Lusitania Romana: Cross-border Tour

Fourteen nights, self-guided, in a circle around the ancient Roman province of Lusitania, crossing between Portugal and Spain. Caminos arranges the hotels and the hire car, and presents the trip as a heritage tour that shows the similarities and contrasts between two regions with a common past.

The Roman theme is explicit, with Roman remains in Evora and in Merida, once the provincial capital Emerita Augusta. The route also takes in Extremadura, which Caminos calls Spain’s least known province, with historical, natural and gastronomic experiences, then the Sierra de Gredos and Salamanca, before returning to Portugal through the Serra da Estrela mountains and finishing near the Atlantic beaches.

Two nights in Lisboa come first, then three in the Alto Alentejo around Evora, Monsaraz and Marvao. Three nights in central Extremadura follow, covering Monfrague National Park, Caceres, Trujillo, Guadalupe and the Roman bridge at Alcantara. Northern Extremadura takes two nights, with the Sierra de Gredos, Hervas, the Valle del Jerte and Plasencia. Two nights in the Serra da Estrela include Manteigas, the Burel wool factory, the Torre peak and Belmonte. Two final nights in Estremadura, Portugal, visit Batalha, Alcobaca, Tomar, Obidos and the coast.

The price covers hotels on a bed and breakfast basis for two sharing a double room, an economy four-door hire car for those flying, a regional guide book and a personal travel app with restaurant suggestions and weather forecasts, and instructions for finding every hotel. Flights, one-way and cross-border car hire charges, extras such as a second driver, garage parking and local tourist taxes are not included. Caminos quotes about £1,650 per person as an indicative mid-season figure for 14 nights, and adapts the route, hotels and airports to each traveller.