Trip Suggestion #2: Trans-Iberian!

Posted by Taylor , Nov, 2008 @ 7:35 am

This week’s trip suggestion – “Trans-Iberian”!

About a month before I boarded the Trans-Siberian, I first warmed up with a Trans-Iberian road trip. We drove around Spain and Portugal for about two weeks – starting in Madrid, and ending in Barcelona.

What Did You Do ?

The Super Short Summary:

In total, there were five of us, plus a 9-seater van called “Berthao” (you have to name a nine seater, it adds character). The idea was somewhat random – it just sounded cool, so we did it. We started in Madrid, and then we headed west until we got to Portugal. Along the way, we stopped at several Spanish cities, most of which are now my favorite cities.

When we got to Portugal, we had Port in Porto, watched a World Cup game (on TV) in the town-center in Lisbon, and relaxed on the beaches in Lagos.

After reaching the Southern most point of the continent, we head back over to Spain. We visited a Sherry vineyard in Jerez, had Paella in Valencia, and visited some of Gaudi’s awful architecture.

How To Plan the Trip

Before

Book your tickets to and from Spain (or Portugal)
Book the hostel/hotel for the first part of the trip, and possible the last day if you know how long you will stay there
Book the car. Here is some useful information about the booking:
1. You don’t need an international drivers license, but you probably need to know how to drive stick
2. You will have to pay extra fees in you are under 25 years of age
3. Look at the insurance plans and compare them with your plan – some people have driver coverage, and some people have car coverage. The former will probably be fine for this trip.
4. Plan to spend A LOT on gas and tolls. Gas prices might be better, but when I went they were outrageous.
As always, do your research! When you are in the car, flip through the guide book to find information about the next location. The more you know about a location, the more interesting it usually is. In addition, you will have some idea where to go for food, drinks, and lodging.

During

Before you hit the road for the day, I suggest you try and reserve a hostel/hotel if you know where you are going to be. When I was on the road, we were usually able to book a room as soon as we arrived. However, a couple of times (in the popular areas), we were not successful. If you book in advance, you can avoid this problem, and you don’t have to spend a lot of time wandering around looking for a place.
Take advantage of the car, but don’t over do it. Having the freedom to visit smaller cities/towns is great, but if you are always making spontaneous stops, it will slow you down a lot.

Suggestions

The Car – Use Europcar. The have a lot of deals, fair prices, good emergency coverage, and are located all over Europe.

The group – In general, you should travel with 2-5 people (for reasons I wont get into). For this trip, it is important that you travel with a couple of people that can drive stick.

On a Budget? - This is a pretty expensive trip, but there are a couple of things you can do to save money when you are on the road.

Buy food at the market – fresh bread, cheeses, and good Spanish wine make for an excellent meal.
Save on drinking – check out my article on this subject. In Spain, you can get a liter of wine and a liter of juice for about 2 Euros. I suggest mixing the two for a cheap, mediocre version of Sangria. Or, just buy a large bottle of cheap Sangria if they have it.
Stay at cheaper hostels – most guide books have a section on lodging. Be sure to check out their suggestions, and be sure to visit Hostel World.

If you are interested in my journey, check out our travel route here!

Tags: Portugal, Road Trip, Spain