Adiós , Sevilla, Olá, Portugal! We’ll drive out in the morning for a gorgeous drive to Sanlúcar de Guadiana, a little whitewashed town on the Spanish side of the Guadiana River.

Time for the coolest border crossing on Earth: Limite Zero, the world’s first cross-border zipline. We’ll clip in on the Spanish bank and fly for half a mile  over the Guadiana River, landing in Alcoutim, Portugal. And if that wasn’t enough, we “time-travel” an hour back when we touch down. Bem-vindos a Portugal!

While the group enjoys Alcoutim’s riverside cafés, castle, and little shops, I’ll handle the logistics of getting the van and our luggage across the border.

We’ll celebrate our arrival with a relaxed riverside lunch. Think grilled fish, octopus salad, and rustic stews. Simple, local, delicious.

After lunch we’ll point the van west toward the Algarve and make our way to the village of Benagil for a small-boat excursion into the famous Benagil sea cave and neighboring grottos. Afternoon light on the cliffs is pure magic!

From Benagil it’s a short scenic hop to Lagos. We’ll check in, freshen up, and wander into the Old Town for a dinner of seafood heaven. If you want to go full Algarve, order a cataplana and thank me later.

OVERNIGHT: Vila Galé Lagos or similar

MEALS: Breakfast