Multi-Country · Private and tailor-made
A Private Family Journey Through Spain and Portugal
Glide into the Benagil sea cave by boat, then walk Seville's Alcázar gardens after the gates close.
By arrangement · How private access worksSuggested length
14 days
Price guide
From $12,527 per person, excl. international flights, based on two sharing. Family rates for 2+ children under 21.
Includes hotels, private guiding, experiences and transfers
When
April to June and September to October, with school-holiday summers planned around cooler mornings
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American precision with local expertise · Planned from Europe since 2002 · 17,000+ American travelers · Never cancelled a journey
Fourteen days from Lisbon to Madrid for the whole family, from sea caves to Moorish palaces, at the pace of your youngest walker and shaped around you.
- Spiral 27 meters down the Initiation Well at Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra
- Glide by boat into the Benagil sea cave on the Algarve coast
- Row a boat on the tiled canal of the Plaza de España in Seville
- Walk the Game of Thrones gardens of the Real Alcázar after the gates close, by arrangement
- Climb the Alcazaba towers and walk the Alhambra with Israel in Granada
- Take the fast train to Toledo, a hilltop city wrapped by the Tagus
“Hi from Europe. After planning luxury travel from Iberia since 2002, we have key relationships across our destinations and the judgment to tailor trips wisely for our discerning clients. Get our experience, relationships and insider savvy on your side. See our reviews and request a custom itinerary.”
Dan O’Beirne, American Founder · Iberia-Based Travel Specialist · Travel Leaders Network member. As featured in USA Today, & Euro Business News · Game of Thrones location consultant.
A Journey Designed Just for You
Our resident experts wrote this itinerary as a starting point, and your planner shapes every day around your interests, pace and travel style.
What do our American travelers say?
The 14-day family itinerary at a glance
Your family spends three nights in Lisbon with a day in Sintra, two on the Algarve coast, three in Seville, two in Granada and three in Madrid, with a day trip to Toledo. Day four is a road transfer from Lisbon to the central Algarve, about 3 hours. Day six crosses into Spain by road, about 2 hours 30 minutes to Seville. Day nine runs from Seville to Granada, about 2 hours 40 minutes before stops. On day eleven the AVE high-speed train carries the family from Granada to Madrid in about 3 hours 30 minutes.
You stay in a choice from our vetted luxury five-star or deluxe four-star boutique hotels, with connecting rooms, family suites or apartments matched to your room plan. Our planners confirm the bed type based on the hotel and room category you prefer.
Spring and early autumn suit this route best, from April to June and in September and October, when the sea has warmed and Seville is mild for walking. School-holiday summers work well too. Your planner builds them around early starts, shaded courtyards and afternoons by the pool.
Licensed guides we work with lead the city days at your children’s pace, and our teams in Lisbon and Madrid look after the family from the first transfer to the last.
Why the route runs from Lisbon to Madrid
Lisbon makes an easy first landing after a night flight from the US, with short drives and a gentle start. The beach comes in the middle, after the city days in Portugal and before the palaces of Andalusia, so two nights by the sea work as a reset for everyone. The route then moves in one direction across the south of Spain to Madrid, the main gateway home, so nobody retraces a road and the high-speed train replaces the longest drive.
Families who want more sand stay a third night in the Algarve. Families with more time add Barcelona at the end. Every option on our Spain and Portugal journeys page runs privately and adjusts to your dates.
Journey at a glance
Length
14 days
From
$12,527 per person, double occupancy
Family rates for 2+ children under 21
Route
Lisbon, Sintra, Algarve, Seville, Granada, Madrid, Toledo
Your planner adjusts every day to your dates.
Day One
Arrival in Lisbon: Tiles, Hills and the Tagus
Your driver meets the family at Lisbon airport for the short ride into the city. After time to settle in, your licensed guide leads a gentle first walk from the riverside Praça do Comércio up through the old streets of the Baixa, with a stop for the first warm pastel de nata of the trip. Dinner stays easy and close to the hotel, so everyone sleeps off the flight.
Day Two
Belém, Custard Tarts and the Oceanário
Start in Belém, where the Jerónimos Monastery and the Belém Tower recall the ships that sailed from this shore for India and Brazil. Children taste custard tarts dusted with cinnamon at the bakery that has baked them since 1837. After lunch, cross the city to the Oceanário, where sharks, rays and a giant sunfish circle a central tank of about five million liters. A tile-painting workshop is available on request.
Day Three
Sintra: Pena Palace and the Initiation Well
Drive about 30 minutes into the green hills of Sintra. Pena Palace rises in red and yellow towers above the forest, a storybook palace that wins over every age. At Quinta da Regaleira, the family spirals 27 meters down the Initiation Well, nine landings into the earth, and follows a tunnel out toward the lake. On the way back to Lisbon, an hour on the sand at Cascais closes the day.
Day Four
South to the Algarve Coast
Your driver heads south across the Tagus, past cork oaks and olive groves, about 3 hours to the central Algarve with a stop on the way. Two nights by the sea begin with the pool, the sand and a sunset over golden cliffs. Keen walkers take an easy stretch of the clifftop path above Praia da Marinha before dinner, on request.
Day Five
Benagil Sea Caves and Dolphins by Boat
Board a private boat in Portimão and follow the ochre cliffs east toward Benagil. Smaller boats slip inside the sea cave for a few minutes, under the round opening in its roof where sunlight falls onto the sand. Keep watch on the way: common and bottlenose dolphins live off this coast all year. The afternoon belongs to the beach, or older children take a surf lesson on request.
Day Six
Into Spain: Seville and the Plaza de España
Cross into Spain, about 2 hours 30 minutes by road from the central Algarve to Seville, and set your watches one hour ahead. In the late afternoon, rent a rowing boat on the canal that curves around the Plaza de España, under bridges of painted tiles where scenes from Star Wars were filmed. Orange trees line the streets on the walk back to dinner.
Day Seven
The Real Alcázar and the Giralda
Your licensed guide leads the family through the Real Alcázar, a royal palace still in use, whose pools and gardens became the Water Gardens of Dorne in Game of Thrones. Next door, climb the Giralda bell tower, where 35 ramps instead of stairs lead up to the bells and a view over the rooftops. By arrangement, the family returns to walk the Alcázar gardens after the gates close.
Day Eight
Seville at Your Family's Pace
A slower morning, then an afternoon chosen for your children: a flamenco class where they stamp out their first rhythms, a bike ride through María Luisa Park, a family cooking class, or the Roman amphitheater of Itálica outside the city. The evening brings tapas, which suit children well because everyone shares small plates, and a flamenco show on request.
Day Nine
To Granada and the Albaicín
Your licensed driver takes the family east to Granada, about 2 hours 40 minutes by road before stops, through olive groves that run to the horizon. In the late afternoon, wander the white lanes of the Albaicín up to the Mirador de San Nicolás, where the Alhambra glows red against the peaks of the Sierra Nevada as the sun goes down.
Day Ten
The Alhambra with Israel
Climb the towers of the Alcazaba, the oldest part of the Alhambra, for a view over the whole city, then step into the Nasrid Palaces, where carved stucco covers the walls and twelve stone lions hold up a fountain. Where your dates allow, Israel, one of the licensed guides we work with in Granada, leads the visit at your children's pace. The afternoon stays free for the hotel pool.
Day Eleven
By High-Speed Train to Madrid and the Retiro
Ride the AVE high-speed train from Granada to Madrid, about 3 hours 30 minutes, with your licensed driver waiting at both stations. In the afternoon, row a boat on the Retiro lake beneath the monument to Alfonso XII, then let the children run through the gardens. Dinner is a family feast of croquetas and Spanish omelet.
Day Twelve
Madrid: The Royal Palace, the Prado or the Bernabéu
Your licensed guide opens the day at the Royal Palace, with 3,418 rooms and an armory of real suits of armor. Art lovers then take a focused visit to the Prado, free for everyone under 18, where Ana, an art historian guide we work with, leads visits where your dates allow. Soccer fans choose the Bernabéu stadium tour instead.
Day Thirteen
A Day in Toledo
Take the Avant fast train to Toledo, about 33 minutes from Madrid, a hilltop city wrapped on three sides by the Tagus. Your licensed guide leads a walk from the cathedral to the narrow lanes of the old Jewish quarter, past sword workshops and pastry shops that smell of toasted almond. Older children ride the zipline across the river, on request.
Day Fourteen
Departure from Madrid
A last breakfast, then your licensed driver takes the family to Madrid airport, about 30 minutes from the center. Families with more time add a few nights in Barcelona, a high-speed train ride away, for Gaudí and the beach.
Getting around
- Day 1: Lisbon airport to your hotel, a short drive, then an easy walking afternoon.
- Day 2: Belém and the Oceanário by private vehicle, with time on foot at each.
- Day 3: Lisbon to Sintra, about 30 minutes, then on to Cascais and back to Lisbon.
- Day 4: Lisbon to the central Algarve by road, about 3 hours with a stop.
- Day 5: A short drive to Portimão marina, then about 2 hours by boat along the coast.
- Day 6: The central Algarve to Seville by road, about 2 hours 30 minutes. Spain runs one hour ahead of Portugal.
- Day 7: A walking day in the historic center, with a midday break at the hotel.
- Day 8: A free morning, then short drives to the afternoon activity you choose.
- Day 9: Seville to Granada by road, about 2 hours 40 minutes before stops.
- Day 10: A short drive up the hill, then about three hours on foot at the Alhambra.
- Day 11: Granada to Madrid on the AVE, about 3 hours 30 minutes, with your licensed driver at both stations.
- Day 12: Central Madrid by private vehicle and on foot.
- Day 13: Madrid to Toledo by Avant train, about 33 minutes each way, with your licensed driver for the station transfers.
- Day 14: Hotel to Madrid airport, about 30 minutes.
What does a 14-day Spain and Portugal family vacation itinerary include?
A 14-day Spain and Portugal family vacation itinerary with our team covers Lisbon, Sintra, the Algarve coast, Seville, Granada, Madrid and Toledo from five hotel bases, with no one-night stops. Each full day carries one main outing, such as Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira, the Benagil sea caves by boat, the Real Alcázar, the Alhambra or the Royal Palace, with a licensed guide in every city. A private vehicle handles the road legs, and high-speed trains link Granada with Madrid and Madrid with Toledo. Day eight in Seville stays open, so the family chooses an afternoon that fits the children.
How do you plan Spain and Portugal with kids around meals and downtime?
Spain and Portugal with kids works best when the outing fills the morning and the afternoon stays open for the pool, the beach or a nap. Your guide starts most visits mid-morning and wraps up near lunch. Portugal eats a little earlier than Spain, where restaurants often serve dinner from about 8 p.m., so your planner reserves earlier tables on request and suggests tapas, which suit children because everyone shares small plates. Most bases last two or three nights, so nobody packs a suitcase two mornings running.
How does a multigenerational trip to Spain and Portugal work?
A multigenerational trip to Spain and Portugal works when each generation gets a day built for its pace inside one shared plan. Because the journey runs privately for your family alone, your licensed guide adjusts each walk on the spot. Grandparents rest in the shade of the Alcázar gardens while the children climb the Giralda, or stay at the top of Quinta da Regaleira while the grandchildren spiral down the well. Trains replace the longest drive, and the beach in the middle gives every age a break.
This 14-day family journey or a shorter trip?
Fourteen days suits families who want both countries, the beach and the great Moorish palaces without rushing. Families with ten days choose one country: the private family tour of Portugal runs from the Algarve to Porto, and the private family tour of Spain runs from Madrid to Barcelona. Families drawn to camels and desert camps look at our 10-day private family tour of Morocco, from Fez to Marrakech with two nights in the Sahara.
Couples and adult groups looking at the same route often compare this journey with the 10-day Madrid, Seville and Lisbon tour or the 14-day Spain and Portugal tour from Madrid to Porto, both at an adult pace.
Who this journey suits
Families with children from about six to fourteen get the most from the route as written. They walk comfortably for a morning, love the boat into the sea cave and the spiral stairs in Sintra, and recognize the Alcázar gardens from Game of Thrones. Families with teenagers add a surf lesson in the Algarve, a flamenco class in Seville or a stadium visit in Madrid.
Families with toddlers keep the same places and swap in shorter guided blocks, more pool time and a third night by the sea. Grandparents traveling with grandchildren get the private vehicle, train seats instead of long drives, and a guide who lets each generation peel off and rejoin. Extended families of eight or more travel the same way, with the vehicle and rooms sized to the party.
The people behind the route
Where your dates allow, Luisa, one of the licensed guides we work with in Lisbon and Sintra, leads the palace days in Portugal, and Israel leads the Alhambra in Granada, planning the visit around your Nasrid Palaces entry time and keeping the morning moving for younger visitors. In Madrid, Ana, an art historian, leads focused Prado visits for families who choose the museum. Our team selects guides on this route for their experience, knowledge and engaging personalities, not egos.
What the 14-day family journey costs and what it includes
This private family tour of Spain and Portugal starts from $12,527 per person, double occupancy, for the 14-day route as written. The from-price covers 13 nights in a choice from our vetted luxury five-star or deluxe four-star boutique hotels, private airport and station transfers, the high-speed trains on the route, private guided visits with licensed guides in every city, and the planning time of our team.
Several things move the price. Travel in peak summer and spring school-holiday weeks costs more than late autumn, because hotels, like airlines, price by demand. Extra rooms or suites for a larger family raise it, and the room plan for the children changes the per-person figure. Activities your planner arranges on request, such as a surf lesson, a flamenco class, a stadium visit or babysitting, add to the total, and so do extra nights by the sea. Your planner sends a full quote once the ages, dates and room plan are clear.
When you know your dates and the ages of everyone traveling, speak with our team about shaping this route for your family.
Questions families ask about this Spain and Portugal itinerary
What ages suit a private family tour of Spain and Portugal?
Every age travels well on this route, because it runs privately and most bases last two or three nights. Children from about six to fourteen enjoy it most as written. Toddlers come along with shorter guided blocks and more pool time, and teenagers add a surf lesson, a flamenco class or a stadium visit. Your guide is glad to advise on suitability before booking.
How much walking does each day involve?
Most days hold one guided outing of about three hours, with breaks, and the private vehicle covers the distances between sights. Lisbon, Sintra and Toledo are hilly, so your guide plans routes downhill where possible and keeps the vehicle close. The Alhambra is the longest walk, about three hours on foot with stops.
Can children go inside the Benagil sea cave?
Yes, by boat. Local rules allow visits inside the cave only with licensed operators, keep each visit to a few minutes, and do not allow swimming in or landing on the beach inside. Smaller boats enter the cave, so your planner books a boat that fits under the arch, and the whole family sees the open dome from the water.
How long does the Alhambra visit take with children?
Plan on about three hours, with breaks. Entry to the Nasrid Palaces runs on a timed ticket, so your planner books it ahead and your guide builds the morning around that slot, starting with the towers of the Alcazaba, which most children remember best.
Is there a time change between Portugal and Spain?
Yes. Spain runs one hour ahead of Portugal all year. The family sets watches forward on day six when crossing from the Algarve to Seville, and your planner times the drive so the afternoon in Seville stays relaxed.
Will there be beach and pool time?
Yes. Two nights on the Algarve coast sit in the middle of the trip, the Sintra day ends on the sand at Cascais, and afternoons in Seville, Granada and Madrid stay open for the hotel pool. Your planner chooses hotels with pools where the family wants one.
What will the children eat in Spain and Portugal?
Both countries suit most children. Grilled chicken and fresh fish, rice dishes, croquetas, Spanish omelet and custard tarts turn up on every menu. Your planner shares any allergies or dietary needs with hotels and restaurants ahead of time, and reserves earlier dinner tables on request.
Do you provide car seats for young children?
Your planner arranges car seats and booster seats on request to suit each child’s age, height and weight, for every road transfer on the route. In Portugal, children under 12 and shorter than 135 cm (about 4 feet 5 inches) use an approved child restraint, and Spain applies the same 135 cm rule, so please send each child’s height and weight when you book. If the family prefers its own car seat, your planner tells the driver in advance.
Do you arrange babysitting or kids’ activities?
Your planner arranges on request a babysitter at the hotel for an evening, so the adults enjoy a dinner of their own. Several of the hotels we suggest run their own kids’ clubs. Your planner also arranges on request activities built for children and teenagers along the route, such as a surf lesson, a tile-painting workshop, a flamenco class or a zipline in Toledo.
How does the family travel between Portugal and Spain?
Our team handles every transfer. A private vehicle covers Lisbon to the Algarve, about 3 hours, the Algarve to Seville across the border, about 2 hours 30 minutes, and Seville to Granada, about 2 hours 40 minutes. The AVE high-speed train links Granada and Madrid in about 3 hours 30 minutes, with a driver waiting at both stations.
When is the best time for a family trip to Spain and Portugal?
April to June and September to October suit this route best, with a warm sea and mild days in Seville and Granada. School-holiday summers work well too, built around early starts and afternoons by the pool. Hotels, like airlines, price by demand, so peak weeks cost more, and the best value months are January, February and early March.
Who do we contact if something goes wrong or we want a change?
Your planner designs your journey with you and stays in touch after you land. For the fastest response at any hour, message your private WhatsApp group, where our 24/7 support team works alongside Rachel, Inés, Sofia or Dan. Because we begin no more than five journeys per country each week, peak spring and fall dates fill early, and that limit is what lets us stay this close to every trip.
We keep a list of vetted four- and five-star hotels, well located and enjoyed by our past travelers and by our own team.
Examples for each overnight stop on this route. Choose a deluxe boutique hotel or a five-star stay, and your travel advisor matches each night to your wishes, the season and availability.
Lisbon
Boutique: Martinhal Lisbon Chiado. A townhouse of 37 family apartments in Chiado, with kitchenettes and a kids’ club a short walk from the river.
Five-star: Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon. A 1959 landmark beside Eduardo VII Park, with a family program, an outdoor pool and connecting rooms.
Algarve
Boutique: Octant Praia Verde. A hotel in the pine woods of the eastern Algarve, closer to Seville, with family suites, a kids’ club and a forest path to the beach.
Five-star: Vila Vita Parc. A clifftop resort at Porches near Praia da Marinha, with kids’ and teens’ clubs, pools and its own beach below.
Seville
Boutique: Hotel Casa 1800 Sevilla. A 19th-century mansion with a patio and a rooftop pool facing the cathedral and Giralda.
Five-star: Hotel Alfonso XIII. Built for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition, a neo-Mudéjar palace of tiles and arches near the Alcázar.
Granada
Boutique: Parador de Granada. A 15th-century Franciscan convent inside the Alhambra precinct, with gardens facing the Generalife.
Five-star: Hospes Palacio de los Patos. A 19th-century palace beside a contemporary wing, linked by gardens, with a spa below.
Madrid
Boutique: Tótem Madrid. A restored 19th-century building on Calle Hermosilla, steps from Serrano’s shops in the Salamanca district.
Five-star: Rosewood Villa Magna. Reopened by Rosewood in 2021 on the Paseo de la Castellana, with a leafy front garden.
What's Included
A personalized itinerary, built around you and your schedule
Hand-picked luxury and boutique hotels
Insider experiences, inspiring sightseeing and magical upgrades
Private touring with your own personal expert guide
Private luxury transfers from airports and train stations
Full breakfasts, plus food and wine tasting options
Your choice of activities on “Design Your Days”®
Expert advice, restaurant ideas and reservations
24/7 support and concierge service from Spain, Portugal and Morocco
Magical is an award-winning luxury travel agency
Private journeys with soul & stories
Excellent independent reviews
Your private WhatsApp group with our 24/7 team and Rachel or Dan
Hidden gems, insider fun & vetted hotels
Your private guide, deluxe vehicle & flexible pace
24/7 concierge-style support
Life is short, vacation memorably
American Precision, Local Soul
Our Unforgettable Trips Are Tailored Just For You
Hi from Europe,
Along with our local partners across Portugal, Spain, Morocco and beyond we believe that our clients deserve the truly tailor-made private luxury trips, not generic "one-size-fits-all" plans.
Get inspired with our sample trips then get in touch about an expert-made personalized custom luxury itinerary, just for you.
Kind regards,
Dan O'Beirne & the MPT team
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