Day 1

Travel by Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord. Transfer by Metro to Paris Montparnasse and continue by TGV via Dax to Hendaye. From there, cross the border to Irún by EuskoTren or taxi. Overnight stay near the station, for example at Hotel Alcazar.

Day 2

Travel from Irún to Madrid by Alvia high-speed train, reaching speeds of up to 250 km/h. The journey takes you from the green foothills of the Pyrenees to the dry Spanish plateau. Midway through the journey, the train switches almost imperceptibly from Iberian broad gauge to standard gauge and continues on the high-speed network. Arrival at Chamartín station. Overnight stay in a three-star hotel near the station.

Day 3

Travel straight through north-western Spain to Vigo, close to the Portuguese border. This railway line has been upgraded in recent years, allowing fast trains to operate on this route too.
From Vigo, a local train runs to Portugal twice a day. Overnight stay in Viana do Castelo, for example at Hotel Laranjeira.

Day 4

Free day in Viana do Castelo. Enjoy a day at the beach, a walk in the hills or a train ride along the coast.

Day 5

Take a short train journey of around 1.5 hours to Porto. Stay in a three-star hotel in the city centre, for example Grande Hotel do Porto. In Portugal's hilly second city, enjoy a leisurely stroll through the beautiful old quarters before relaxing on one of the terraces along the Douro.

Day 6

Optional day trip by regional train through the Douro Valley to Régua or Pocinho, one of the most scenic railway journeys in Portugal. Overnight stay in Porto.

Day 7

Travel to Lisbon in around 3 hours on the Alfa Pendular. This high-speed train tilts slightly in curves, improving both comfort and speed. Overnight stay in a centrally located three-star hotel in Lisbon, for example Hotel Dom Carlos Park.

Day 8

Free day in Lisbon. We recommend exploring the city aboard one of its historic trams and visiting the atmospheric Alfama district.

Day 9

Work is progressing rapidly on the future high-speed line between Lisbon and Madrid. Within a few years, there is expected to be a direct rail connection between these two Iberian capitals again. Until then, the route runs via Entroncamento, Badajoz and Mérida. Overnight stay in a centrally located hotel in Mérida. This lively capital of the Spanish region of Extremadura is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to its many remains from the Roman, Visigothic and Moorish periods.

Day 10

Travel by Alvia express train and AVE high-speed train through Spain's rugged interior, from Mérida via Madrid to Barcelona on the Mediterranean coast. Overnight stay in or near Barcelona Sants station.

Day 11

Depart in the morning by high-speed TGV to Paris Gare de Lyon. Transfer by Metro to Gare du Nord and continue by Eurostar to London St Pancras.