2025-10-25 · Portugal, Spain
This is a extended weekend trip with main goals of south Portugal and Gibraltar. We also visited several places in Spain on the way there. We started in Malaga but you could start the journey anywhere along the way. First we stopped in Gibraltar and spent the night in Cadiz. The next day we visited Doñana National Park on the way to Portugal and then the rest in Algarve, Portugal. On the way back we visited two historical sites just outside of Seville. We didn't stop in the city as we have been there already but you could easily add 2 days there. Overall this was a really pleasant roadtrip for longer weekend.
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Cádiz
Activities
Parking Santa Bárbara, La Línea de la Concepción, Cadiz, Spain
We did some research and the Parking Santa Barbara just outside of border crossing to Gibraltar was a clear winner. It's huge, not too expensive and right next to the border of Gibraltar. Cost is from 2 EUR for an hour up to 15 for the whole day.
Bus - Park the car at the boarder crossing to Gibraltar → Walk around the Gibraltar city center
Bus · 4 km · 8m
From the parking lot, you cross the border and get on the bus to the city center on the other side. We did the trip before Spain and UK dropped the border controls so now it should be even easier. You want bus 5 or 10 which goes to the main bus station in Gibraltar. It costs around 3 EUR per person.
Gibraltar
We skipped the main Gibraltar attraction, Rock of Gibraltar. The reason for that was mainly the cost. It's 30 GBP per person just to enter the "Natural Reservation" plus cable car tickets/taxi/or climb up there on your own. We thought about it and decided it's not worth it at the end. Instead we walked through the city and visited the botanical gardens which are right next to the cable car station. It's free to enter and they are really nice.
Gibraltar Botanic Gardens
Bus - Visit Gibraltar botanic garden → Go back to pick up the car
Bus · 8 km · 11m
Parking Santa Bárbara, Avenida Príncipe de Asturias, Julián Besteiro, La Línea de la Concepción, Campo de Gibraltar, Andalusia, 11300, Spain
Car - Go back to pick up the car → Walk around old town of Cadiz
Car · 117 km · 1h 21m
Cádiz
Cádiz
Carvoeiro
Activities
Car - Cádiz → Visit Parque Nacional de Doñana
Car · 201 km · 2h 4m
Centro de Visitantes La Rocina, Almonte, Huelva, Spain
We visited Doñana National Park from La Rocina visitors center. There is a convenient parking and several kilometers of nice trails and also bird watching spots. You can easily spent there hour or two.
Car - Visit Parque Nacional de Doñana → Walk along the coast and watch the sunset
Car · 223 km · 2h 18m
Praia dos Castelos
While in Algarve, we stayed in one place, city Cartoeiro. From there we drove to other places. One reason why we chose this town was that there are trails going along the cost in both directions from the town center / main beach. The first night we did a lovely walk and watched sunset.
Carvoeiro
Carvoeiro
Activities
Walk - Carvoeiro → Walk along the coast to Praia do Carvalho
Walk · 5 km · 1h 36m · ↑ 0 m ↓ 0 m
↑ 0 m ↓ 0 m
Praia do Carvalho
In the morning we hiked one of the trails from Cavoiero. The trail is not perfect as several sections closer to the main beach are destroyed/closed but further away it's a really nice marked trail. You will pass the old lighthouse, lot of beautiful cliffs and can take a bus back.
Bus - Walk along the coast to Praia do Carvalho → Catch a bus back to the hotel
Bus · 4 km · 7m
Carvoeiro
Car - Catch a bus back to the hotel → Visit the famous cliffs Ponta da Piedade in Lagos
Car · 44 km · 40m
Park at Parking
Ponta da Piedade
In the afternoon we took car and drove west along the coast. First stop was Lagos and it's famous Ponta da Piedade cliffs. There is a plenty of free parking with a short walk to the cliffs. You can then walk down the a small pier. Either you pay for a boat ride from the pier or you can just take some photos from the pier, enjoy the beauty and head back up.
Car - Visit the famous cliffs Ponta da Piedade in Lagos → Reach south-west tip of Portugal, Cape St. Vincent
Car · 39 km · 54m
Drive from where you parked: Parking
Cabo de São Vicente Lighthouse
Cape St. Vincent is the southwesternmost point of Portugal and of mainland Europe.
The second afternoon stop was Cape St. Vincent. Cape St. Vincent is the southwesternmost point of Portugal and of mainland Europe. There are huge majestic cliffs, lighthouse and breathtaking views over the ocean. There is a parking lot by the lighthouse but there was lot of people visiting and everybody parked along the road to the lighthouse.
Car - Reach south-west tip of Portugal, Cape St. Vincent → Carvoeiro
Car · 73 km · 1h 17m
Carvoeiro → Visit Monasterio de San Isidoro del Campo
Activities
Car - Carvoeiro → Visit Monasterio de San Isidoro del Campo
Car · 252 km · 2h 29m
Monasterio de San Isidoro del Campo, Avenida San Isidoro del Campo, Santiponce, Andalusia, 41970, Spain
Conjunto Arqueológico de Itálica
That's the end of the journey
Thanks for following along. Plan your own trip.
Accommodation
| Cádiz | — |
| Carvoeiro | — |
Transit
| 🚌 Bus - Park the car at the boarder crossing to Gibraltar → Walk around the Gibraltar city center | 5 EUR |
| 🚌 Bus - Visit Gibraltar botanic garden → Go back to pick up the car | 5 EUR |
| 🚌 Bus - Walk along the coast to Praia do Carvalho → Catch a bus back to the hotel | 6 EUR |
| Subtotal | 16 EUR |
Fuel
Blended average of the countries you're visiting:
Blended average1.68 EUR
Food
Other
| Parking GibraltarEstimate | 10 EUR |
3 lines need a cost
Notes
Costs for 2 people
A few wet days
Pack a light rain layer
Rain on 2 of 4 days · ~35h total
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