Madrid to Lisbon Iberian Adventure Trail - 9 Days

Welcome to Madrid. On arrival at the airport, we’ll transfer you to your hotel. You’ll have free time until the tour begins – please check the information board at reception for the welcome meeting details with your guide and fellow travellers. In the evening, we’ll provide a transfer to Plaza Mayor and nearby La Latina – known for its lively atmosphere and tapas spots. 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.

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

We depart Madrid early, heading south through La Mancha with a stop in Puerto Lápice, a traditional Manchego village linked to Don Quixote. We then continue into Andalusia via Despeñaperros and arrive in Granada, where lunch is included. The afternoon is free – you could visit the Cathedral, which houses the tomb of the Catholic Monarchs, or wander the Albaicín and take in views of the Alhambra from the Mirador de San Nicolás. Note: this tour does not include admission to the Alhambra – if you wish to visit, please purchase tickets in advance via the official website https://tickets.alhambra-patronato.es or through companies that organise city visits.

We leave Granada and enjoy changing landscapes as the Sierra Nevada fades behind us, then follow the Mediterranean along the Tropical Coast – its mild microclimate nurtures guavas, mangoes and avocados, and historically, sugar cane. We stop in Nerja to admire its dramatic cliffs before continuing to Málaga, capital of the Costa del Sol, with a vibrant historic centre. There’s time for lunch and a stroll. In the afternoon we head into the Andalusian sierras to reach Ronda – a striking white town split by a deep gorge – then continue to Seville, arriving in the late afternoon. Dinner is included at the hotel.

In the morning, we explore Seville on a guided city tour, taking in the cathedral and its Giralda, the banks of the Guadalquivir, and the atmospheric neighbourhoods of Santa Cruz and Triana. After the tour, we relax on an included boat ride along the Guadalquivir – a straightforward way to enjoy panoramic views of the city from the water. In the evening, you can choose to attend a flamenco tablao.

Leaving Seville, we travel through rolling hills and broad pasturelands towards Extremadura. In Mérida, we include admission to the Archaeological Ensemble – home to the Roman Theatre and Amphitheatre and recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll have time for lunch and a stroll through the pedestrian historic centre, lined with restaurants. We then continue into Portugal, pausing in Évora – also a UNESCO World Heritage Site – noted for its whitewashed streets, Renaissance palaces and cathedral. We reach Lisbon in the evening.

This morning we take a sightseeing tour of Lisbon, the city of seven hills, with its narrow lanes and iconic tiles. We then visit the Belém neighbourhood, from where Portuguese navigators set sail across the oceans in the 15th century. The afternoon is free – you can explore on foot and head 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, with its bars and cafes.

We depart Portugal early, crossing the open landscapes of the Alentejo. We pause in Estremoz for a coffee break – a historic town with a medieval castle and cobbled streets. We then cross into Spain and continue to Cáceres, where you’ll have time for lunch and to explore the atmospheric historic centre, noted for its exceptionally well preserved medieval and Renaissance architecture. We continue to Madrid, arriving in the evening.

After breakfast, we conclude our journey in Madrid – our services end here and we hope you leave with lasting memories.