13 days.
1982 miles.
48 hours of driving.
42 hours on a ferry.
5 very different locations.

This trip was a mix of everything, long travel days, quiet coastal villages, mountain stays, and one standout city stop.

We travelled from the UK to Spain by ferry, drove through Portugal and back across Spain, and returned the same way.

Here’s how it all played out, day by day.

Day 1: Ferry from Plymouth

We started the trip with the overnight ferry from Plymouth to Santander.

We arrived a few hours early, boarded, and settled into our cabin.

At this point, it still felt like part of the adventure.

That changed fairly quickly once the ferry got going and we realised just how much it moved.

We had big plans to explore the ship, maybe watch a film, have dinner out.

Instead, it turned into lying down, trying not to feel queasy, and just wanting the crossing to be over. Luckily we’d booked the Commodore Cabin on Brittany Ferries for the outward journey so we were comfortable.

Day 2: Santander to Costa Nova

We arrived into Santander mid-afternoon and were straight off the ferry thanks to booking the priority disembarkation and drove straight to Portugal.

This was one of the longest travel days, around six hours in the car after already being on the ferry.

By the time we arrived in Costa Nova, it was dark, and we went straight to bed.

Not the most exciting arrival, but we were glad to be there.

Day 3: Costa Nova

This was our only full day in Costa Nova.

We came for the famous striped houses, and they didn’t disappoint.

What did surprise us was the weather.

It was cold, windy, and even a bit rainy, colder than we’d had in Cornwall the week before.

We walked along the boardwalk towards the lighthouse.

Later, we explored the streets and saw more of the colourful houses and unique architecture.

The next morning before leaving, we got up early for a short walk along the promenade, which turned out to be the best part of our time there.

Check out my full article all about the striped houses in Costa Nova that we saw and lots of photos.

Day 4: Costa Nova to Salema

We left Costa Nova and drove to Viseu to visit family who live nearby.

It was a nice break in the journey, seeing their riverside home and walking part of the Ecopista do Dão.

After that, we continued on to Salema in the Algarve, another long drive of around five and a half hours.

We arrived in the evening and went straight to bed.

Day 5: Salema

Our first full day in Salema was slow and relaxed.

It was cloudy, but we still explored the village, walked to the dinosaur footprints, and spent time by the beach.

We ended the day with a walk along the cliffs, catching some really nice colours in the sky as the sun went down.

Day 6: Exploring the Algarve coastline

We drove to Praia das Furnas, somewhere we’d visited before.

Because it was high tide, we couldn’t walk as far as we had last time, but still enjoyed the views.

We then headed to Praia do Amado, which was new to us.

This was a highlight.

Wide sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs, and lots of walking routes. The sun came out more here, and it finally felt warm.

We spent some time just sitting on the beach, taking it all in.

Day 7: Salema and wildflower walks

This ended up being one of the most memorable days.

We walked from Salema towards a small cove near Praia da Santa, and turned it into a challenge for the kids to find different wildflowers.

They found over 30!

The area was full of colour and smelled amazing, especially with wild lavender growing along the paths.

We tried to relax on Salema beach afterwards, but the wind picked up and sand was blowing everywhere, so we didn’t stay long.

That evening, we went out for pizza nearby and massively over-ordered, but it worked out well as we took the leftovers for the next day’s long drive.

Read more and check out lots of photos in my full article about our three days in Salema.

Day 8: Salema to Sedella

We left Salema and drove to Sedella in the mountains of southern Spain.

This was another long drive, around five hours and forty-five minutes.

We arrived in the evening, settled in, and had a quiet night.

Day 9: Sedella

Sedella is incredibly quiet.  A peaceful retreat nestled in the mountains of Andalusia.

We spent the day walking to the Roman bridge and the old mill, then just enjoying the slower pace.

It’s the kind of place where you don’t need to do much.

Day 10: Mountains and walking

We worked in the morning, then headed out for a walk from Canillas de Aceituno.

The mountain scenery here is incredible.

Open, quiet, and completely different from the coast.

We spent the afternoon relaxing and enjoying the calm surroundings.

If you want to learn more, then read my article that covers our two days in Sedella in a little more depth.

Day 11: Sedella to Segovia

We left Sedella and drove to Segovia, around six and a half hours.

We arrived mid-afternoon and explored for a few hours on foot.

Segovia was completely different to everywhere else we’d been.

Busy, lively, and full of history.

We saw the aqueduct, the old town, the cathedral, and the Alcázar.

It ended up being one of the highlights of the whole trip, even though we were only there for a few hours.

See just how much we managed to see in Segovia in six hours in my dedicated article.

Day 12: Segovia to Santander

We had a quick walk in the morning behind the Alcázar before leaving.

Then it was time to drive to Santander for the ferry home.

The return ferry was very similar to the first, lots of movement, not much sleep, and just waiting to arrive.

One difference, we didn’t have priority disembarkation this time, and it took over an hour to get off the ferry.

Day 13: Back to Plymouth

We arrived back into Plymouth late morning, went for lunch, and then drove home.

It felt good to be back on solid ground again after another long ferry crossing!

Final thoughts

This 13 day family road trip to Spain and Portugal had a bit of everything.

Long drives, quiet places, incredible scenery, and one standout city stop.

Some parts didn’t go exactly as planned, especially the weather and the ferry experience.  We also wished we had a lot longer to spend in some of the places, especially as the forecast was amazing in almost every location we visited after we left!

But overall, it worked.

If we were to do it again, we’d probably fly and hire a car instead in each place, or take the Eurotunnel if we were to plan another road trip.

But, as a road trip, it gave us the chance to see a lot in a short space of time, as we were limited by school holidays, and that’s what made it worthwhile.

Wondering how much it all cost? I reveal the exact figure in my article breaking down the costs of our European road trip to Spain and Portugal as a family of four for 13 days.

This 13-day European road trip from the UK to Spain and Portugal combines ferry travel, long scenic drives and a mix of coastal and mountain destinations, making it a varied and memorable family adventure.