Last updated: July 2026
Is Spain worth it? On this week’s Mouse Chat, Sharpie says a resounding yes. He takes us through a father-son high-school graduation trip across Spain and Portugal — Barcelona, Madrid, Cádiz, and Lisbon — with high-speed trains, Gaudí’s Sagrada Família, a live flamenco show, beach-town spa days, and honest, usable tips for planning your own visit.
What We Cover This Week
The trip started as a graduation gift: each of Sharpie’s sons gets to pick a father-son trip, and his oldest — about to start a degree in architecture — chose Spain and Portugal. They flew Aer Lingus out of Pittsburgh with a long Dublin layover each way (enough time to explore the city), then landed in Barcelona for three nights before working their way south and west by train and plane.
Barcelona was the showstopper. An eight-hour guided tour included a full hour inside Sagrada Família, Antoni Gaudí’s still-unfinished basilica, where the morning light glows cool blues and greens on the Nativity facade and the evening sun turns the opposite side into warm oranges and reds. The team also walked the Gothic Quarter, saw a Picasso mural, rode the harbor cable car, visited Park Güell, and caught a live flamenco show in an intimate tablao — the kind of performance you feel from a few feet away.
From there it was Spain’s excellent high-speed rail: a first-class morning train from Barcelona to Madrid (lounge, roomy seats, full breakfast service), then on toward Seville past fields of sunflowers “as far as the eye can see.” Madrid brought a tuk-tuk tour on a 104-degree record-heat day — including a memorable AI-translation mix-up with the guide — while Cádiz, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe, delivered the beach-town reset: a spa hotel with a full thermal suite and 75-minute massages for about $100 each.
The finale was Lisbon, the cleanest city of the trip, with the designer-lined Avenida da Liberdade, a rooftop-pool hotel, and a hunt for handmade Portuguese pottery and antique tiles. A 40-minute train ride reached Cascais, a beautiful old fishing town with rocky cliffs and cliff divers. Over nine days the pair rode multiple trains and planes and still walked about 75 miles — a reminder that in cities like these, wandering the neighborhoods is half the fun.
Spain & Portugal Trip at a Glance
| Stop | Time There | Don’t-Miss Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Dublin (layover) | ~12 hrs each way | City stroll on a long Aer Lingus connection |
| Barcelona | 3 nights | Sagrada Família, Gothic Quarter, Park Güell, flamenco, harbor cable car |
| Madrid | ~24 hrs | First-class high-speed train in; tuk-tuk tour; museums |
| Cádiz | ~24 hrs | Beaches, spa/thermal suite, layered Christian & Muslim history |
| Seville | Half day | Central shopping area between train connections |
| Lisbon | 2 days | Avenida da Liberdade, rooftop hotel, pottery & tile shopping |
| Cascais (day trip) | 1 day | Cliffs, beaches, old fishing-village charm |
Curious about seeing this region a different way? Our Canary Islands episode, Tenerife, Canary Islands Travel Guide, is a great companion listen for Spanish-territory travel.
Listen to This Episode
Press play below, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss a Monday show. New episodes drop every Monday at 8 AM Eastern.
Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify. Questions or comments? Email comments@mousechat.net.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Spain worth visiting?
Yes. In this episode the Mouse Chat team calls Spain a standout, even though it wasn’t originally on their bucket list. Barcelona, Madrid, and the beach town of Cádiz each feel completely different, and pairing Spain with nearby Lisbon, Portugal, adds even more variety in a single trip.
How many days do you need for Spain and Portugal?
Sharpie’s trip ran about nine days and covered Barcelona (3 nights), Madrid, Cádiz, Seville, and Lisbon with a Cascais day trip. That pace works if you like to keep moving; if you prefer a slower trip, plan more nights per city and fewer stops.
What’s the best way to get around Spain?
Spain’s high-speed trains. Multiple carriers connect the major cities with fast, comfortable service, and first class adds a lounge and full meal service. The team combined trains with a couple of short flights and a lot of walking.
Is Spain expensive to visit?
The team felt they got strong value. Flights were about half the total budget, and on-the-ground costs like a 75-minute couples spa experience (around $100 each) felt reasonable. Note the euro was trading at roughly $1.15 at the time of the trip, so budget for that exchange rate.
Do you need to speak Spanish to travel there?
No. The team knew only a few phrases and had no real issues — most people in hospitality speak at least some English, and a translation app covered the rare gaps. A few polite phrases still go a long way.
Plan Your Spain & Portugal Trip — Free with Pixie Vacations
Inspired to plan a trip like this? Sharpie and the Mouse Chat team’s travel agency, Pixie Vacations, plans Europe travel — and everything from Disney and Universal to cruises and all-inclusive resorts — with free planning and no booking fees. Our advisors travel the destinations they recommend, so you get first-hand guidance.
Ready to start? Request your free, no-fee vacation quote or call 678-815-1584. Prefer to see Spain and Portugal by ship? You can browse and book Mediterranean and Atlantic cruises through our online cruise booking engine — no fees, book almost every major line online.
By the Mouse Chat team — a family-travel podcast covering Disney, Universal, cruises, all-inclusive resorts, and destinations worldwide for 15+ years and 860+ episodes. This episode’s Spain and Portugal trip was hosted by Sharpie, who plans European travel with Pixie Vacations and personally experienced every stop covered here.
