from the UK if you don't like flying?
Trying to persuade my parents to visit but my dad won't fly.

Also how much are the alternatives likely to cost?

Many thanks

Submarine ?

1) Portsmouth/ Plymouth (dependant on the time of year) to Santander

2) Portsmouth to Bilbao

Then drive down through Spain and northern Portugal

3) Short crossing (various Dover - Calais etc)

Then long drive through France Spain etc.

4) Train to Paris - Train from Paris to Lisbon - Train from lisbon (new faster service just started) to Algarve.

Costs - very much depend on the time of year, if special offers are available etc. how many travelling, which method chosen etc.

As an example Plymouth - Santander approx €850 in the summer plus road tolls etc.

The words string long and how come to mind.

hi debs We get the ferry and follow the motorway down to nantes and rennes etc continue down towards san sebastian, cross the mountains there if its april to oct otherwise go right down on the french side and cross over to barcelona its less hazardous in the winter. If you've crossed at the top of france into spain then go down towards zaragoza and towards valencia, on towards alicante, on to granada and sevilla then cross there to faro. It should take about 24 hours from nantes so obviously you want 2 or 3 stop offs.It must be about 36 hours from dover???? Go to www.greenflag.co.uk/routeplanning and they do a printout for free so you can see your exact route...........See you soon.

Thank you very much for your replies. I will check it all out and then tell him there is no excuse not to visit!

Oops, that was me above!