Iberian Adventure Spain and Portugal Odyssey - 13 Days

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

In the evening, we’ll provide a transfer to Plaza Mayor – the historic heart of the city – and La Latina, a lively neighbourhood known for its tapas bars and nightlife. You can choose where to dine, with plenty of options nearby, 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.

We begin with a comprehensive tour of central Madrid, taking in Paseo del Prado, Cibeles, Neptuno, Puerta de Alcalá, Plaza de Colón and Plaza Mayor. We then visit Retiro Park in the city centre to see the lake and the Palacio de Cristal. Entry to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium – home of Real Madrid – is included. You have the afternoon at leisure to explore as you wish. In the evening, we provide a return transfer to the hotel.

We depart Madrid early, travelling south across La Mancha with a pause in Puerto Lápice – a classic Manchego village that evokes Don Quixote. Crossing the Despeñaperros pass into Andalusia, we continue to Granada, where lunch is included.

In the afternoon, if you have pre-booked the Alhambra option, you will visit the Alhambra Palace and its Generalife Gardens with a local guide – masterpieces from the Arab period.

Very important note: entry to the Alhambra is strictly regulated. Tickets are issued when your tour reservation is confirmed, and accurate personal details – full name and passport or ID number – must be provided at booking. Ticket costs are non-refundable if you cancel. In the rare event the Alhambra visit cannot be arranged, we will instead visit Seville’s Royal Alcázar, which offers similar historical and architectural significance.

We leave Granada, enjoying wide views as we skirt the Sierra Nevada before dropping to the Mediterranean. Our route follows the Tropical Coast – a mild microclimate that supports guava, mango and avocado cultivation, and historically, sugar cane.

We stop in Nerja, a seaside town backed by striking cliffs, then continue to Málaga, capital of the Costa del Sol with a lively historic centre. You’ll have time for lunch and a relaxed stroll through the centre at your own pace.

In the afternoon we head into the Andalusian sierras to reach Ronda, a classic white town famed for the deep gorge that splits it in two. We then continue to Seville, arriving in the late afternoon – dinner is included at the hotel.

Seville unfolds this morning on a guided city tour. We take in the cathedral and its Giralda bell tower, stroll the banks of the Guadalquivir, and explore the characterful neighbourhoods of Santa Cruz and Triana. After the tour, we unwind on an included boat cruise along the Guadalquivir – a relaxed way to admire the city from the water with panoramic views. In the evening, you can choose to experience a flamenco tablao.

We leave Seville, travelling through rolling hills and wide pasturelands towards Extremadura and Mérida. Admission is included to the Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida – home to the well‑preserved Roman theatre and amphitheatre and recognised as a World Heritage site. You’ll have time for lunch at leisure and a stroll through the pedestrian historic centre. We then continue into Portugal to stop in Évora – another World Heritage city known for its whitewashed streets, Renaissance palaces and cathedral – before arriving in Lisbon in the evening.

This morning we take a guided tour of Lisbon – the Portuguese capital of seven hills – exploring its narrow lanes and tiled facades, with its Atlantic light and a touch of saudade. We also visit Belém, the riverside quarter from which Portuguese navigators set sail in the 15th century. The afternoon is free – you can wander up to Bairro Alto and its viewpoint, or join an optional excursion to Sintra, Cascais and Estoril. In the evening, we provide a return transfer to the hotel from lively Restauradores Square, lined with bars and cafés.

We travel north from Lisbon to Fátima, an important pilgrimage site, then continue to Porto, the country’s second largest city. After time for lunch, we enjoy a 50 minute cruise on the Douro aboard a traditional Portuguese Rabelo boat – a great way to admire the city’s riverside. Afterwards, you have free time to explore the lively medieval Ribeira district, with its narrow streets, historic merchant houses and cafés, before we head to the hotel.

We leave Porto and travel through striking scenery to Braga, where we ride the world’s oldest water–operated cable car up to the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus for far–reaching views. After exploring the sanctuary, you can descend via its picturesque staircase if you wish. We then cross into Galicia to visit Cambados or O Grove in the Rías Baixas, where we embark on a glass–bottom boat trip along the Ría de Arousa to learn about mussel and oyster production – with wine and mussel tasting on board. Around lunchtime we arrive in Santiago de Compostela for a guided city tour with a local expert, exploring its medieval streets and renowned pilgrimage landmarks dating back to the Middle Ages.

We travel along the Way of St James to Lugo, where you’ll have time to explore the historic centre and see 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 historic centre. We then cross the Cantabrian Range into Asturias, arriving in Oviedo by evening. A city tour with a local guide is included either on arrival or the following morning – a 90 minute walk taking in the ninth century cathedral, the Calatrava Congressional Palace, the Campoamor Theatre and Calle de la Rua. Dinner is included in a traditional Asturian cider house.

We travel into the Picos de Europa, beginning with a visit to the Basilica of Covadonga. From here we follow the coast to Santillana del Mar, one of Spain’s most beautiful towns with a remarkably preserved medieval quarter. We also visit the nearby Altamira Cave Museum – tickets are included. Later we continue to Santander, the regional capital and a coastal city with views of both mountains and beaches, where a panoramic tour with a local guide is included to introduce its elegant centre and magnificent bay.

We follow the highway along the Cantabrian coast, with striking views where mountains meet the sea. On arrival in Bilbao, we take a panoramic tour of the largest city in the Basque Country – the region’s main economic and cultural hub – where the Guggenheim Museum’s bold exterior takes centre stage. You then have free time to stroll or visit the museum if you wish. We continue to Madrid, arriving in the evening at around 20:30. Note – depending on passenger numbers, the Bilbao to Madrid journey may operate by regular coach or by train.

After breakfast in Madrid, we conclude the tour – we hope you leave with wonderful memories of your journey.