Spain & Portugal in Low Season — Self-Launched (12 Days, Madrid Loop)

Start in Madrid and ride the Avant or Media Distancia train to Toledo (~1 hr, £11–14 booked on Renfe). Drop bags at the station locker, then explore the old Jewish quarter, the cathedral exterior and the Mirador del Valle viewpoint on foot — Toledo is fully walkable and the self-guided route is better than a rushed orientation stop. Late afternoon, take a bus or train to Madrid Atocha and a Renfe AVANT/AVE or ALSA bus onward to Granada (~4–4.5 hrs, £25–35). Check into a Granada hostel in the Realejo or Albaicín area.

🚌Renfe train Madrid–Toledo (~£13); Renfe/ALSA Madrid–Granada (~£30)

🛏Hostel dorm or simple guesthouse in Granada (~£20)

• →Self-guided walk of Toledo old town and Mirador del Valle
• →Evening wander through Granada's Albaicín

Book your Alhambra ticket directly on the official Patronato de la Alhambra site the moment they release (approx. 3 months ahead, ~£16 general ticket; Nasrid Palaces slot sells out fast in low season too). Spend the morning there, then lunch in Plaza Nueva and walk up through the Albayzín for sunset at Mirador San Nicolás. Optional in the evening: a tapas crawl in the Realejo or a flamenco night at a cave venue in Sacromonte (~£20–25 direct booking).

🚌Walk / city bus (£1.40 per ride)

🛏Hostel dorm or simple guesthouse in Granada (~£20)

• →Alhambra and Generalife (book direct, ~£16)
• →Albayzín + Mirador San Nicolás at sunset
• →Optional Sacromonte flamenco cave show

Take an ALSA bus south over the mountains to Nerja (~1.5–2 hrs, £9–12). Stroll the Balcón de Europa, swim or paddle at Playa de la Calahonda if the weather cooperates (low season is brisk but often sunny), and see the Acueducto del Águila in nearby Maro. Then continue by ALSA bus to Málaga (~1 hr, £6–8). Málaga is superb value in low season — evening in the Soho/El Pimpi area, fried fish at a chiringuito or tapas at a mercado counter.

🚌ALSA buses Granada–Nerja–Málaga (~£16 total)

🛏Hostel in Málaga centre (~£20)

• →Nerja Balcón de Europa and beaches
• →Acueducto del Águila, Maro
• →Evening walk around Málaga port and cathedral

Morning ALSA bus from Málaga to Ronda (~1h45, £10–12) — one of Spain's most scenic road rides. Walk the Puente Nuevo, the Alameda del Tajo gardens and the old Moorish quarter, then take a late-afternoon train or bus to Seville (~2–2.5 hrs, £15–20). Base yourself in the Triana or Centro area and eat cheap at a Triana market stall.

🚌ALSA Málaga–Ronda (~£11); Renfe Media Distancia Ronda–Seville (~£17)

🛏Hostel in Seville (Triana/Centro, ~£22)

• →Puente Nuevo and Ronda old town
• →Arrival walk in Triana, Seville

Book Alcázar and Seville Cathedral tickets online in advance (Alcázar ~£13, Cathedral ~£10 walled up direct; combo tours via GetYourGuide ~£30–40 if you want a guide). Hire an audio guide or just read the plaques — the Real Alcázar's Mudejar courtyards justify the extra time. Afternoon: cycle or walk through Plaza de España and María Luisa Park (free). Evening: a genuine flamenco show at La Casa del Flamenco or Casa de la Memoria (~£20–25 booked direct, far cheaper than the dinner package).

🚌Walkable centre; optional bike hire ~£10/day

🛏Hostel in Seville (~£22)

• →Real Alcázar (book direct ~£13)
• →Seville Cathedral and Giralda (~£10)
• →Plaza de España and María Luisa Park
• →Flamenco show (~£22)

Cross into Portugal by bus: ALSA/DAMAS runs Seville–Faro (~2.5 hrs, £15–18). Base in Faro or take the local train east to charming Tavira (30 min, £2). Wander Tavira's Roman bridge and castle, and — instead of the coach's cork-factory stop — visit a smaller local cork workshop or simply lunch well. Faro's old town and marina are free to stroll. Note low season: some Algarve beach bars close, but prices plummet.

🚌ALSA/DAMAS Seville–Faro (~£16); CP Algarve regional train Faro–Tavira (£2 each way)

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Faro (~£18)

• →Tavira old town, castle and Roman bridge
• →Faro old town and marina walk
• →Optional local cork workshop visit (~£5)

Take a Comboios de Portugal (CP) Alfa Pendular or Intercidades train from Faro to Lisbon Oriente (~3–3.5 hrs, £22–28 booked ahead online). Check into a hostel in Alfama, Baixa or Bairro Alto. Afternoon: ride Tram 28 (£3), see Belém's Jerónimos Monastery exterior and Belém Tower (or pay ~£10 to enter Jerónimos), and catch the Monument to the Discoveries at sunset. Dinner: a bifana and a pastel de nata for under £6 — Lisbon is one of Europe's best-value capitals.

🚌CP Faro–Lisbon (~£25); Tram 28 (£3)

🛏Hostel in Lisbon (~£20)

• →Belém: Jerónimos, Belém Tower, Padrão dos Descobrimentos
• →Alfama and Bairro Alto wander
• →Sunset at Miradouro da Senhora do Monte

Do the operator's optional Sintra excursion independently: CP train from Rossio to Sintra (~40 min, £2.30 each way). Pre-book Pena Palace timed entry on the Parques de Sintra site (~£18), or save money with Quinta da Regaleira (~£12) which is arguably the more atmospheric visit in low season mist. Bus 403 to Cascais along the coast (~£4), wander the fishing harbour, then train back to Lisbon (£2.30).

🚌CP Rossio–Sintra (£2.30 ×2); Scotturb 403 Sintra–Cascais (~£4); CP Cascais–Lisbon (£2.30)

🛏Hostel in Lisbon (~£20)

• →Pena Palace, Sintra (~£18)
• →Quinta da Regaleira (~£12, optional alternative)
• →Cascais harbour and beaches

Take a morning bus (Rede Expressos/Flixbus) Lisbon–Óbidos (~1 hr, £7), walk the complete medieval walls (free, ~1 hr circuit) and try ginjinha in a chocolate cup (~£2). Continue by bus to Nazaré (~45 min, £4) for the clifftop Sítio viewpoint and the big-wave beach, then catch a Flixbus/Rede Expressos to Porto (~2.5–3 hrs from Nazaré or 3.5 from Lisbon, £14–20). Evening: cross the Dom Luís I Bridge at dusk.

🚌Rede Expressos/Flixbus Lisbon–Óbidos–Nazaré–Porto (~£25 total)

🛏Hostel in Porto (~£20)

• →Óbidos medieval walls walk
• →Ginjinha tasting in Óbidos
• →Nazaré Praia do Norte and Sítio viewpoint
• →Dom Luís I Bridge at sunset

Morning walking loop of Ribeira, São Bento station's azulejo panels, Clérigos Tower and the Livraria Lello exterior. Cross to Vila Nova de Gaia and do a self-booked port cellar tour with tasting (~£12–18 at Ramos Pinto, Sandeman or Calém — book direct, cheaper than the coach's group version). Afternoon: a port tasting at a small quinta lodge. Optional evening: a Fado show in Ribeira without the three-course dinner (~£15) or a pastel de nata baking class via GetYourGuide (~£30).

🚌Walkable; metro day ticket ~£4.50

🛏Hostel in Porto (~£20)

• →Port cellar tour and tasting in Gaia (~£15)
• →Ribeira, São Bento and Clérigos wander
• →Optional Fado show (~£15)

A long travel day done cheaply: ALSA bus Porto–Ciudad Rodrigo (~3.5 hrs, £18–22) with a stop to walk the massive 12th-century walls and Plaza Mayor of this Spanish border town. Then bus onward to Salamanca (~1 hr, £6). Evening in Salamanca: golden-stone Plaza Mayor at night, tapas on Calle Van Dyck, and a peek at the University facade and the frog carved on it.

🚌ALSA Porto–Ciudad Rodrigo (~£20); ALSA Ciudad Rodrigo–Salamanca (~£6)

🛏Hostel or pensión in Salamanca (~£20)

• →Ciudad Rodrigo city walls and Plaza Mayor
• →Salamanca Plaza Mayor and University facade by night

Regional train or bus Salamanca–Ávila (~1.5 hrs, £8). Walk the complete medieval wall circuit and the four-poster Puerta del Alcázar (wall entry ~£5, cathedral ~£4). Mid-afternoon, take a Renfe Media Distancia/AVANT train Ávila–Madrid (~1.5 hrs, £12–16). Finish with a free self-guided Madrid loop: Plaza Mayor, Mercado de San Miguel (browse, buy one tapa), Royal Palace exterior and Puerta del Sol. Fly or train home the next morning.

🚌Bus/train Salamanca–Ávila (~£8); Renfe Ávila–Madrid (~£14)

🛏Hostel in Madrid (~£22) or onward travel

• →Ávila medieval walls and cathedral
• →Madrid: Plaza Mayor, Mercado de San Miguel, Royal Palace exterior