two weeks in
Portugal & Spain
a hybrid route of car and train travel
backpacking · road trip · train trip · cities · beaches
the kind of trip
we flew to porto where we spent a few days strolling the streets, drinking vine, having tapas and just enjoying the vibes. we took a daytrip to the national park and had lunch in a local village. we then rented a car and drove down the coast. we stumbled upon a medival festival in obidos, stopped for dipping toes into the cold ocean and delishious seafood on the coast. we explored lisbon, walked way too many of the hills and admired the city from above. we visited the famous benagil caves and hated every second of it. we then walked away from the crowds and set up on a quiet beach without anyone around instead. we ended our road trip in faro where we had a great hostel experience happy hour which ended in having a shared dinner with a huge group of people in the streets of faro and ending the day with karaoke. we took a bus to cross the border to sevilla and were still hungover. from there we interrailed from sevilla to valencia to barcelona from where we flew back.
campfire stories
If we had to sum this trip up around a campfire, these are the five stories that always come up.
having a road trip with people we had just met
We started by shouting across hotel balconies. The next day, we were in their rental car driving across the island. Somewhere in Hato Mayor, we got invited in for lunch by their relatives, fed, laughed at, and welcomed as gringos.
the night we were part of something different
We arrived at a quiet hostel in El Valle. Empty, calm. A few hours later we came back from the beach and it had filled with people returning from a “spiritual journey.” Drum circles, strange conversations, and a truly unique energy.
a rum tasting tour for breakfast
Lockdown moved everything forward. The usual after-work rum tour turned into a morning thing, starting with a boozy brunch and ending with a full tasting (and full buzz) before noon.
the local who knew where to go
We went out with a local guide. No trail, no signs, just him, his dog, and a machete. At some point we ended up in natural pools deep in the jungle, completely alone. He’s probably the only one knowing they exist.
the place where everyone somehow ended up
We stayed in a coastal community that turned out to be a mix of retirees, vagabonds, opera singers, poets, and long-term travelers. Days turned into shared meals and long evenings with the most interesting stories.
down the Portuguese coast
Days 3-4: Obidos
Picking up the car shifted the rhythm immediately. We stopped thinking in places and started thinking in stretches.
Óbidos was meant to be a short stop, but turned into hours inside the old town because of a medieval festival happening around us. Music, food, people in costume. One of those moments you don’t plan.
The rest of the drive was slower. Pulling over near the ocean, testing the water, finding simple seafood spots along the way. Nothing structured, just moving south and stopping when it felt right.
between expectations & reality
Days 6-7: the Algarve
Further south, the coastline started to define the days.
We went to Benagil because it’s everywhere. Boats, crowds, cameras. It felt crowded in a way that pulled us out of the experience pretty quickly.
So we left. Walked further along the coast until things quieted down and ended up on a stretch of beach with no one else around. That shift ended up being the part we actually remember.
landing slowly
Days 1-3: Porto
Porto eased us into the trip without much effort. We spent our time walking along the river, drifting through smaller streets, and stopping often without a plan. Mornings turned into long walks, evenings into wine bars and slow dinners.
We stepped out of the city for a day and joined a small national park tour that took us into corners we wouldn’t have found on our own. It ended with a simple lunch in a local village before heading back. Just enough of a shift before moving on.
through the city
Days 4-6: Lisbon
Lisbon brought the energy back up. More movement, more people, more effort.
We spent most of our time walking. Up hills, down hills, and back up again. The city kept opening up at different viewpoints, giving us moments to pause before heading on again.
It felt less like ticking off places and more like slowly understanding the layout through movement.
letting it happen
Days 7-8: Faro
Faro felt like a soft landing after the road trip.
Less about doing anything specific, more about settling into the place. The hostel made that easy. People coming and going, conversations starting quickly. The evening turned into a long night. Drinks, then food, and eventually ending up at karaoke.
our route - day by day
This isn’t a fixed itinerary - just how the trip unfolded for us.
the interrail stretch
Days 8-10: Seville
We left Portugal by bus, not exactly at our best after the night before, and arrived in Sevilla to reset a bit.
Sevilla felt like a slower entry into Spain. Warm evenings, a different rhythm, and a bit of recovery before continuing.
Days 10-11: Malaga
More of a short stop than a full stay. Just enough time to arrive, walk through the city, and end have a seafood barbecue right on the sand.
Days 11-13: Valencia
Valencia stretched out a bit more. A place where the pace eased again, mixing city time with a bit more space to breathe.
Das 13-14: Barcelona
Bigger, louder, and more intense than the places before. It marked the end of the route in a clear way, before heading home.
how we
moved
through the Dominican Republic
We decided not to rent a car and figure things out as we went. Our first ride set the tone. We shared a drive from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo with people we had met the day before on our hotel balcony.
Getting between bigger cities was straightforward. Buses were reliable and easy to figure out, and we used them to move between the capital and Santiago, and later from Samaná back to Santo Domingo.
Reaching more remote places took a bit more flexibility. We took an Uber into the hills to reach an eco lodge, not fully sure how we would get back out. That part worked because of people. We met someone there who later drove us to the north coast and ended up exploring parts of the Samaná peninsula with us.
Along the coast, longer Ubers were still a good option. From there, movement shifted more toward the water. Boats took us into Los Haitises National Park, out to smaller islands, and further offshore for whale watching.
It wasn’t the most efficient way to get around, but it made the trip feel more open, more social, and less planned.
our stays
along the way
Porto | Koolhouse Porto: central, easy to walk everywhere.
Óbidos | Foral Guesthouse: right in the old town, felt local and quiet.
Lisbon | Casa das Férias: apartment in a good area, easy base for exploring.
Carvoeiro | Vale d'El Rei Hotel & Villas: larger hotel with a calm garden setting.
Faro | Casa d'Alagoa: social hostel, lively atmosphere in the center.
Seville | Ático en el centro de Sevilla: central apartment with a terrace.
Malaga | Apartamentos Clavero: small apartment within walking distance of everything.
Valencia | Urban Youth Hostel: modern central hostel.
Barcelona | Pension Miami Hotel: simple and budget-focused, nothing memorable
this route works well if you…
are open to exploring beyond resort towns
like trips that come together as you go
enjoy spending time outdoors
don’t mind a bit of unpredictability along the way
are comfortable using a mix of transport options
value meeting people as part of the experience
If you’re curious what stayed with us most, you’ll find it on the Dominican Republic country page.