Mediterranean Adventures Spain to Portugal Journey - 16 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 noticeboard at reception for the time and details of the welcome meeting with your guide and fellow travellers.

This evening, we provide a transfer to Plaza Mayor and the La Latina neighbourhood, renowned for its lively nightlife and tapas bars in the historic centre. You can choose where to dine – options range from Spanish to Indian, Chinese and Middle Eastern cuisines – and enjoy the evening at your own pace. 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 take a comprehensive tour of central Madrid, taking in Paseo del Prado, Cibeles, Neptuno, Puerta de Alcalá, Plaza de Colón and Plaza Mayor. We then head into Retiro Park to see the lake and the Palacio de Cristal. Admission is included to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home of Real Madrid – often regarded as one of the world’s top football clubs. The afternoon is at your leisure to explore as you wish, and in the evening we provide a return transfer to the hotel.

We depart Madrid early, heading south across La Mancha with a stop in Puerto Lápice – a classic Manchego village associated with Don Quixote. We continue into Andalusia via Despeñaperros and arrive in Granada for an included lunch.

In the afternoon, if you have chosen the Alhambra option, you visit the Alhambra and the Generalife Gardens with a local guide – both built during the Arab period. Visitor numbers are strictly regulated by law, so tickets are issued when your tour reservation is confirmed. Please provide your full name and passport or ID number at the time of booking – ticket costs are not refundable if you cancel. In the rare event the Alhambra visit cannot proceed, it will be replaced with a tour of Seville’s Royal Alcázar, which offers similar historical and architectural interest.

Leaving Granada, we travel through the spectacular landscapes beyond the Sierra Nevada, then follow the Mediterranean along the Tropical Coast – a mild microclimate where guavas, mangoes and avocados are grown, and where sugar cane was once cultivated. We stop in Nerja, a charming seaside town known for its dramatic cliffs, before continuing to Málaga, capital of the Costa del Sol, with its lively atmosphere and beautiful historic centre. You’ll have time for lunch and a stroll in the city centre.

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

This morning we set out on a guided tour of Seville, taking in the cathedral with its Giralda bell tower, the banks of the Guadalquivir, and the characterful neighbourhoods of Santa Cruz and Triana. After the tour we board a boat for a relaxing cruise on the Guadalquivir – a great way to enjoy panoramic views of the city from the water, and included in your day. In the evening, you can choose to attend a flamenco tablao performance.

We leave Seville, travelling through rolling hills and wide pasturelands towards Extremadura. In Mérida, we include admission to the Archaeological Ensemble – including the Roman theatre and amphitheatre – noted for its excellent preservation and designation as a 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 and stop in Évora – another World Heritage Site – known for its whitewashed streets, Renaissance palaces and cathedral. We arrive in Lisbon in the evening.

This morning we take a guided sightseeing tour of Lisbon – the city of seven hills – exploring its historic quarters, tiled facades and distinctive Atlantic light. We then continue to the riverside neighbourhood of Belem, from where Portuguese navigators set sail in the 15th century. The afternoon is yours to explore at your own pace – you can wander through Bairro Alto and its viewpoint, or join an optional excursion to Sintra, Cascais and Estoril. In the evening, we provide a transfer back to the hotel from lively Restauradores Square, known for its bars and cafes.

We travel north from Lisbon to Fátima, an important pilgrimage site, before continuing to Porto, Portugal’s second–largest city. After lunch, we take a 50–minute cruise on the Douro aboard a traditional Portuguese rabelo boat for views of the city’s riverside. You then have free time to explore the medieval lanes of the Ribeira district – lined with historic merchant houses and cafés – before we head to the hotel.

We travel through scenic landscapes to Braga, where we ride the world’s oldest water operated cable car up to the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus for panoramic views. After time to explore, you may choose to descend via its picturesque staircase. Crossing into Galicia, we continue to the Rías Baixas to visit the historic town of Cambados or O Grove, then board a boat with a glass bottom on the Ría de Arousa to learn about mussel and oyster cultivation – with wine and mussel tasting on board. By lunchtime we arrive in Santiago de Compostela for a guided city tour with a local guide, exploring its medieval streets and renowned pilgrimage sites dating back to the Middle Ages.

We travel along the Way of St. James to Lugo, where you’ll have time to wander the historic centre and see its Roman walls, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We continue to O Cebreiro, a traditional Galician stone village, then on to León for lunchtime. In León, we visit the superb Gothic cathedral – renowned for its stained glass windows – and take a relaxed stroll through the historic centre. We then cross the Cantabrian Range into Asturias, arriving in Oviedo by evening. We include a city tour with a local guide – scheduled either on arrival or the following morning – lasting around an hour and a half and covering the 9th century cathedral, the Calatrava Congressional Palace, the Campoamor Theatre and Calle de la Rua. Dinner is included tonight in a traditional Asturian cider house.

We leave Oviedo for the Picos de Europa, taking in mountain scenery en route to the Basilica of Covadonga. From here, we follow the coast to Santillana del Mar – a beautifully preserved medieval town – and visit the nearby Altamira Cave Museum, with tickets included. Later, we continue to Santander, the regional capital, for an included panoramic tour with a local guide that reveals this elegant coastal city and its beautiful bay.

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

We begin with a morning panoramic tour of Zaragoza with a local guide. We visit the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar – a key landmark – explore works by Goya, continue to the Roman theatre and a Renaissance palace, and take a stroll by the Aljafería Palace. After lunch, we travel into Catalonia to visit Poblet Abbey – an impressive walled monastery set amidst countryside and among the best preserved medieval complexes – with tickets included. We then continue to Barcelona, arriving in the evening.

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

We travel south along the Mediterranean and pause in Peniscola, a walled town by the sea, with time for a stroll. We then continue to Valencia, a vibrant port city on the Levantine coast, arriving around lunchtime – you could try the city’s famous paella. At about 16:30 we set off for Madrid, making a brief stop at Valencia’s avant garde City of Arts and Sciences, and reach the capital between 20:30 and 21:00. Note: the Valencia–Madrid leg may be by high speed train depending on the number of passengers.

After breakfast, we conclude our journey in Madrid. You can then continue with your onward plans. Thank you for travelling with us – we hope you leave with wonderful memories.