Epic Iberian Adventure from Madrid to Barcelona - 18 Days

Welcome to Madrid. On arrival at the airport, we’ll transfer you to your hotel, after which you’ll have free time until the tour begins. Please check the information signs at reception for details of the welcome meeting with your guide and fellow travellers.

In the evening, we’ll provide a transfer to Plaza Mayor and La Latina – Madrid’s best known area for nightlife and tapas. You can choose where to dine, with plenty of options including Spanish, Indian, Chinese and Middle Eastern cuisines. 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.

This morning we set off on a comprehensive tour of central Madrid, taking in Paseo del Prado, the fountains of Cibeles and Neptuno, Puerta de Alcalá, Plaza de Colón and Plaza Mayor. We then continue to El Retiro Park to see the lake and the Palacio de Cristal. Admission is included to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium – home of Real Madrid. The afternoon is yours to spend as you wish, and in the evening we provide a return transfer to the hotel.

We leave Madrid and travel west to Mérida, capital of Extremadura, where we visit the Roman Theatre and Amphitheatre archaeological complex – tickets included – a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its state of preservation. You’ll have time for lunch in the pedestrianised historic centre, lively with cafés and restaurants. We then continue into Portugal and stop in Évora, another UNESCO World Heritage city, noted for its white streets, Renaissance palaces and cathedral. We arrive in Lisbon in the evening.

This morning we set out on a panoramic tour of Lisbon, the city of seven hills, taking in its narrow lanes, iconic tiles, a sense of saudade and the clear Atlantic light. We also visit Belém – the riverside neighbourhood from which Portuguese navigators set sail in the 15th century. The afternoon is free – you can wander at your own pace or head to Bairro Alto and its viewpoint, or join an optional excursion to Sintra, Cascais and Estoril. In the evening, we return to the hotel with a transfer from lively Restauradores Square, known for its bars and cafés.

We travel north from Lisbon to Fátima, one of Portugal’s most important pilgrimage sites, with time to visit the sanctuary. We then continue to Porto – the country’s second city. After lunch, we enjoy a 50 minute cruise on the Douro aboard a traditional rabelo boat, once used to transport Port wine, for a different view of the riverfront and its bridges. Afterwards, you’ll have free time to explore the medieval Ribeira district, known for its narrow lanes, historic merchant houses and inviting cafés, before we head to the hotel.

We leave Porto for Braga, where we ride the world’s oldest water powered cable car up to the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus – expect superb views from the top. After time to explore, you may choose to walk down its picturesque staircase.

We continue into Galicia to Cambados or O Grove in the Rías Baixas, where we board a boat with glass panels in the hull on the Ría de Arousa to learn about mussel and oyster cultivation, with wine and mussel tasting on board. Around lunchtime we arrive in Santiago de Compostela for a guided city tour, exploring its medieval streets and renowned pilgrimage landmarks dating back to the Middle Ages.

We travel along the Way of St James to Lugo, with time to explore the historic centre and its UNESCO-listed Roman walls. We continue to O Cebreiro, a traditional Galician stone village, before reaching León around lunchtime. In León we visit the magnificent Gothic cathedral, renowned for its stained-glass windows, and enjoy a stroll through the old quarter. We then cross the Cantabrian Range into Asturias, arriving in Oviedo by evening. A guided city tour is included either on arrival or the following morning, lasting about an hour and a half and taking in the cathedral dating from the ninth century, the Calatrava Congressional Palace, the Campoamor Theatre and Calle de la Rua. Dinner is included in a traditional Asturian cider house.

We leave Oviedo and drive into the Picos de Europa for a visit to the Basilica of Covadonga. Continuing along the Cantabrian coast, we reach Santillana del Mar to see its remarkably preserved medieval quarter. Nearby, we visit the Altamira Cave Museum – tickets included – dedicated to the region’s prehistoric cave art. Later, we travel to Santander, capital of Cantabria, and take a panoramic tour with a local guide to admire this elegant coastal city and its beautiful bay.

After breakfast, we head to Bilbao for a guided tour of the Basque Country’s largest city – the region’s main economic and cultural hub. A highlight is the Guggenheim Museum, renowned for its striking architecture. You’ll have free time to stroll around the area or visit the museum if you wish.

Later, we continue into La Rioja, celebrated for its wines, and visit the Wine Culture Museum in Briones to learn about the long tradition of winemaking. We arrive in Zaragoza in the evening.

This morning we take a panoramic tour of Zaragoza with a local guide – we begin at the Cathedral–Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, explore works by Goya, continue to the Roman theatre and a Renaissance palace, and finish with a stroll by the Aljafería Palace. After lunch, we travel into Catalonia to visit Poblet Abbey – a striking walled monastery and one of the best preserved medieval sites, with tickets included. We then continue to Barcelona, arriving in the evening.

This morning we take a panoramic tour of Barcelona – a Mediterranean city celebrated for Gaudí and its modernist architecture, its lively Ramblas, and the legacy of its World Expositions and Olympic Games. The tour ends at Maremagnum, a contemporary waterfront complex by the sea next to Columbus Square, where you can stroll through this vibrant area. The afternoon is at leisure to explore as you wish. We return to the hotel at the end of the day.

We travel south along the Mediterranean coast, stopping in Peniscola – a medieval walled town set beside beautiful beaches – for time to stroll. We then continue to Valencia, arriving around lunchtime. In the afternoon we take a guided tour with a local expert, discovering this port city on the Levantine coast with over 2,000 years of history. You’ll see how monuments from different eras contrast with the modern architecture of the City of Arts and Sciences. After the tour, you’ll have free time to explore at your own pace before we come together for an included traditional local dinner.

We continue through the Valencian Community’s gentle landscapes and pause in Alicante, a Mediterranean city that blends golden sandy beaches with a charming historic quarter. You’ll have free time to explore at your own pace – the Castle of Santa Bárbara dominates the skyline. We then cross Murcia’s arid scenery, stopping en route for lunch. Entering Andalusia, we make our first visit in Guadix, renowned for its inhabited cave houses and a historic quarter that brings together the Renaissance cathedral, traditional neighbourhoods and views of the Sierra Nevada. We continue to Granada, arriving in the late afternoon – dinner is included.

We spend a full day in Granada. If your tour includes entry, we visit the Alhambra Palace and its exquisite Generalife gardens – masterpieces from the city’s Arab era. In the afternoon, you have free time to explore – you might visit the cathedral, which houses the tombs of the Catholic Monarchs.

Important information: Admission to the Alhambra is strictly regulated. To secure your place, we issue tickets when your tour is confirmed, and it is essential that the personal details you provide at booking – full name and passport/ID number – are accurate. Ticket costs are not refundable in case of cancellation. In the rare event a visit to the Alhambra is not possible, we will instead tour Seville’s Royal Alcázar, which offers comparable historical and architectural significance.

We leave Granada and skirt the Sierra Nevada before following the Mediterranean along the Tropical Coast – a region with a mild year-round microclimate where guava, mango and avocado are grown, and where sugar cane was cultivated in the past. We stop in Nerja, a seaside town framed by impressive cliffs, then continue to Málaga, capital of the Costa del Sol. You’ll have time for lunch and a relaxed stroll through the historic centre. Later, we head into the Andalusian sierras to reach Ronda, a classic white town famed for the gorge that splits it in two. We then continue to Seville, arriving in the late afternoon – dinner is included at the hotel.

This morning we explore Seville on a guided city tour – the vast Gothic cathedral and its Giralda, a former minaret now serving as the bell tower; the banks of the Guadalquivir; and the characterful neighbourhoods of Santa Cruz, the old Jewish quarter, and Triana, long linked with ceramics and flamenco. Afterwards, we enjoy an included boat cruise on the Guadalquivir for panoramic views of the city from the water. In the evening, you can choose to attend a flamenco tablao.

We leave Seville, following the Guadalquivir Valley to Córdoba, once the capital of the Caliphate. With a local guide we visit the magnificent Mosque–Cathedral – tickets included – then explore the Jewish Quarter with its narrow lanes and flower-filled patios. After lunch, we continue north into Castile and pause in Consuegra, where 12 windmills stand beside the castle above the La Mancha plain; we visit the Rucio mill before continuing to Madrid, arriving by day’s end.

After breakfast in Madrid, we conclude our journey – thank you for travelling with us, and we hope you leave with wonderful memories.