Cultural Journey Through Spain and Portugal - 14 Days

Welcome to Madrid. We’ll meet you on arrival and transfer you to your hotel. You’ll have free time to settle in or explore at your own pace. In the afternoon, please check the information boards at hotel reception – they display the schedule and details for the start of your tour. Please note: This tour may have travellers joining or departing at various points along the route, meaning group composition can change during the tour. Please also be aware that depending on group composition, guiding may be in additional languages as well as English.

We leave Madrid early and travel across Castile and León, with a planned stop in Tordesillas to hear about the town’s history and enjoy a coffee in the main square. We then continue to León, where there is time for lunch and for you to visit the impressive Gothic cathedral in this key city on the Camino de Santiago. In the afternoon we cross the Cantabrian Range into Asturias, arriving in Oviedo in the evening. We include a 90‑minute city tour with a local guide, scheduled either this evening or tomorrow morning, taking in the 9th‑century cathedral, the Congress Palace of Oviedo, the Campoamor Theatre and Calle de la Rua. A traditional Asturian dinner is included at a typical cider house. Please note – depending on group size, the Madrid–León sector may be operated by train or standard transport, in which case the stop in Tordesillas will not be included.

We leave Oviedo for the Picos de Europa and begin with a visit to the Basilica of Covadonga. From here we follow the Cantabrian coast to Santillana del Mar, one of Spain’s most beautifully preserved medieval towns, and we visit the nearby Altamira Cave Museum – tickets included. Later we continue to Santander, the regional capital, for an included panoramic tour with a local guide, taking in its elegant waterfront and sweeping bay views.

After breakfast, we travel to Bilbao for a guided tour of the Basque Country’s largest city and leading cultural and economic centre. A highlight is the Guggenheim Museum, famed for its striking architecture – you then have free time to wander the area or visit the museum if you wish. Later, we continue into La Rioja, renowned for its wines, and visit the Wine Culture Museum in Briones to explore the region’s winemaking heritage. We arrive in Zaragoza in the evening.

We start with a morning panoramic tour of Zaragoza with a local guide, taking in the Cathedral–Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar. We then explore the legacy of Goya and view the Roman theatre and a Renaissance palace, before a stroll by the Aljafería Palace. After lunch, we travel east into Catalonia to visit Poblet Abbey – a remarkable walled monastery set amid striking scenery – with tickets included. We continue to Barcelona, arriving in the evening.

In the morning, we take a panoramic tour of Barcelona – a Mediterranean city known for Gaudí’s modernist architecture, its lively Ramblas and the legacy of its World Expositions and Olympic Games. We finish at Maremagnum, the waterfront leisure and dining complex by Columbus Square, where you can wander along the seafront. The afternoon is at leisure for you to explore independently. We return to the hotel at the end of the day.

Leaving Barcelona, we travel south along the Mediterranean coast, stopping in Peñíscola – a medieval walled town beside sweeping beaches – where you’ll have time for a stroll. We continue to Valencia, arriving around lunchtime. In the afternoon, we include a guided tour with a local expert of this historic port on the Levantine coast, where landmarks from different eras sit alongside the striking City of Arts and Sciences. After the visit, you’ll have free time to explore as you wish. We round off the day with an included traditional local dinner.

We continue through the Valencian Community to Alicante, a Mediterranean city of golden sands and a characterful historic quarter – the Castle of Santa Bárbara is a standout landmark. You’ll have free time for a stroll. We then travel across the arid landscapes of the Murcia region, with a stop en route for lunch. Reaching Andalusia, we pause in Guadix, noted for its inhabited cave houses. Its historic centre combines a Renaissance cathedral with traditional neighbourhoods and views towards the Sierra Nevada. We continue to Granada, arriving in the late afternoon – dinner is included.

We spend a full day in Granada. If included, we visit the Alhambra and its Generalife Gardens – masterpieces from the Arab era. In the afternoon, you have free time to explore the city – you could visit the cathedral, which holds the tombs of the Catholic Monarchs.

Important information: entry to the Alhambra is strictly regulated by law. To secure admission, tickets are issued once your tour reservation is confirmed, and you must provide accurate personal details at booking – full name and passport/ID number. Ticket costs are non-refundable in case of cancellation. In rare cases where the Alhambra visit is not possible, we will instead tour the Royal Alcázar of Seville, which offers similar historical and architectural significance.

Leaving Granada, we travel through spectacular landscapes as we skirt the Sierra Nevada, then follow the Mediterranean along the Tropical Coast – known for its mild microclimate and crops such as guavas, mangoes and avocados, and formerly sugar cane. We pause in Nerja to admire its cliffs before continuing to Málaga, capital of the Costa del Sol, where you have time for lunch and a stroll through the historic centre. In the afternoon we head into the Andalusian sierras to reach Ronda, a stunning white town famed for the dramatic gorge that divides it in two. We continue to Seville, arriving in the late afternoon – dinner is included at the hotel.

This morning we explore Seville on a guided city tour, taking in the cathedral and its Giralda, the banks of the Guadalquivir River and the characterful neighbourhoods of Santa Cruz and Triana. After the tour, we enjoy an included boat cruise on the Guadalquivir for sweeping views of the city from the water. In the evening, you can choose to attend a flamenco tablao.

We leave Seville, travelling through gentle hills and broad pasturelands towards Extremadura. In Mérida, we include entry to the Archaeological Ensemble – featuring the impressively preserved Roman theatre and amphitheatre – a World Heritage Site. You’ll have time for lunch and a stroll through the pedestrian historic centre before we continue into Portugal. We stop in Évora – also a World Heritage Site – known for its whitewashed streets, Renaissance palaces and cathedral, then arrive in Lisbon in the evening.

This morning we explore Lisbon on a guided sightseeing tour – the Portuguese capital of seven hills – taking in its historic alleys, tiled facades and Atlantic light. We also visit Belém, the riverside district from which Portuguese navigators set sail in the 15th century.

The afternoon is yours to explore at your own pace – you might wander up to Bairro Alto for its viewpoints – or you can join an optional excursion to Sintra, Cascais and Estoril. In the evening, we collect you from lively Restauradores Square – lined with bars and cafés – for the return to the hotel.

After breakfast, we conclude our journey in Lisbon – the tour ends here, leaving you with lasting memories.