10 Days in Portugal & Spain

WiFi is widely available in hotels, cafés, and public spaces, making it easy to stay connected if you want to share your journey or check in with loved ones. But this trip also encourages you to unplug and soak in the moment, whether that’s wandering ancient streets with your phone on silent, or simply savoring a sunset over the Mediterranean with no distractions.

10 days prior to your trip, we'll set up a private Whatsapp chat, just for your group.  Leading up to the trip, it's a great way to introduce yourself to your fellow group members as well as the quickest way to reach us in the office with any last-minute needs.  During your trip, it's a great way to stay connected with each other and share photos along the way.  Please note that users can only see posts sent after they've joined, so it's a good idea to wait until others have joined the group before posting.

While Portugal and Spain are generally very welcoming and safe for LGBTQ+ travelers, especially in major cities like Lisbon, Seville, Madrid, and Barcelona, it's always wise to stay aware of your surroundings, particularly in less touristy or rural areas. Public displays of affection are widely accepted in urban LGBTQ+ neighborhoods and popular spots, but discretion may be advisable in more conservative or unfamiliar settings. Overall, you’ll find warm hospitality and plenty of inclusive spaces, but a bit of common travel caution helps ensure a smooth, enjoyable experience.

Get ready to delight your taste buds! Iberian cuisine is rich and varied, from fresh seafood and savory tapas to hearty stews and world-famous wines. You’ll have opportunities to savor traditional dishes like Portuguese bacalhau, Spanish jamón, and of course, paella. Don’t miss out on local markets and food experiences like cooking classes or tasting sessions to truly immerse yourself in the flavors of the region. 

The Spanish embrace long afternoon breaks during “siesta hours,” when many shops close so locals can relax and enjoy a leisurely meal with friends. 

At Detours, we believe your food choices should be as flexible as your adventure. That’s why we include all your breakfasts to start each day right, but leave lunch and dinner open for you to explore the diverse dining options on your own terms. Whether you want to try a hidden gem, sit down at a bustling tapas bar, or splurge on a fine dining experience, your trip leader will have plenty of local favorites to recommend - just ask! This way, you eat when you want, where you want, and spend what you want.

Our packing advice? Easy - pack your bag, then take half of it out and leave it behind. Trust us, less is more when you’re roaming through Portugal and Spain’s charming streets. We often hear travelers wish they’d brought less, not more, and if you forget something, no worries. you can pick it up easily once you’re there. Just peek back at the climate section for a heads-up on what to expect, and remember, this trip is all about laid-back adventure, so leave your tuxedos and fancy heels at home. We’ll send you some handy, trip-specific packing tips 10 days before departure to keep you ready and light on your feet.

We recommend bringing your regular bank card from home and using ATMs once you arrive in Lisbon to withdraw cash as it’s usually cheaper than currency exchange services, whether at home or abroad. Portugal and Spain both use the Euro (€), and shops and restaurants don’t accept US dollars, so it’s a good idea to stock up on some Euros when you land. Credit cards are widely accepted and many restaurants we visit as a group will allow you to pay for your items separately by card. 

Keep in mind, it can sometimes be tricky to use large-denomination bills in shops and restaurants, so when you withdraw cash, try and get smaller bills to make payments smoother. If you can, travel with a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, that little extra effort upfront can save you quite a bit during your trip. And here’s a pro tip: when given the choice to pay in your home currency or the local currency, always pick the local currency to avoid extra fees.

While tipping isn’t deeply ingrained as a custom in Portugal and Spain, tourism workers everywhere have come to expect gratuities for good service. This includes local guides, restaurant waitstaff, porters and housekeeping. The exact amount is always up to you, but if you’ve received excellent service, we suggest leaving around 15% at restaurants, a few euros for luggage porters and daily housekeeping, and about $10–15 USD per day for local guides. It’s a great way to show appreciation while supporting the people who make your trip memorable.

Many of our travelers ask us about what's appropriate when it comes to tipping your Detours trip leader.  We think they're amazing at what they do, and if you agree you may wish to reward excellent service with a gratuity, as is customary in the industry.  As a gratuity is a personal choice and depends on your experience we'll leave the amount up to your discretion, but we find most travelers budget around $100-120 Euros or USD for this trip and either pay cash directly to the trip leader or via their PayPal (Venmo is not available for Canadians).

We carefully select boutique hotels (as much as possible) that combine comfort, style, and local charm, giving you a cozy, welcoming home base in each city. These thoughtfully chosen accommodations reflect the culture of their neighborhoods and offer the perfect retreat after a day of adventures.

Be Sure to check the 'accommodation' tab for this trip to see what hotels we generally use on this trip.

All Detours trips are led by one of our very own Canadian Detours trip leaders.  They're there with you every day and their job is to help ensure that this is your trip of a lifetime by taking the hassle out of your trip and enabling you to experience everything you came to Portugal & Spain for.  Consider them like a friendly concierge that's traveling along with you.  All of our trip leaders are gay and all are well-traveled and experienced in the destination they're leading in, so they'll be a great part of your experience!

We do absolutely everything possible to avoid needing such a mundane awakening. A world without alarm clocks is one we want to be part of, and your “rise and shine” while in this part of the world should come from the sound of church bells in the distance. However, sometimes due to train or flight schedules we are required to make early departures, but we do everything we can to minimize this.

Our Detours groups are run with a maximum of 16 travelers. Ages of group members vary but around 90% of our travelers are in their 40's, 50's, and 60's. Whatever the age of the guys on our trips everyone's already got something in common, an exciting new experience in a new country or two! Each group is led by a Detours trip leader who is there to ensure everything goes off without a hitch, allowing you to focus on having the time of your life! We welcome both men and women onto our trips although it’s important to know that most groups are 100% gay men.

One of the best parts of group travel is the unique people you get to share this new adventure with. Your fellow travelers will be coming from different parts of the world with different backgrounds, personalities and ages and we've found the key to the best group dynamic is arriving with an open mind, a willingness to share, and respect for your fellow travelers. In practice this can mean ensuring you're on time for group activities/departures, practicing patience with each other, and embracing some of the social opportunities through your trip.

Traveling solo? No problem! Over half of our travelers come solo, and there will be plenty of chances to meet great people both inside and outside of our group.

As far as your accommodations go, you’ve got two choices: We can either pair you up with another solo group member in a two-bed room for no extra charge, or you can have your own room for a reasonable surcharge (price is listed in the trip price box).

Portugal & Spain both use the "type C" and "type F" plug, the same as most European countries and several other places in the world. The voltage is 230V with 50 Hz frequency. These days, the majority of items that are plugged into an outlet are built to handle varying voltage and frequency levels, but just to be sure, we suggest checking your item for its accetable range.