Spain & Portugal: Flamenco & Tapas — Self-Launched
10 days · Spain & Portugal
G Adventures charges £1,250
No-markup version: ~£635 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 10-day Iberian city-hop from Barcelona to Lisbon, hitting Madrid, Granada, Seville and the Algarve by Spain's excellent public Renfe trains, regional buses and Portuguese coaches — exactly the transport the group tour uses, minus the group. You'll sleep in well-rated city hostels (dorm beds, 4–6 share), wander the Gothic Quarter, gawk at Gaudí, eat late-night tapas in Granada, watch real flamenco in Seville, hike the Algarve cliffs and finish with custard tarts and miradouro sunsets in Lisbon. Costs below are realistic backpacker estimates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Barcelona — Gothic Quarter & El Born by night
Barcelona
Land at BCN and take the Aerobús to Plaça Catalunya (~€7) or the L9 Sud metro to the city centre (~€5.50). Check into your hostel in El Raval or El Born (dorm beds from £22–30/night in high season). Once settled, do your own orientation stroll: Las Ramblas down to the port, into the medieval Gothic Quarter, then El Born for vermouth and pintxos. Barcelona eats late — dinner from 21:00.
🚌Aerobús or L9 metro from BCN airport; walking
🛏Hostel dorm (4–6 share), El Raval / El Born
- →Self-guided Gothic Quarter walk
- →El Born vermouth and pintxos
- →La Barceloneta waterfront stroll
Gaudí day — Sagrada Família & Park Güell, then night train-era transfer to Madrid
Barcelona → Madrid
Book Sagrada Família tickets online in advance (€26 basic, more with towers) for the first morning slot via the official sagradafamilia.org site — sell-outs are common May–October. Then metro to Park Güell (monumental zone €10, free outside). Grab lunch, then take an afternoon AVE or Avlo/Iryo high-speed train from Barcelona Sants to Madrid Atocha (Avlo/Iryo from ~€15–25 if booked early, AVE ~€40–70). Evening in Madrid: Malasaña or La Latina for cañas and tapas.
🚌Metro in Barcelona; Avlo/Iryo/AVE train Barcelona Sants → Madrid Atocha (~2h45)
🛏Hostel dorm (4–6 share), Madrid centre
- →Sagrada Família visit (pre-book online)
- →Park Güell monumental zone
- →Malasaña bar-hop
Madrid — art museums, plazas and late-night tapas
Madrid
Morning walk: Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Royal Palace exterior (interior €12 if you fancy it), then the Gran Vía. Afternoon pick one of the big three — Prado (€15, free 18:00–20:00 Mon–Sat), Reina Sofía (€12, free evenings) or Thyssen (€13). Sunset from the Templo de Debod (free). Dinner: a tapas crawl through La Latina or a bocadillo de calamares near Plaza Mayor.
🚌Walking and metro (10-trip ticket ~€12)
🛏Hostel dorm (4–6 share), Madrid centre
- →Prado or Reina Sofía museum
- →Royal Palace (optional, €12)
- →Templo de Debod sunset
- →La Latina tapas crawl
Madrid → Granada — Albaicín at golden hour
Madrid → Granada
Take a morning Renfe Avant or Iryo/Ouigo train, or a comfortable ALSA bus, from Madrid to Granada (~4h; train from ~€30–50, bus from ~€15–20). Check in, then walk the Albaicín's whitewashed lanes up to the Mirador de San Nicolás for sunset views of the Alhambra — free and unbeatable. Evening: free tapas with every drink in Granada (a city tradition), so dinner is cheap.
🚌Renfe/Iryo train or ALSA bus Madrid → Granada (~4h)
🛏Hostel dorm or private twin in guesthouse, Granada
- →Albaicín neighbourhood walk
- →Mirador de San Nicolás sunset
- →Free-tapas bar hop
Granada — Alhambra and a hammam
Granada
The Alhambra is the whole point: book general tickets (€19.09) the moment they release ~3 months ahead on tickets.alhambra-patronato.es — they sell out almost instantly. Allow 4 hours for the Nasrid Palaces, Generalife and Alcazaba. Afternoon: a traditional Arab bath (Hammam Al Ándalus, ~€35–45) or the Cathedral (€5). Evening tapas bar crawl around Calle Elvira — first drink's on you, but it comes with free food.
🚌Walking; local bus C30/C32 up to the Alhambra (~€1.40)
🛏Hostel dorm or guesthouse, Granada
- →Alhambra and Nasrid Palaces (pre-book)
- →Hammam Al Ándalus bath (optional)
- →Granada Cathedral
- →Calle Elvira tapas crawl
Granada → Seville — Alcázar and real flamenco
Granada → Seville
Morning ALSA bus or Renfe train to Seville (~3h; bus ~€12–18, train ~€25–35). Drop bags and explore: the Santa Cruz quarter, the Cathedral and La Giralda (€9), and the Real Alcázar (€13.50, book online to skip queues). In the evening see authentic flamenco at Casa de la Memoria (~€22) or La Carbonería (free entry) in Triana — far better value than tourist-strip tablaos.
🚌ALSA bus or Renfe train Granada → Seville (~3h)
🛏Hostel dorm, Seville old town or Triana
- →Real Alcázar (pre-book)
- →Seville Cathedral and La Giralda
- →Casa de la Memoria flamenco show
- →Triana neighbourhood wander
Seville → Lagos — cross into Portugal and hit the Algarve
Seville → Lagos
Cross the border by public transport: catch a bus or train to Faro (ALSA/DAMAS bus ~€12–18, ~3h; or train to Faro then regional train on), then a Rede Expressos or EVA coach up the Algarve coast to Lagos (~€7–10, ~1h45). Check into a Lagos hostel near the old town. Afternoon swim at Praia da Batata or Meia Praia and a wander round the marina. Cheap grilled fish and €1 Sagres beers for dinner.
🚌ALSA/DAMAS bus Seville → Faro; Rede Expressos/EVA coach Faro → Lagos
🛏Hostel dorm, Lagos old town
- →Ponta da Piedade clifftop walk
- →Praia da Batata swim
- →Lagos old town and marina
Lagos — Benagil caves and Algarve coastal hiking
Lagos
Full free day on the Algarve. Best value move: take the local bus or a shared tour shuttle to Benagil and do a kayak or small-boat tour into the sea caves (~€25–35 — kayak is cheaper and usually better). Alternatively hike the Seven Hanging Valleys trail (free, ~5–6h return from Praia da Marinha) between the golden cliffs. Back in Lagos: sunset at Ponta da Piedade, then dinner in the old town (grilled sardines, cataplana).
🚌Local bus to Benagil / Praia da Marinha; walking
🛏Hostel dorm, Lagos old town
- →Benagil sea cave kayak or boat tour
- →Seven Hanging Valleys coastal hike
- →Ponta da Piedade sunset
Lagos → Lisbon — Belém, miradouros and a big night out
Lagos → Lisbon
Take the Rede Expressos or FlixBus coach from Lagos to Lisbon Oriente/Sete Rios (~3h45–4h, from ~€8–15 if booked ahead). Check in and hit Belém: the tower (€8 exterior is enough), Padrão dos Descobrimentos and Pastéis de Belém (€1.40 a tart, worth the queue). Tram 28 or a walk through Alfama for sunset at Miradouro da Senhora do Monte. Night out in Bairro Alto or Pink Street in Cais do Sodré — a big Lisbon night out for well under a group-tour bar bill.
🚌Rede Expressos/FlixBus Lagos → Lisbon (~4h); Tram 28 or metro
🛏Hostel dorm, Baixa / Alfama
- →Belém Tower and Monument to the Discoveries
- →Pastéis de Belém
- →Alfama and miradouro sunset
- →Bairro Alto night out
Lisbon — last pastries and fly home
Lisbon
Morning at your own pace: São Jorge Castle (€15, or free views from the terraces below), the Feira da Ladra flea market (Tue/Sat), lunch at Time Out Market or a tasca in Mouraria for a €7 prato do dia. Metro to the airport (~€2, 20 min) for your flight. If you've got a late flight, squeeze in a day trip to Sintra by train from Rossio (~€5 return, 40 min).
🚌Metro to Lisbon airport (~€2); optional Rossio → Sintra train
🛏—
- →São Jorge Castle or miradouro views
- →Feira da Ladra flea market
- →Time Out Market lunch
- →Optional Sintra day trip by train
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£635 | £1,250 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £615 per person (49%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£635
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 Spain & Portugal: Flamenco & Tapas — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £635 per person for 10 days in Spain & Portugal. 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,250 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £635 — a saving of roughly £615 (49%) per person.
How long is the Spain & Portugal trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Spain & Portugal.
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, foodie, city-breaks trip through Spain & Portugal, 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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