ~£5-8). Evening: a tapas crawl in La Latina — order small plates and cañas as you go, or book a GetYourGuide tapas tour (~£25) if you want company on your first night.
🚌Metro from airport to city centre (~£5) or airport Express bus (~£5)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, central Madrid (~£22-30)
- →Free walking tour of central Madrid (tip-based)
- →Plaza Mayor and La Latina neighbourhood stroll
- →Self-guided tapas crawl
- →Optional GetYourGuide tapas tour (~£25)
Madrid — City Tour, Retiro Park & Bernabéu
Madrid, Spain
A full day in Madrid. Walk the Paseo del Prado past Cibeles, Neptuno, Puerta de Alcalá and Plaza de Colón — all free and easy to self-navigate. If you want the studio commentary, a GetYourGuide Madrid highlights walking tour runs ~£15-20. In the afternoon head to Retiro Park to see the lake and the Palacio de Cristal (free entry). Stadium fans can pre-book Santiago Bernabéu tour tickets directly (~£28-35) — book online ahead as slots sell out. Evening: explore Malasaña's indie bars or catch a rooftop sunset.
🚌Metro day pass or ten-trip ticket (~£7-9); most of central Madrid is walkable
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, central Madrid (~£22-30)
- →Self-guided walk: Paseo del Prado, Cibeles, Neptuno, Puerta de Alcalá, Plaza de Colón
- →Retiro Park, lake and Palacio de Cristal (free)
- →Santiago Bernabéu Stadium tour (pre-book online ~£30)
- →Optional GetYourGuide Madrid walking tour (~£18)
Madrid → Granada — Alhambra & Generalife
Granada, Spain
Take the morning AVE or AVLO high-speed train from Madrid Atocha to Granada (~3h20, book ahead on Renfe — roughly £35-50 if booked 3+ weeks out). Drop your bag at a hostel in the Albaicín or Centro area. The Alhambra is non-negotiable to pre-book: buy the general daytime ticket (Nasrid Palaces included) on the official Alhambra website as soon as your date opens — they sell out weeks ahead (~£16-18). Spend the rest of the day drifting through the maze-like Albaicín, catching the sunset from Mirador de San Nicolás with the Sierra Nevada behind the Alhambra.
🚌Renfe AVE/AVLO Madrid Atocha → Granada (~£35-50, book ahead)
🛏Hostel in Albaicín/Centro Granada (~£20-28)
- →Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens (pre-book official ticket ~£17)
- →Albaicín neighbourhood wander
- →Sunset at Mirador de San Nicolás (free)
Granada → Nerja → Málaga → Seville
Seville, Spain
A big transit day, but you can make it your own. Take a morning ALSA bus from Granada to Nerja (~1h30, ~£6), see the famous Balcón de Europa and optionally the Nerja Caves, then continue by bus along the coast to Málaga (~£5). Grab lunch in Málaga's old town — the Alcazaba and Picasso Museum are worth a look if you have time. Then take the AVE or Avant train Málaga → Seville (~1h55, ~£25-35) and check in near Seville's Santa Cruz or Triana districts. This replaces the tour's long guided coach day with flexible public transport, so you choose where to linger.
🚌ALSA buses Granada→Nerja→Málaga (~£11 total); AVE train Málaga→Seville (~£30); local city buses
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Santa Cruz/Triana, Seville (~£25-33)
- →Nerja Balcón de Europa and cliffs (free)
- →Optional Nerja Caves (~£8)
- →Málaga old town, Alcazaba or Picasso Museum (optional)
- →Evening tapas in Triana
Seville — Cathedral, Alcázar & Flamenco
Seville, Spain
Spend the day exploring Seville on foot. Pre-book Seville Cathedral and Giralda towers on the official online shop (~£12) and the Real Alcázar (~£14) — both get long queues without a timed ticket. Wander the Santa Cruz alleyways and cross the river into Triana for cheaper, more local food. Optional: a 1-hour Guadalquivir river cruise (~£17 via GetYourGuide) stands in for the tour's boat ride. In the evening, catch an authentic flamenco show in a tablao — Casa de la Memoria or Triana venues run ~£20-28, and small venues feel far more intimate than the tour's group option.
🚌Entirely walkable; occasional bus (~£1.40/trip)
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Santa Cruz/Triana, Seville (~£25-33)
- →Seville Cathedral and Giralda (pre-book ~£12)
- →Real Alcázar (pre-book ~£14)
- →Santa Cruz and Triana neighbourhood walk
- →Optional Guadalquivir river cruise (~£17)
- →Flamenco tablao show (~£20-28)
Seville → Mérida → Évora → Lisbon
Lisbon, Portugal
Cross the border today. An early bus or train from Seville to Mérida (~2h, ALSA or Renfe, ~£12) lets you see the UNESCO Roman Ensemble — the theatre and amphitheatre are genuinely stunning, entry ~£13, combined ticket with the Alcazaba and circus. Then continue by bus from Mérida to Évora (~2h30, ~£15), a walled Portuguese town with a Roman temple and eerie Chapel of Bones (~£6). Finally take a bus or train onward to Lisbon (~2h, ~£14) and check in around Baixa-Chiado, Bairro Alto or Alfama. It's a long day — if you'd rather break it up, overnight in Évora and reach Lisbon on day 7.
🚌ALSA/Renfe Seville→Mérida (~£12); bus Mérida→Évora (~£15); bus/train Évora→Lisbon (~£14)
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, central Lisbon (~£25-35)
- →Mérida Roman Theatre and Amphitheatre (~£13)
- →Évora old town, Roman temple and Chapel of Bones (~£6)
Lisbon — Seven Hills, Belém & Optional Sintra
Lisbon, Portugal
Explore Lisbon on foot and by tram. Ride the famous Tram 28 through Alfama and the seven hills (day pass ~£6 on the Viva Viagem card), or join a free walking tour (~£5-8 tip). Head to Belém to see the tower and Jerónimos Monastery (combined tickets ~£16, book online to skip queues) and grab the original Pastéis de Belém (~£1.30 each). In the evening, wander Bairro Alto's bars and take in a miradouro viewpoint. If you have energy, book a GetYourGuide Sintra/Cascais day trip (~£35) covering Pena Palace and Cabo da Roca — or do it yourself by train (~£4 return to Sintra).
🚌Tram 28 and metro with Viva Viagem day pass (~£6); optional train to Sintra (~£4 return)
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, central Lisbon (~£25-35)
- →Tram 28 through Alfama (day pass)
- →Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery (combined ~£16)
- →Free walking tour of Lisbon (~£6)
- →Bairro Alto bars and miradouro viewpoints
- →Optional Sintra/Cascais day trip (~£35) or DIY by train
Lisbon — Departure / Last Morning
Lisbon, Portugal
Final morning in Lisbon. If your flight is later, use the time for a slow breakfast of pastéis and coffee in Alfama, or climb to Castelo de São Jorge (~£12) for panoramic views. The metro's Aerobus or Red Line gets you to Lisbon Airport in ~25-30 minutes (~£2). Trip ends here — but you can easily extend with a stop in Porto or the Algarve if you want more.
🚌Metro/Aerobus to Lisbon Airport (~£2)
🛏None (checkout)
- →Alfama morning stroll and pastéis de nata
- →Optional Castelo de São Jorge (~£12)
Self-launched vs. Europamundo
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Europamundo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£670 | £985 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £315 per person (32%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Europamundo-style trips? Check them out here.~£670
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does South of Spain with Lisbon — Self-Launched Edition cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £670 per person for 8 days in Spain & Portugal (Madrid to Lisbon). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Europamundo?+
Yes — Europamundo charges around £985 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £670 — a saving of roughly £315 (32%) per person.
How long is the Spain & Portugal (Madrid to Lisbon) trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Spain & Portugal (Madrid to Lisbon).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, city-breaks, budget trip through Spain & Portugal (Madrid to Lisbon), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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