120 days · Family with kids
7 Days by Train Through Spain, Portugal, France & Italy — Family Budget Trip
A whirlwind family rail adventure hitting the culinary highlights of four countries in seven days, staying in self-catering apartments and eating like locals on a tight budget. The strategy here is cook dinner at home most nights using fresh market ingredients, grab cheap local lunches out, and use supermarkets and markets to keep costs honest. With no checked bags, every food and snack choice needs to be practical — this itinerary is built around that reality. This preview covers the first 7 days of a 120-day trip — claim it to build the full itinerary with Voyaige.
Built for family with kids spending 120 days in Multi-country European train trip: Spain, Portugal, France, Italy
Budget Estimate
$770
~$110/day for 120 days · USD
Good to Know
Cook dinner at home most nights and eat one proper local lunch out — this halves your food spend without sacrificing the experience.
The menú del día in Spain and the prato do dia in Portugal are the single best budget moves on this trip — always ask for it.
Pack one reusable tote bag per person — it doubles as your market bag, beach bag, and snack carrier on trains, saving you from buying new bags constantly.
Supermarkets across all four countries sell excellent local snacks for kids: Mercadona's tiger biscuits, Pingo Doce's corn puffs, French Petit Écolier biscuits, and Italian Pavesini wafers are all cheap and good.
Never buy water from cafés or restaurants — always carry a refillable bottle and top up at hotel lobbies, apartment taps (all safe in these cities), or public fountains.
Aperitivo hour in Northern Italy is your secret weapon — one drink per adult unlocks a full food spread, making it the cheapest 'dinner' in Europe.
Train snack prep the night before saves significant money — a family of four spending €15 on packed food avoids €40–60 in train café or station food costs.
If your apartment has a freezer, buy a bag of frozen peas or corn as an ice pack for your train cooler bag — eat it that night as a side dish.
Day by Day
Arrival in Barcelona — Settle In, Hit the Market
Check into Apartment — Eixample or Gràcia
Drop bags and get your bearings. Eixample is central and well-connected; Gràcia is quieter and more neighbourhood-feeling, great for families.
Pre-bookedExplore Mercat de l'Abaceria or Mercat de Santa Caterina
Skip the tourist-heavy Boqueria — Santa Caterina or Abaceria (Gràcia) are cheaper, less crowded, and where locals actually shop. Grab jamón, manchego, olives, and fresh bread for your first self-catering haul.
€15–25 for groceriesWalk El Born neighbourhood
Wander the medieval laneways of El Born — it's free, beautiful, and the kids will enjoy the street life. Pop into any bakery for a late afternoon snack.
FreeLidl or Mercadona grocery run
Stock the apartment fridge: eggs, pasta, canned tomatoes, fruit, bread, ham, cheese, juice, and kid snacks. Mercadona is Spain's best-value supermarket and has great own-brand products.
€25–35Cook dinner at the apartment
Tonight's cook: tortilla española (eggs, potato, onion — cheap and filling) or pasta with a sofrito-based tomato sauce using fresh tomatoes from the market. Easy, one-pan, kid-approved.
Included in groceriesWhere to eat
Airport or train station café
Grab a café con leche and a croissant or bocadillo on arrival — this is how Spain does breakfast and it costs about €2–3 per person.
Mercat de Santa Caterina food stalls
Grab a bocadillo (filled roll) or fresh fruit at the market — eat standing up like a local. Budget €4–6 per adult, kids eat half portions.
Home-cooked at the apartment
Tortilla española or pasta — cook once, eat well. Spain's eggs and potatoes are excellent quality and very cheap.
Barcelona Food Culture Day — Tapas, Paella & Goodbye Bites
Breakfast at a local granja or café
Find a neighbourhood café (not on Las Ramblas) and order pa amb tomàquet — bread rubbed with tomato and olive oil, a Catalan staple. Order for the whole table for about €1.50 per piece.
€10–15 for familyBarceloneta Beach & Waterfront Walk
A free morning — walk the seafront with the kids, collect shells, and work up an appetite. It's an easy 20-minute walk or short metro from Eixample.
FreeLunch at a local menú del día restaurant
The menú del día is Spain's best budget secret — a 3-course set lunch (starter, main, dessert, bread, drink) for €10–13 per adult. Kids often eat half price or share. Ask for the menú, not the carta.
€30–40 for family of 4Afternoon snack prep & pack for tomorrow
Buy travel snacks for tomorrow's train: nuts, cheese, sliced ham, bread rolls, fruit, and a few sweet biscuits from Mercadona. Pack in a reusable tote — your train picnic for day 3.
€10–15Neighbourhood evening stroll & helado
Evening in Spain starts late — join the paseo (evening walk) culture, grab an ice cream from any heladería, and let the kids enjoy the buzzy street atmosphere.
€5–8Where to eat
Local café in Gràcia
Pa amb tomàquet with café con leche — the authentic Catalan breakfast. Avoid tourist strips entirely.
Menú del día restaurant near Barceloneta
Look for handwritten chalkboard signs saying 'Menú €10' or '€12' — these are the real deal. The best value meal in Spain.
Home-cooked at the apartment
Cook fideuà (noodle paella — easier than rice, kids love it) or simple grilled fish from the market with bread and salad.
Barcelona to Lisbon by Train — The Long Haul (or Fly Budget)
Early train departure prep
Pack the train picnic you prepped yesterday. Barcelona Sants to Madrid Atocha is about 2.5 hours on the AVE high-speed train, then connect to Lisbon (Alfa Pendular, about 9.5 hours) — or consider flying this leg to save time with kids.
€60–120 per adult booked in advanceTrain picnic on the AVE
Eat your market rolls, cheese, ham, and fruit on the train — far cheaper than the dining car and something kids actually enjoy. Make it a 'picnic adventure' moment.
Included in snack prepMadrid Atocha connection — quick stop
If you have a 1–2 hour layover in Madrid, the Atocha station has a tropical garden inside the old station building — kids love it. Grab a café con leche and a napolitana pastry from any bar inside.
€5–8 for snacksArrive Lisbon — Oriente or Santa Apolónia station
Take the metro from Oriente to your apartment (Mouraria, Alfama, or Intendente are great budget neighbourhoods). Get groceries at a Pingo Doce supermarket on the way — they often have a hot food counter.
Metro €1.50 per personSimple apartment dinner and early night
It's a travel day — keep dinner dead simple. Portuguese bread (pão) with butter, sliced chouriço, cheese, and fruit. No cooking required. Rest up.
€10–15 groceriesWhere to eat
Apartment before departure
Eat whatever's left in the Barcelona fridge — toast, fruit, cereal. Don't waste food you've already paid for.
Train picnic
Pre-packed rolls with jamón and manchego, fruit, nuts, and a sweet biscuit. Kids love the novelty of eating on a fast train.
Apartment — bread, chouriço, cheese
Pingo Doce has excellent sliced meats and cheeses at budget prices. Portuguese pão is outstanding — buy a loaf.
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Claim & CustomizeLisbon — Pastéis, Mercado, and Cooking Portuguese
Pastel de nata pilgrimage
Walk to the nearest pastelaria (every neighbourhood has one) for pastéis de nata — custard tarts warm from the oven with cinnamon on top. Cost about €1.20 each. This is mandatory.
€5–8 for familyMercado de Campo de Ourique or Feira da Ladra
Campo de Ourique is a real neighbourhood market with excellent produce, fish, and local cheeses. Feira da Ladra (Tuesday/Saturday) is Lisbon's famous flea market — fun for kids to explore.
Free to browse, €20–30 for groceriesLunch — Tasca or tascaria restaurant
A tasca is a tiny Portuguese tavern serving honest food cheaply. Look for prato do dia (dish of the day) — often bacalhau (salted cod), caldo verde soup, or grilled chicken with rice for €7–9 including bread and wine.
€25–35 for familyTram 28 ride through the old city
Tram 28 is famous but choose a quieter hour mid-afternoon. It weaves through Alfama and Graça — kids love it. Or walk the Miradouro da Graça viewpoint instead for free views over the city.
€3 per person (tram ticket)Pingo Doce or Lidl grocery shop
Buy ingredients for tonight's cook: bacalhau (salted cod — buy the ready-to-cook kind), potatoes, eggs, olive oil, and garlic. Bacalhau com natas or bacalhau à brás are simple, one-pan Portuguese classics.
€18–25Cook bacalhau à brás at the apartment
Bacalhau à brás: shredded cod, fried potato matchsticks, scrambled eggs, olives, and parsley. Takes 30 minutes and is one of the best dishes in Europe. Kids usually love it — it's essentially cod and eggs.
Included in groceriesWhere to eat
Local pastelaria near apartment
Pastéis de nata plus a galão (milky coffee) for adults. Kids get a warm custard tart and a glass of milk. Under €10 for the whole family.
Tasca in Mouraria
Order the prato do dia and caldo verde soup. Avoid any restaurant with pictures on the menu or a tout outside — those are tourist traps.
Home-cooked bacalhau à brás
One of Portugal's most beloved dishes and surprisingly easy to cook. Use good Portuguese olive oil — it's cheap here and exceptional quality.
Lisbon to Paris by Overnight Train (or Day to Nice/Marseille)
Morning market run & final Lisbon breakfast
One last pastelaria stop. Buy travel snacks for the long journey: bifanas (pork rolls) wrapped in foil from a café, fresh fruit, and Portuguese crackers (tostas) with cheese.
€10–15Explore LX Factory or Time Out Market (walk only)
LX Factory is a cool creative market — free to walk around, great for a final morning with kids. Skip eating here (pricey for families) but let the kids enjoy the atmosphere.
FreeHead to Santa Apolónia or Oriente for train
The Lusitânia Comboio Hotel night train Lisbon–Madrid runs a few times weekly, connecting onward to Paris. Alternatively, take a direct flight or day train to your French entry point. Book well ahead.
€80–180 per adult depending on classSettle into train — snack time with the kids
Lay out the travel snacks on the tray table — make it a picnic game. Bifanas, fruit, Portuguese crackers, a sweet tart from the morning. Keep kids entertained with downloaded shows for the long haul.
Included in snack prepDinner on train or at a station stop
If budget allows, the dining car is an experience — but pricey. Better to have packed a proper dinner: a container of leftover pasta or rice from last night, plus fruit and biscuits.
Free if packedWhere to eat
Final Lisbon pastelaria
Last chance for pastéis de nata — order an extra one. You'll miss them by day 7.
Packed bifanas and fruit
Bifanas are Portugal's best sandwich — soft pork rolls in a crusty pão with mustard. Ask the café to wrap them in foil for travel.
Train picnic or dining car
Pack a proper container dinner if you can — it's a long trip. A thermos of soup is even better if your apartment had a thermos.
Arrive in the South of France — Nice or Lyon, Cook French
Arrive Nice or Lyon — check into apartment
Nice is sunnier, more Mediterranean, and closer to Italy for tomorrow. Lyon is France's food capital but further from Italy. Pick based on your onward route. Drop bags, freshen up.
Pre-bookedCours Saleya Market (Nice) or Les Halles Paul Bocuse (Lyon)
Nice's Cours Saleya is one of the great French markets — socca stalls, olives, lavender, and the best tomatoes you'll ever see. Lyon's Les Halles is a covered gourmet market, more expensive but extraordinary for browsing.
Free to browse, €20–30 for groceriesLunch — socca and pan bagnat in Nice
Socca is Nice's street food: a thick chickpea pancake cooked in a wood oven, eaten hot with black pepper. Pan bagnat is a tuna-stuffed Niçoise sandwich. Both are cheap, filling, and utterly local.
€5–8 per personAfternoon rest and grocery shop
Kids are probably running on fumes after the overnight train. Afternoon rest is smart. Hit an Intermarché or Carrefour Market for dinner supplies: ratatouille vegetables, crusty baguette, camembert, crème fraîche.
€20–28Cook ratatouille with baguette and cheese
Ratatouille is one of the easiest French dishes to cook — chop courgette, eggplant, tomato, capsicum, and cook it all down in olive oil with garlic and herbs. Serve with a good baguette and camembert. Very cheap, very French.
Included in groceriesWhere to eat
French boulangerie near apartment
A croissant and pain au chocolat from a proper boulangerie costs €1.20–1.80 each. This is the correct French breakfast. Add a café crème for adults.
Socca stall, Cours Saleya market
Socca from Chez Thérésa (the famous cart at Cours Saleya) is the real deal — come before noon when it's fresh. Cost about €3.50 per serving.
Home-cooked ratatouille
Make it the night before if you have leftovers — ratatouille is actually better the second day. Serve with hunks of baguette, salted butter, and a wedge of camembert.
Nice to Milan or Turin by Train — Final Day in Italy
Final boulangerie run — stock up for the train
Buy croissants, pain au chocolat, fruit, and a few slices of quiche from the boulangerie for the train. This is cheaper and better than anything you'll buy on board.
€10–14Train Nice to Milan or Turin (Trenitalia/SNCF)
The coastal route from Nice into Italy is breathtaking — sit on the right side of the train heading east. The track hugs the Italian Riviera. Takes about 2.5–4 hours depending on your stop.
€25–60 per adult booked aheadArrive Milan or Turin — apartment check-in
Turin is underrated, cheaper than Milan, and Italy's food capital (birthplace of Slow Food, espresso culture, and gianduiotto chocolate). Milan is more glamorous but pricier. Both have excellent transport.
Pre-bookedMercato di Porta Palazzo (Turin) or Mercato Wagner (Milan)
Porta Palazzo in Turin is one of Europe's largest open-air markets and genuinely extraordinary — cheap, chaotic, incredible produce. Buy your final Italian dinner supplies here: pasta, San Marzano tomatoes, parmigiano, prosciutto.
€20–30 for groceriesAperitivo hour — the Italian budget hack
In Turin especially, many bars still do the old-school aperitivo deal: pay €5–8 for a drink (Aperol Spritz, Campari) and get FREE access to a buffet of snacks, nibbles, and small bites. This is dinner in disguise — load your plate.
€5–8 per adult (kids get food free or a juice)Final night — cook pasta al pomodoro
The simplest, most perfect Italian dinner: fresh pasta, San Marzano tomatoes, good olive oil, garlic, and a mountain of freshly grated parmigiano. Buy fresh pasta from the market — it takes 2 minutes to cook. This is the meal that ends the trip.
Included in groceriesWhere to eat
Boulangerie before departure (Nice) then Italian bar on arrival
When you arrive in Italy, do as Italians do: stand at the bar, order a caffè (espresso) and a cornetto (Italian croissant). It costs €1.20 standing, triple at a table. Always stand.
Aperitivo buffet spread, Turin bar
Make this your main meal — Turin's aperitivo tradition is genuinely free-flowing food. Go around 4–5pm when the spread is fresh. Kids can eat from the buffet while you have a drink.
Home-cooked pasta al pomodoro
Buy fresh pasta at Porta Palazzo — it's pennies and leagues better than dried. Add good olive oil, a tin of San Marzano tomatoes, one garlic clove, and finish with real parmigiano. Perfect last meal.
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