Exploring the Best of Toronto, Southern Ontario & Beyond

Happy Sunday, all! I hope you had a wonderful Easter and are starting to enjoy the slow but sure arrival of spring.

Today, I’m super excited to launch a multi-post travel series about our honeymoon to Portugal and Spain last fall. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably already seen the highlights… because I was posting about it pretty relentlessly! I’ve gotten so many questions about our itinerary, travel logistics and sightseeing recommendations that I figured it was finally time to answer them on the blog. This post will answer the main questions about the trip overall, and in the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing detailed guides for each city we visited. So excited to have you follow along with me – be sure to subscribe to emails to get each new post delivered straight to your inbox!

In This Post

• Why Portugal and Spain?
• When did you travel?
• How long did you stay?
• Which cities did you choose and why?
• How long did you spend in each city?
• How did you get around?

Why Portugal and Spain?

Originally, Tania and I had planned on Greece for our honeymoon – after all, it’s supposed to be one of the most romantic countries in the world! But as we started planning, the headlines about wildfires, earthquakes and political protests made us second-guess it. Looking back, we probably would have been just fine in Greece – but honestly, we wouldn’t have changed our decision for the world! We got to experience two gorgeous countries and six vibrant cities with an incredible range of settings – from Porto’s charming wine region to the coastal beauty of the Algarve to the bustle of Barcelona.

When did you travel?

We were in Portugal and Spain during the first two weeks of September, which is a gorgeous time to visit. It’s still sunny and warm, but you avoid the sweltering summer heat. There was definitely a noticeable swing in temperatures, even in cities close together. Porto, for instance, was significantly chillier than Lisbon – despite being only 300 km away. Seville – on the southern coast of Spain – was the hottest city by far! Overall, I was fine wearing sleeveless dresses every day, but would definitely recommend bringing a shawl or light jacket for the evenings. And keep in mind that Tania and I are hardy Canadians (or so we like to think…) so our normal might be other people’s chilly!

How long did you stay?

Our trip was a total of 14 days (16 if you include 2 air travel days.) Visiting 6 cities in 14 days is definitely a lot, but honestly very doable. If you’re looking for a super-leisurely, R&R, beach-day kind of trip, skip this itinerary. But if you want to take it all in and sightsee as much as possible, I’ve got you! And honestly, we never felt rushed or like we were cramming things in – we still had plenty of time to relax and explore at our own pace. We also felt we had the perfect amount of time in each city. I’m the kind of person who will always find something to do (I’ve been exploring my home province of Ontario my entire life, and still have a list of literally thousands of places to check off) but we were able to hit the major highlights in each city, and never felt like we missed out on anything important. My best tips for making this itinerary work:

• Prioritize the key “must-see” highlights in each place – and the “nice to haves” that you could skip if needed.
• Book tickets for major attractions in advance to avoid any sellout disappointments (or time wasted standing in line.)
• Have a somewhat structured plan for each day, but leave some room for flexibility. We found prioritizing two major activities per day – one in the morning and one in the afternoon – worked well.
• Don’t ever truly unpack! At each hotel, I took out only the couple of outfits I planned on wearing while there, and everything else stayed neatly stowed away.

Which cities did you choose – and why?

I’ll admit, this was a tough choice! In Portugal, we visited Porto, Lisbon, and Lagos. In Spain, we visited Seville, Palma and Barcelona. And while 6 cities in 14 days was manageable, we couldn’t have squeezed in any more without feeling rushed. So we had to make some cuts from our destination “wish list”: most notably, Madrid and Valencia. Overall, I’m absolutely thrilled with the destinations we chose, and I wouldn’t have done anything differently. What I loved most about our itinerary is its diversity: we got to experience the big-city hustle and bustle of Lisbon and Barcelona, the laid-back romantic charm of Porto and Seville, and the stunning natural beauty of Lagos and Palma. Now, I’m clearly biased, and if we’d made it to Madrid and Valencia (among other places) I probably would have called them “must-visits” as well… but I genuinely feel that way about each city we visited! Here’s what I loved most about each destination…

Porto was our introduction to Portugal, and talk about a great first impression. With its colourful buildings, hilly cobblestone streets and picturesque river, this coastal city is bursting with character and charm. It’s home to some incredible architectural gems, from iconic churches to the world’s most beautiful bookstore. Attention all my fellow blue-and-white enthusiasts: azulejos (traditional Portuguese tiles) adorn nearly every surface. One of our top highlights was a wine tour and river cruise in the Douro Valley region, which I thought was even prettier than Tuscany!

Lisbon, Portugal’s capital and largest city, is filled with iconic sights and some remarkable hidden gems. One such gem is the Palace Fronteira, a 17th century royal palace with ornate interiors and breathtaking gardens. We enjoyed several delicious treats in Lisbon, from the so-called “best chocolate cake in the world” at Landeau, to pastéis de nata (custard tarts) at the place that invented them. Our Lisbon highlight was a day trip to the fairy-tale medieval town of Sintra, only 40 minutes from Lisbon by train. (Stay tuned for an entire blog post on that!)

The Algarve is Portugal’s southernmost coastal region, renowned for its dramatic landscape and stunning beaches. Lagos, where we stayed, is a charming old town filled with pretty little shops and restaurants that you could spend hours getting lost in. And with their sparkling blue waters, sandy shores and towering cliffs, Lagos beaches are the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. My top Algarve must: an excursion to the nearby fishing village of Portimão for dolphin watching and a tour of the world-famous Benagil Sea Cave.

Seville was our first stop in Spain, and what an introduction it was. This city is so romantic and straight out of a fairy tale. Narrow, winding streets come alive with horse-drawn carriages, live flamenco dancers and the scent of orange blossoms in the air… there’s charm around every corner. We spent the best night of our honeymoon at a Seville café – drinking wine, eating tapas, listening to live music, and watching people dance through the streets. It sounds cheesy but it was honestly right out of a movie!

Palma is renowned for its beautiful beaches and glamorous resort lifestyle, but it’s so much more than that. Its downtown core boasts stunning architecture and historic landmarks, from 10th century Arab baths to its jaw-dropping cathedral to the ornate Royal Palace of La Almudaina. Our favourite highlight was a day trip to Sóller, a charming historic town in the Serra de Tramuntana. We got to Sóller via a century-old wooden train, which is an experience all in itself – the views of the mountains are breathtaking.

Barcelona is an art and architecture lover’s dream. The city was practically built by Antoni Gaudí, and his unique architectural style gives the entire city a spirited and whimsical feel: from the curvaceous Casa Batlló to the enchanting Park Güell to the awe-inspiring La Sagrada Familia. Lose yourself in the alleyways of the historic Gothic Quarter, indulge in chocolate and churros at the iconic Granja Viader, even take a trip to the hospital… no, really! The Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau is a former hospital turned tourist attraction, renowned for its vibrant colours and Art Nouveau style. We didn’t expect a hospital to be a honeymoon highlight, but it ended up being one of our favourite stops!

How long did you spend in each city?

We started in Porto and traveled in a U-shape until we ended up at our final destination, Barcelona.

Here’s our full itinerary from start to finish:

• Day 1: Travel day (overnight flight from Toronto-Porto)
• Day 2: Full day in Porto
• Day 3: Full day excursion to the Douro Valley
• Day 4: Depart for Lisbon in evening
• Day 5: Full day in Lisbon
• Day 6: Day trip to Sintra
• Day 7: Depart for Lagos in morning
• Day 8: Day trip to Portimão
• Day 9: Travel day (5-hour bus ride from Lagos to Seville)
• Day 10: Full day in Seville
• Day 11: Depart for Palma in morning; afternoon excursion to Sóller
• Day 12: Full day in Palma
• Day 13: Depart for Barcelona in afternoon
• Day 14: Full day in Barcelona
• Day 15: Full day in Barcelona
• Day 16: Travel day (flight back to Toronto)

How did you get around?

• We flew TAP Air Portugal from Toronto to Porto, and Air Canada from Barcelona back to Toronto. We chose TAP – a Portuguese airline – based on recommendations from my coworkers, and we were overall quite happy with it! The flight was comfortable, the food was decent and it was affordably priced ($424 per person.) We booked our flights using Expedia, which I find usually has the best deals.
• We traveled from Porto to Lisbon by train, which is about a 3-hour ride. When traveling in Europe, I always use Omio for train bookings: their easy-to-use platform lets you compare schedules, stops, and prices from multiple rail operators in one place. Our Porto-Lisbon trip cost $42 CAD per person on Comboios De Portugal.
• We also traveled from Lisbon to Lagos by train. This takes about 4 hours and requires a connection. The high-speed train will take you from Lisbon to Tunes (3 hours) at which point you’ll transfer to a smaller regional train. From there, it’s about another hour to Lagos Station. This trip was also on Comboios De Portugal and cost the exact same ($42 CAD.)
• Getting from Lagos to Seville was – short of flying – the longest and most adventurous leg of our journey. You’re traveling between two small cities in two different countries, with no train service connecting them. Flying would require getting from Lagos to the Faro airport (approximately 1.5 hours by car) but flights are expensive – and good luck finding a direct one. So, the best way to get from Lagos to Seville is via bus. We took the Alsa Bus from Lagos Station, which takes approximately 5 hours and cost us $107 CAD per person. This coach bus is relatively comfortable, roomy and air-conditioned, though note there are no bathrooms on board (they do stop at a gas station mid-way.)
• We flew from Seville to Palma on Vueling Airlines: a direct 1 ½ hour flight that cost $147 CAD per person. Mallorca is an island, so flying is the only way to get there unless you go by boat. Alternatively, you can take a train or bus from Seville to Valencia, then ferry to Palma – but, while scenic, this trip can take over 14 hours (!) We wanted to maximize our time in Palma, so flying was the way to go.
• We flew from Palma to Barcelona on Iberia Airlines: a 1-hour flight that cost $154 CAD per person.
• When it came to getting around the cities themselves, we relied primarily on walking, Uber (or other ride-share apps like Bolt) and public transit. One thing to note about ride-share services in Portugal and Spain: we found the wait times unpredictable and very long compared to here in North America. It’s not uncommon to wait 15-20 minutes for your ride to arrive, so be sure to build that into your travel plans. We nearly missed our train from Porto to Lisbon because the Uber took almost half an hour to arrive! Whenever budget allows, I recommend staying in the city centre or as close to it as possible. Walkability is huge on a Europe trip!

In the coming weeks, I’m so excited to share individual destination guides to each of the wonderful cities we visited. In the meantime, feel free to email me with any questions you have regarding our trip.

Wishing everyone a lovely week ahead!

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