Duration: 13 Days
A round-trip featuring all the highlights of Spain and Portugal. Spend time in the pilgrimage center of Fátima, join a family on their stud farm in the Alentejo and explore the icons left behind by Catholic kings and Moorish sultans. Day 1
Welcome to Madrid
The fiery Spanish capital of Madrid paves the way for an unforgettable journey through centuries of history and cultural highlights across the Iberian Peninsula. Embrace la buena vida and soak up the vibrant city atmosphere, before joining your fellow travelers and Travel Director for a Welcome Dinner and orientation of the city.
Day 2
Journey to Cuenca and Valencia
Witness the dramatic honey-colored clifftop hanging houses of Cuenca, before your journey continues to Valencia, renowned for its modern verve and spirit of innovation. An orientation drive will include views of the 14th-century Towers of Serrano and Quart, and the City of Arts and Sciences, a large-scale urban recreation center for culture and science and designed by Santiago Calatrava. This evening, consider indulging in Valencia’s fragrant flavors and aromas of paella."
Day 3
Off to Unique Guadix and on to Granada
We travel through the Sierra Nevadas bound for Guadix, where we’ll witness how generations of locals have carved cozy abodes into their rocky surrounds. We'll view the troglodyte cave dwellings that blend effortlessly into the surrounding ochre landscape. Then, journey through the jagged Mora Pass to Granada, the last stronghold of the Moors in Europe. This evening, sample the hearty flavors of Andalusia during a special Regional Dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 4
Onwards to Córdoba and Seville
Tread in the footsteps of Spain's last emirs, joining your Local Specialist for a visit to the incredible Alhambra, with its amazing palaces, gardens and fountains. Inspired by poetry, the architecture is said to be a reflection of paradise as described in Islamic verse. Immerse yourself in the tranquil atmosphere in quiet courtyards, follow its colossal ancient walls and admire the ornate stone carvings. We then leave Granada behind for Córdoba where we'll join a Local Specialist to visit the mesmerizing Mosque of the Caliphs, a jewel of Hispano-Islamic art featuring striking arches and Byzantine mosaics. Our final stop for the day is alluring Seville, our home for the next three nights.
Day 5
Uncover the Secrets of Seville
Seville takes center stage today as we explore this charismatic city. We'll see the symbolic Giralda Bell Tower with a Local Specialist, then visit the Maria Luisa Park, home of the 1929 Exposition. The park was built in Moorish style and features half a mile of fountains, ponds, pavilions and lush plantings. We'll walk through the imposing Plaza de España and visit the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world, where the explorer Christopher Columbus is entombed. Consider an Optional Experience this evening to witness the twirling of colorful skirts and rhythmic clapping of castanets at a fiery flamenco performance.
Day 6
Admire the Sights of Jerez and Cádiz Dive Into Culture
We indulge in the aromatic flavors of Jerez today as we Dive Into Culture and into the centuries-old tradition of Spanish sherry production. The quiet plazas of romantic Cádiz are our next stop. Tread in the footsteps of Columbus, who used this historic port city as his launchpad to the 'New World', and see the exotic plants and trees dotted throughout the city, said to have been brought here by him upon his return.
Day 7
Venture to Évora Connect with Locals
Leaving the zesty scents of Seville behind, we head to the golden landscapes of the Alentejo, where the Brito Paes family await our arrival for a special lunch on their traditional stud ranch, which has been rearing Lusitano horses since the 18th century. This Be My Guest experience takes place in the home of their ancestors before we continue to Évora for a guided sightseeing tour. With a Local Specialist we will visit Evora's cathedral, Roman temple and Chapel of Bones. Tonight, enjoy dinner at our hotel.
Day 8
On to Lively Lisbon Dive Into Culture
We arrive in the seafaring Portuguese capital of Lisbon this afternoon, where we'll join a Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour. A particular highlight of this afternoon is an opportunity to Dive Into Culture at the UNESCO-listed Hieronymite Monastery, an exquisite testament to 16th-century Manueline architecture and art.
Day 9
Lisbon Your Way
Today is yours to connect with the Portuguese capital. Relax at a sidewalk café with a creamy pasteis de nata and venture to the Castle of São Jorge and admire the sea of pastel pinks, yellows and blues that clad Lisbon's seven hills. You may choose to join an Optional Experience to the historic towns of Cascais and Sintra.
Day 10
Pilgrimage to Fátima and on to Salamanca
Follow the road taken by pilgrims over the last 100 years to the Shrine at Fátima, a site of celebrated religious miracles. We leave Portugal, traveling to the historic Spanish city of Salamanca with its golden-hued façades and ancient university heritage, where we will visit its 18th-century Plaza Mayor.
Day 11
Continue to Toledo and Madrid Dive Into Culture
See the walled city of Ávila, the city of Saint Teresa of Ávila. We then arrive in the clifftop city of Toledo and join a Local Specialist for a guided walk through its streets. We'll visit the Church of Santo Tomé, home to one of El Greco's most famous paintings – 'The Burial of the Count of Orgaz' and the former Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca. Later, Dive Into Culture and witness local craftsmen at work creating inlaid steel the traditional way. We arrive in Madrid this evening, our home for the next two nights.
Day 12
Explore Fiery Madrid
This morning, we join a Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour of Madrid, where we’ll see the Royal Palace, Cibeles Fountain and Retiro Park, originally created as a retreat for the royal family. Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the city on your own terms. Admire the world's finest collection of Spanish art at the Prado Museum, indulge in some last-minute shopping on Gran Vía or consider an Optional Experience to the medieval UNESCO-listed city of Segovia. This evening marks the end of our memorable journey through the Iberian Peninsula. Join your fellow companions and Travel Director for a Farewell Dinner.
Day 13
Adiós Madrid
For now it's time to say a fond farewell to our traveling companions, your Travel Director and the beauty of Spain and Portugal at the end of a memorable holiday. Find out more about your free airport transfer at trafalgar.com/freetransfers.
- 12 Breakfast (B)
- 5 Dinner (D)
- 1 Lunch (L)
- Panoias-Ourique: Saddle up for a superb stud farm visit, the tragic story of unrequited love and a traditional home-cooked Be My Guest lunch with Tiago and Vera in Portugal's beautiful Alentejo.
- Toledo: The invincible swords of Toledo have defended cities for centuries. Visit an inlaid steel factory in Toledo to see local craftsmen forging the highest quality steel.
- Lisbon: Visit the Hieronymite Monastery, a former monastery of the Order of Saint Jerome and exquisite example of Manueline architecture.
- Jerez de la Frontera: Sample the famous sherry tradition in the southern Spanish city of Jerez, which has been making wine since ancient times.
- Madrid: See the highlights of the city with your Local Specialist. Visit the Old Town, traveling along the elegant Paseo de la Castellana, past the Cibeles fountain, Cervantes Monument and Royal Palace.
- Toledo: Explore this magnificent ancient city with your Local Specialist and visit the Church of Santo Tomé to see an El Greco masterpiece.
- Avila: View the impressive city walls that define Ávila's Old Town.
- Fátima: Join the faithful at one of the world's holiest sites and pay homage at the Chapel of the Apparitions or see the basilica.
- Salamanca: See the Salamanca's golden Plaza Mayor, voted one of the most beautiful central plazas in Spain.
- Lisbon: Explore with your Local Specialist, from the Lower Town, beneath the hilltop Bairro Alto to the Terreiro do Paco. Visit the Belém Quarter to see the modern Monument to the Discoveries and the medieval Belém Tower.
- Évora: Explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site with your Local Specialist and see the famous Roman Temple. Witness the fascinating cathedral and its mix of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
- Cádiz: See the cathedral, Teatro Romano, the monumental Puerta de Tierra and enjoy a walk along Paseo Maritimo.
- Seville: Guided by your Local Specialist, see the Giralda Tower, former minaret of the Great Mosque and now the cathedral's belltower. Explore the narrow streets of the Santa Cruz Quarter and emerge by the great walls of the Alcazar.
- Granada: Visit the famous Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens. Explore with a Local Specialist keen to share insights into this Moorish landmark.
- Córdoba: Explore the incredible Mezquita with your Local Specialist. Admire the forest of horseshoe arches and learn how this building symbolises many of Córdoba's religious changes over the centuries.
- Guadix: See the cave homes that embellish the hills around Guadix.
- Valencia: See the ultra-modern Center of Arts and Sciences and the historic bullring of Valencia during an orientation drive with your Travel Director.
- Madrid: Drive through central Madrid and see some of the city's famous features during an orientation with your Travel Director.
- : Explore Córdoba, Seville, Évora, Lisbon, Toledo and Madrid with a Local Specialist
- : Discover Valencia, Cádiz and Salamanca
- : Visit the Alhambra Palace in Granada, the Cathedral Mosque in Córdoba, Seville Cathedral, the Cathedral of Évora, the Hieronymite Monastery in Lisbon, Plaza Mayor in Salamanca and the Church of Santo Tomé and the Synagogue in Toledo
- : View the Hanging Houses of Cuenca, the Towers of Serrano and Quart and the City of Arts and Sciences complex in Valencia, the Shrine at Fátima and the Cave Houses of Guadix
- : An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- : Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- : All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- : All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- : Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- : Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
- : Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- : Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- : Optional Experiences and free time
Start Date: 2023-10-01
End Date: 2023-10-13
twin
Adult Price: $4525
Child Price: $4115
twinShare
Adult Price: $4525
Child Price: $3725
triple
Adult Price: $4475
Child Price: $4065
single
Adult Price: $4935
Start Date: 2023-10-08
End Date: 2023-10-20
twin
Adult Price: $4525
Child Price: $4115
twinShare
Adult Price: $4525
triple
Adult Price: $4475
Child Price: $4065
single
Adult Price: $5205
Start Date: 2023-10-15
End Date: 2023-10-27
twin
Adult Price: $4525
Child Price: $4115
twinShare
Adult Price: $4525
triple
Adult Price: $4475
Child Price: $4065
single
Adult Price: $5205
Start Date: 2023-10-22
End Date: 2023-11-03
twin
Adult Price: $4395
Child Price: $3985
twinShare
Adult Price: $4395
triple
Adult Price: $4345
Child Price: $3935
single
Adult Price: $5075
