Have you ever thought of skipping the Christmas gifts and giving “experiences” instead? That’s exactly what we did last Christmas—and it turned out to be one of the best travel decisions we’ve ever made. Plus, we managed to spend an entire week in Europe for under $2000. Here’s how it all went down!

How We Ended Up in Portugal & Spain

This trip started with a Going.com deal we couldn’t refuse: a round-trip ticket to Porto for just $400. Portugal wasn’t on our must-visit list, but after some quick research, we figured, why not? Fast forward to December 2022, and we were on our way to spending Christmas in Portugal and Spain—two budget-friendly gems that completely exceeded our expectations.

Breaking Down the Budget

Here’s how we kept costs down while still living our best travel life:

• Flights: $400 round trip per person

• Hotels: 3 nights in Vigo, Spain (Marriott points) + 3 nights in Porto, Portugal (Capital One Venture X credit—only paid $47 total!)

• Transportation: Train/bus from Porto to Vigo and back ($80 for both of us)

• Food & Fun: $1000 for an entire week of incredible meals, activities, and drinks

Total cost? $1982 for two people!

Christmas in Vigo, Spain

Vigo turned out to be an absolute holiday dream. The Christmas market was the best we’ve ever seen—full of delicious food, a cozy wine garden, and friendly locals. We relied heavily on Google Translate (not many English speakers here!), but that just added to the adventure.

Trip highlights in Vigo:

• Self-guided city tour using the GPSmyCity app after our English walking tour got canceled

• Othilio Bar: A Michelin-recommended spot we stumbled into for lunch

• Taberna A Pedra: A family-run restaurant where we learned that Bruce can’t handle an entire plate of octopus (I’ll never let him live that down!)

• Vinoteca Madril: A tiny vermouth bar where we got a mini wine education from the sweetest local woman. It was a bit out of the way but worth the trek for us! 

• Maluva Wine Bar: The perfect hidden gem for seafood lovers (a bit much for me, but Bruce was in heaven)

Oh, and I also had a classic “travel fail” moment: my shoes got so soaked that I had to buy boots. Add that to my ever-growing list of clothing mishaps abroad!

Porto: Harry Potter, Pastéis de Nata & Port Wine

From the moment we arrived in Porto (in pouring rain, of course), we knew we were in for an adventure. We kicked things off with a self-guided Harry Potter tour, stopping at the Majestic Café (where J.K. Rowling supposedly wrote early drafts of Harry Potter) and São Bento Train Station.

A few things didn’t go as planned: we couldn’t get same-day tickets to the famous Livraria Lello bookstore, and we learned the hard way that restaurants close in the afternoon when we were starving. But the silver lining? We stumbled into a tiny café where we had an amazing conversation with two locals who gave us insider tips on what to see and eat.

Porto highlights:

• Citynizer Plaza: A hidden, maze-like restaurant where we finally tried the famous Francesinha sandwich

• Livraria Lello: Crowded but worth it—plus, our entrance fee went toward a Harry Potter limited-edition book

• Burmester Port Wine Tour: Bruce accidentally booked the most expensive tasting ($20 each), and the guide assumed we were wine experts. We are absolutely not. But it made for a hilarious memory!

• Pastéis de Nata obsession: I ate one every time I saw them, including at the airport lounge (with a glass of tawny port, naturally)

Final Thoughts: Was It Worth It?

Absolutely. We spent under $2000 for a week in Europe, had incredible food, met wonderful people, and got to experience Christmas in a whole new way. If you’re on the fence about skipping the traditional holiday stress and heading somewhere unexpected, do it—you won’t regret it.

Would we go back? 100% yes. Would we change anything? Maybe book wine tours in advance so we’re not sprinting through the streets of Porto!

Have you ever taken a budget-friendly trip that totally surprised you? Share your stories in the comments or join the conversation in our Facebook group!