17-Day Best of Spain & Portugal

Enjoy a guided tour of this amazing city with its historic landmarks, beautiful gardens, bustling squares, thriving nightlife and incredible shopping. Visit Plaza de Oriente, Royal Palace of Madrid, Madrid Cathedral, Plaza de la Villa, Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Puerta de Alcalá and the Prado Museum. The afternoon is yours to perhaps enter Prado Museum, the Royal Palace, the exquisite gardens of Retiro Park or just relax.

Enjoy a full day excursion to the UNESCO World Heritage town Toledo that hosted Christian, Muslim and Jewish cultures. Enjoy a guided walking tour of the Imperial City’s old town located on a mountain with a 150-degree view. Visit the imposing Alcázar fortress, Toledo’s impressive Cathedral, the Bridge of San Martin and the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes. Afterward, enjoy leisure time for an independent lunch, perhaps a visit to a Damascene steel workshop or a tasting at a Marzipan store, before returning to Madrid.

Journey by train through Castilla–La Mancha, a symbol of Spanish culture with its vineyards, sunflowers, mushrooms and olive plantations. On arrival in Cordoba, you will be whisked away to a winery for wine tasting at a vineyard and scrumptious lunch at a nearby restaurant, before checking into your Córdoba hotel.

Today explore Córdoba, the most populated city in the world during the 10th century when it was the capital of an Islamic Kingdom. Enjoy a guided tour to the UNESCO World Heritage Listed old town including ‘Mezquita’ or the Great Mosque. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at your leisure.

oday visit the UNESCO World Heritage Listed towns of Úbeda and Baeza, famed for their outstanding early examples of Italian Renaissance architecture introduced to Spain in the 16th Century. Enjoy time to stroll the towns and be treated to a tasting of olive oil, Andalusia’s world-famous export. Continue to Granada, where the evening is yours to stroll the streets of this stunning town, located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

Enjoy a guided tour of Palace Alhambra, one of the world’s most beautiful examples of Islamic architecture with its exquisite rooms and gardens. The afternoon is free to enjoy at your leisure to perhaps explore El Albayzín, the Medieval Moorish district with narrow winding streets and stunning views to Alhambra. Alhambra and Albayzín are UNESCO World Heritage Listed sites.

Depart for the beautiful ‘white village’ of Ronda, perched atop a deep canyon with its three impressive bridges and Real Maestranza de Caballeria de Ronda, the oldest bullfighting ring in Spain. Enjoy time to wander the town before continuing to Seville in Andalusia, Spain’s 4th largest city and the home of Flamenco. You will have time to relax and freshen up before an organized dinner and flamenco performance.

Enjoy a guided walking tour of Seville, an economic centre of the Spanish Empire and Europe’s 3rd largest old town. Visit the 14th century Alcázar Palace, the oldest European royal residence still in use. Continue to Seville Cathedral, the world’s largest. Both Palace and Cathedral are UNESCO World Heritage listed sites. Finish by exploring ‘Barrio de Santa Cruz’, the old Jewish quarter. The quarter’s labyrinth of narrow streets and alleys were designed to protect locals from the summer sun. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Today you will make your way to Portugal and discover the ancient Portugese village of Tavira, where you will have some leisure time to explore. Continue on to your accomodation in Albufeira.

Enjoy a day of leisure exploring the famed Albufeira coast, featuring magnificent beaches and multi-hued cliffs.

Continue on to Portugal’s capital, Lisbon – one of the oldest cities in the world that dates to 1200BC. Meet in the hotel lobby in the afternoon for a guided city sightseeing tour including the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower. The monastery, now home to the Maritime and National Archaeology Museum, contains exquisite ornate features and shrine like entrances. The Belém Tower is iconic and played a significant role in Portuguese maritime discoveries. After tasting the famous Pastéis de Belém, continue to Alfama, the oldest part of city, that remains a picturesque labyrinth of narrow streets and small squares.

Enjoy an excursion to Sintra, home to royal retreats, estates and castles dotted amongst the Sintra Mountains and Natural Park. This landscape is UNESCO World Heritage Listed. Visit Pena National Palace, a national monument and one of Portugal’s Seven Wonders. Continue to the former fishing village of Cascais, before returning to Lisbon.

The day is yours to explore Lisbon at your leisure. Options include visiting the shopping district of Chiado, the bustling Bairro Alto district or the Castelo de Sao Jorge for its spectacular views. In the evening, enjoy tickets to a dinner with a Fado show of traditional Portuguese music.

Visit the quaint hilltop village of Óbidos. Surrounded by medieval walls, the former Roman settlement features a unique city gate decorated with intricate tiles and paintings, cobbled streets and a Moorish Castle. Continue to the charming and picturesque seaside town of Aveiro, complete with canals, small bridges and traditional building façades made of glazed ceramic tiles and painted in a variety of colours and patterns. Afterward continue to Porto, a beautiful city built on the hillside of the Douro River.

Enjoy a guided walking tour of Porto’s UNESCO World Heritage historic centre with its beautiful period buildings and winding narrow streets overlooking the Douro riverfront. The tour includes the Stock Exchange Palace, the Ribeira District and a visit and tasting to one of the town’s famous underground Port cellars. Finish with a wonderful cruise along the Douro River on a traditional Ribero. Did you know that Porto is the place where JK Rowling was inspired to write her Harry Potter books? The rest of the day is available to self-explore.

Today, we travel to the enchanting UNESCO World Heritage listed Alto Douro region, where landholders have been producing wine for over 2000 years. Visit a winery for a tour, wine tasting and closing tour lunch before returning to Porto for your ongoing journey.

You have the option to continue through to Madrid with a potential 2-night stay in Salamanca OR cruise the Duoro River.