¡Bienvenidos a Espana! A cosmopolitan city, Madrid is the gateway to Spain’s arts, cuisine and architecture.
Upon arrival at Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD), make your way to your hotel for check-in, then spend the rest of the day at your leisure.
At 7pm, meet your tour director and fellow travellers at your hotel for a briefing on the adventure to come.
Enjoy a buffet breakfast at your hotel, then set out for a morning tour. From the busy squares of Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor and Plaza de la Villa to the storied streets of Barrio de Moreria, the Habsburg neighbourhood and the neoclassical Fountain of Neptune, discover Madrid with the direction of your local guide.
This afternoon is yours to enjoy at your own pace. You may like to join an optional half-day tour of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city of Toledo, a well-preserved medieval town with winding streets, an ornate cathedral and a fortress at its centre.
This evening, come together as a group for a welcome dinner at a local tapas restaurant.
Following breakfast at your hotel, bid farewell to Madrid and set off for Avila in the Spanish countryside. This UNESCO World Heritage-listed city is known for its intact medieval fortress walls around the perimeter. Take the time to explore this city at your leisure.
Later, reach Salamanca in the late afternoon and enjoy some free time to explore the town, home to one of the oldest operating universities in the world.
Travel time: Driving – approx. 2.5 hours
Rise, shine and board your private coach as you cross the border to Portugal. Stop first at Pinhao on the banks of the Douro River, known for its local vineyards and centenary cellars. Explore the small town, making sure not to miss its historic train station.
Continue to Porto, one of Europe’s oldest towns, and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Travel time: Driving – approx. five hours
Wake for a day discovering Porto on a guided tour. Admire the Porto Cathedral, the Stock Exchange Palace and Igreja de Santa Clara church.
Later, board your cruise for an easy ride along the waters of the Douro River, the city’s central lifeline, accompanied by a port wine tasting.
Back on land, spend your evening freely.
Travel time: Driving – approx. two hours
Douro River cruise
Fuel up at breakfast before setting out for Coimbra, the birthplace of fado – a popular style of traditional Portuguese music. Explore the historic centre of town, including the University of Coimbra and its Joanina Library – a Baroque-style building home to a colony of bats that protect their collection of more than 40,000 books by eating harmful insects.
Later, arrive in the city of Lisbon and check in for the evening at leisure.
Travel time: Driving – approx. 3.5 hours
After breakfast, it’s time to hit the streets of Lisbon on a morning sightseeing tour. Wander the main squares and avenues, passing Belem Tower and Jeronimos Monastery, a masterpiece of Manueline architecture where Vasco da Gama is entombed. See the Padrao dos Descobrimentos, or ‘Monument of the Discoverers’, on the northern bank of the Tagus River and the Marquis of Pombal Square.
Drive through central Lisbon, including Rossio Square and Liberty Avenue. In the evening, consider an optional traditional Portuguese dinner at one of Lisbon’s oldest Fado venues.
Spend the day exploring the town of Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage site. See popular Pena Palace, one of the most recognisable landmarks in Portugal. Explore the gardens of the 16th-century Quinta da Regaleira and make your way down the winding steps of the Initiation Well, a circular staircase of ancient stone now decorated by moss.
Continue to Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe, and end the day in Cascais, a coastal town known for its sandy beaches, before returning to Lisbon for the evening.
Travel time: Driving – approx. two hours
Tuck into breakfast before saying goodbye to Portugal as you travel to Merida. Capital of the western Spanish region of Extremadura, Merida’s famed Roman ruins date back to the 1st century BCE.
Spend time exploring the historic remains of this ancient colony, then continue onward to the Andalusian capital of Seville for the evening at your leisure.
Travel time: Driving – approx. five hours
Today, follow your guide on a tour of Seville. Stop at the Seville Cathedral, the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, and navigate the maze of Santa Cruz, the city’s Jewish Quarter.
Spend your afternoon meandering through the barrio at your own pace, or opt to join a walking tour of the city’s old town tabernas, a collection of small local tapas bars for an authentic taste of the city’s cuisine.
Fill up with a buffet breakfast at your hotel, then hit the road on your way to Cordoba. Founded in the 2nd century BCE, this historically Roman city is home to the Mezquita – a mosque-turned-cathedral dating back to the 8th century. The enormous mosque is an intricately constructed masterpiece of striped arches and wide halls, while the 16th-century cathedral at its heart tells the story of a changing Spain.
Continue on to Granada and check in at your hotel, then enjoy an evening spent at your leisure.
Travel time: Driving – approx. four hours
Prepare for the day over breakfast, then make your way to Alhambra Palace. This expansive hilltop fortress complex remains one of the most renowned examples of Islamic architecture in the world.
Spend your afternoon at leisure. In the evening, you may like to convene with your fellow adventurers for a traditional flamenco show over a Spanish dinner (surcharges apply).
Alhambra Palace visit
Depart Granada and travel onward to Ubeda. Take a leisurely stroll past the Renaissance palaces and squares of this Andalusian town, then join a tasting of the region’s prized extra virgin olive oil and a light lunch.
Later, arrive in Valencia, Spain’s third-largest city. Check into your hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure.
Travel time: Driving – approx. six hours
Olive oil tasting and light lunch
After breakfast, embark on a morning tour of Valencia. Visit the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, Valencia’s collection of cinemas, museums, public parks and plazas.
Depart in the afternoon for Catalonia. Upon arriving in the region’s capital, Barcelona, check in at your hotel for the rest of the day at your leisure.
Travel time: Driving – approx. four hours
Enjoy a day discovering Barcelona. Your first stop is Montjuic Mountain, offering views over Barcelona, as well as Montjuic Castle and the Magic Fountain.
As you return to the city centre, drive along Paseo de Gracia, one of Barcelona’s most significant avenues, home to some of famous architect Antoni Gaudi’s most recognisable works. Look up to the facades of Casa Batllo, with its skeletal balconies and colourful mosaics, as well as La Pedrera (Casa Mila), known for its stone facade and wrought-iron balconies.
Then, visit the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s most famous and ambitious work, under construction since 1882. Step inside to admire its intricate facades and towering spires and learn about Gaudi’s inspiration for the church’s design.
Choose to stay this afternoon to explore Las Ramblas, or enjoy a drink on the rooftop of your hotel looking out over the Sagrada (at own expense).
This evening, come together as a group for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
After one last breakfast, it’s time to say adios to the Iberian Peninsula as you check out and make your own way to Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) for your onward travel.
