Highlights of Spain & Portugal - 9 Days

Welcome to the start of your 9 day tour of Spain and Portugal! On arrival in Madrid, make your way to the hotel to meet up with your tour leader and the other travellers in the tour group. Depending on your arrival time, you may have time to explore Madrid, or alternatively relax in the comforts of the hotel. This evening, you will get your first taste of Spain with dinner included, giving you a great opportunity to meet the other travellers in the group.

This morning, we leave Madrid and head to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Toledo. You are sure to fall in love with this charming medieval town, with its Gothic architecture and its impressive Cathedral. The tour continues south to the Moorish city of Granada. This afternoon, a walking tour is included to give you a great insight into this beautiful region of Spain

Sit back and relax, as we take you on a journey through Andalusia. This area is famous for Flamenco, tapas, matadors and bullfighting. Our first stop is Ronda, which is famous for its ‘Puente Nuevo’ (New Bridge) that divides the city and offers dramatic views of the surrounding countryside. Once you have explored Ronda, we head to Seville for a two night stay in a comfortable hotel. You will have time to freshen up before heading out to see the old town and many other sights on an included walking tour of the city.

Legend has it that Seville was founded by Hercules, and it has certainly had a colourful history it was named Hispalis by the Romans and Isbiliya by the Moors. With a full free day, you will have all the time in the world to explore this beautiful and pleasingly compact city. Seville is famous for its flamenco, tapas bars and orange bars. The cobbled streets of the old town make for a pleasing morning stroll, while in the afternoon you may wish to visit the Metropol Parasol for amazing views, the palaces of Alcázar Casa de Pilatos or the Museum of Flamenco.

Today we travel to Lisbon, Portugal! Watch the countryside glide past from the comfort of your coach. Upon arrival in Lisbon we take you on an orientation tour of the capital, from the imposing Sao Jorge Castle to the pastel colours of the old town, Lisbon has it all.

Today is your free day to explore Lisbon on your own. See Lisbon’s landmarks, including the Monument to the Discoveries and the Belém Tower or discover the hill top district of Bairro Alto, with dozens of restaurants and bars lining the narrow streets and lots to see and do. Fado music is unique to Portugal, and is arguably the oldest urban folk music in the world – you are sure to discover bars in this area playing this type of music.

We continue our tour of Portugal and enter into Porto – the second largest city and one of the oldest European centres. You tour leader will take you on a driving tour of Porto, where you will see Ponte deLuis – a stunning bridge which crosses the River Douro, the Clerigos Tower and many other famous landmarks. One of Portugal’s famous exports is port wine, which is named after Porto, and you will have the opportunity to taste it this afternoon at the included Port tasting.

It is time to depart Portugal and travel back to Spain, as our journey today takes us through the countryside. Once we arrive into Salamanca, you will have time to freshen up at the hotel and enjoy some free time. We recommend you visit the old town and go up the Cathedral Bell Tower, which offers amazing panoramic views of the town and its surroundings. To cap off the evening, we have dinner included, and this is your chance to taste the famous Spanish tapas!

Today is the last day of your Spanish & Portuguese tour. This morning we depart Salamanca and travel to Avila, where we take a comfort stop. Avila is notable for its many Romanesque and Gothic churches, and the famous and incredibly well preserved medieval walls. We then continue onto the capital Madrid, where the tour will conclude in the afternoon.

Optional: Barcelona Bolt On

To extend your tour to 12 days, there is an optional 3-night Barcelona bolt-on. On day 9 of your tour, you will be transferred to Madrid central train station for the onward one-way journey to the Catalon capital, Barcelona. Upon arrival, make your way to your centrally located hotel for a 3 night stay. This post tour option is unescorted and includes plenty of free time, which you can choose to spend as you wish. Please contact us for more information.

• 8 nights’ accommodationin twin rooms with private en-suite facilities. Single travellers have the option to pay a single supplement to ensure a private room.
• 8 breakfasts, 4 dinners
• All taxes and fees
• Any public transport used as part of the tour (excludes free days)
• Modern air conditioned coachwith reclining seats, TV for showing DVDs, and toilet.
• 9 Experiences(including guided walking tours, orientation walks, driving tours of cities plus other exciting experiences)

Optional Excursions

Optional excursions are payable in cash currency to your tour leader whilst on tour.

• Barcelona bolt-on
• Sintra & Cascais Half-Day Trip
• Algarve Beach Lunch
• Dinner and Fado Show
• Flamenco Dinner Show
• Douro River Cruise