Only 15% of the Iberian Peninsula is occupied by Portugal, but one would think that it was even less, considering how little people visiting Spain consider visiting Portugal as well. It’s really easy to add Portugal to your itinerary, and you should at least consider Lisbon and Porto.
Visiting Portugal from Spain: in summary
Here are basic facts on how to have the complete Iberian adventure.
- There are some great guided tours of Portugal that start in Madrid. Alternatively, first arrive in Lisbon and then take a tour of Portugal from Lisbon.
- There are trains from Madrid to Lisbon. Why not stop earlier and go from Madrid to Coimbra and start your trip to Portugal there?
- There are good bus connections from Seville to Faro in the Algarve, as well as from Seville to Lisbon.
- Extend your trip to Galicia in northwestern Spain by coming south and visiting Porto.
How to get from Spain to Lisbon
Common routes from Spain to Lisbon include:
- From Madrid to Lisbon via Ávila, Salamanca and / or Coimbra (in Portugal) by train or guided tour.
- Madrid to Lisbon via Mérida and / or Cáceres by bus.
- Seville to Lisbon via Mérida by bus.
Madrid to Lisbon via Avila, Salamanca and / or Coimbra
The most popular route from Spain to Portugal is Madrid to Lisbon. It is possible to take a direct train from Madrid to Lisbon, but with the train that stops at such interesting destinations as Ávila, with its incredibly well-preserved walls, Salamanca with its famous Plaza Mayor, and the fascinating university city of Coimbra in Portugal. Why not make a couple of stops?
The train ride is not actually the fastest route to Lisbon from Madrid, as it takes a long way to get to Lisbon, although it is the most comfortable way. Read on below for the quicker way.
Madrid to Lisbon via Mérida and / or Cáceres by train and bus
Cáceres used to be connected to Portugal by train as well, but the track is no longer in use. However, there are now daily buses from Cáceres to Lisbon and Mérida to Lisbon.
Which of these is better? We went to Merida every time. The Roman ruins in Mérida are the best in Spain.
Seville to Lisbon via Mérida
If you are going to be in Andalusia and then want to head west towards Portugal, Seville to Lisbon is a good option. The direct bus lasts seven and a half hours, but you can go through Mérida; Seville to Merida takes three hours and Merida to Lisbon also takes about three hours. Waiting for your connection will still make it quicker to go direct, but Merida is a great place to visit, so why not interrupt your trip with a layover?
How to get from Spain to Porto
Porto can be accessed from Spain from two directions:
- From Galicia in the north. The best connection if you come from Galicia is between Vigo and Porto.
- From Salamanca in the east.
How to get from Spain to the Algarve
If you want to visit the Algarve on the south coast, your obvious connection is through Seville. Go from Faro to Seville.
