From Paris to Lisbon A European Adventure - 15 Days

Welcome to Paris. On arrival we’ll arrange your transfer to the hotel, after which you’ll have free time to settle in or explore at your own pace. In the afternoon we’ll share details about the start of your tour — either in person or via the information board at hotel reception. 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 head to the Palace of Versailles – admission not included – to see its celebrated gardens. Returning to Paris, we visit Montmartre, the bohemian neighbourhood known for its artists and cabarets. We then take a panoramic city tour with a local guide, showcasing the city’s grand avenues and landmark monuments, before returning to the hotel. In the evening, you can opt to attend a variety show.

We begin in central Paris with a visit to the Eiffel Tower, including ascent to the second level – admission included. We then take a leisurely cruise on the Seine lasting around one hour fifteen minutes. The afternoon is free for you to explore at your own pace. At 5.00 pm we leave Paris for the Loire Valley, arriving in Tours – the regional capital – in the evening. You might like to take a relaxed stroll and find dinner in the historic centre. Please note that queues for the Eiffel Tower can be long, so our visit may be moved to another time – or to Sunday – for logistical reasons.

We travel south from Tours through vineyard country to Bordeaux – its historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll have free time for lunch and to explore – we suggest the Port of the Moon and the Cathedral of St Andrew. We then continue towards the Pyrenees, arriving in Lourdes in the late afternoon. In the evening, you can attend the candlelight procession if operating (late March to end of October) and visit the places of worship. We include dinner at the hotel.

We’ll leave Lourdes and travel across the south of France, stopping in Carcassonne, a city encircled by impressive medieval ramparts. You’ll have time to wander and explore at your own pace. After time for lunch, we’ll continue to Narbonne, where you’ll have free time to discover this historic Occitan city and its picturesque old town. In the late afternoon we’ll arrive in Marseille, France’s second-largest city – we recommend a relaxed stroll around the lively Vieux-Port, lined with small restaurants.

From Marseille, we explore Provence. We stop first in Aix‑en‑Provence, birthplace of Paul Cézanne, where you have time to wander the historic centre with its narrow streets, fountains and lively squares. We continue to Avignon for a leisurely walk inside the walled city on the Rhône — once the seat of the Catholic popes and known as the second Rome until it joined France in 1791 — where you can choose a spot for lunch and view the imposing Palace of the Popes. We then visit the Pont du Gard — admission included — a remarkable Roman aqueduct and UNESCO World Heritage site. Afterwards, we head towards Catalonia, arriving in Barcelona in the evening.

This morning we include a panoramic tour of Barcelona, a Mediterranean city renowned for Gaudí’s modernist architecture, its lively Ramblas and the legacies of its World Expositions and Olympic Games. We finish at Maremagnum – the waterfront dining and leisure complex beside Columbus Square – where you can stroll the area at your own pace. The afternoon is free for you to explore as you wish. We return to the hotel at the end of the day.

We travel south along the Mediterranean, stopping in Peniscola – a walled seaside town – for a stroll. We then continue to Valencia, arriving around lunchtime – you could try the city’s famous paella. At about 4.30 pm we set off for Madrid, with a brief stop at Valencia’s avant–garde City of Arts and Sciences. We reach Madrid between 8.30 and 9.00 pm, and to welcome you we include a transfer to Plaza Mayor – a popular spot for pinchos or a glass of wine at one of its many restaurants. Note: depending on passenger numbers, the Valencia–Madrid journey may be by high–speed train.

We begin with a comprehensive tour of central Madrid, taking in the Paseo del Prado, the Cibeles and Neptuno fountains, Puerta de Alcalá, Plaza de Colón and Plaza Mayor. We then continue to Retiro Park – a green oasis in the heart of the city – to see the lake and the Palacio de Cristal. Admission is included to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home of Real Madrid, considered by many to be the best football club in the world. You’ll have the afternoon at leisure to explore as you wish. In the evening, we provide a transfer back to the hotel.

We leave Madrid early and travel south across La Mancha, pausing in Puerto Lápice – a classic Manchegan village associated with Don Quixote – before continuing into Andalusia via Despeñaperros. We arrive in Granada, where lunch is included.

In the afternoon, if you have booked the Alhambra option in advance, you visit the Alhambra and the Generalife with a local guide – masterpieces from the Arab period. Visitor numbers for the Alhambra are strictly regulated by law – tickets are issued when your tour is confirmed, and you must provide accurate personal details (full name and passport/ID number) at the time of booking. Ticket costs are not refundable if you cancel. In the rare event the Alhambra visit is not possible, you will instead visit the Royal Alcázar of Seville, which offers similar historical and architectural significance.

Leaving Granada, we follow the Sierra Nevada to the Mediterranean, tracing the Tropical Coast – a stretch with a mild microclimate that supports guava, mango and avocado and once grew sugar cane. We pause in Nerja to take in its striking sea cliffs, then continue to Málaga, capital of the Costa del Sol. You’ll have time for lunch and a stroll through the historic centre. In the afternoon, we head into the Andalusian sierras to reach Ronda, a remarkable white town split by a dramatic gorge, before continuing to Seville for a late‑afternoon arrival. Dinner is included at the hotel.

In the morning, we take a city tour of Seville, seeing the cathedral with its Giralda, the Guadalquivir riverbanks, and the Santa Cruz and Triana neighbourhoods. After the tour, we enjoy a boat cruise on the Guadalquivir with panoramic views – this is included. In the evening, you can choose to attend a flamenco tablao.

We leave Seville, travelling through rolling hills and wide pasturelands towards Extremadura. In Mérida, we include admission to the Archaeological Ensemble – home to the remarkably preserved Roman theatre and amphitheatre – recognised as a World Heritage Site. You’ll have free time for lunch and a stroll through the pedestrian historic centre. We then continue into Portugal, stopping in Évora – also a World Heritage Site – known for its whitewashed streets, Renaissance palaces and cathedral. We arrive in Lisbon in the evening.

In the morning, we set out on a sightseeing tour of Lisbon – Portugal’s capital of seven hills – taking in its alleyways, iconic tiles and Atlantic light. We also visit the Belém neighbourhood, from where Portuguese navigators set sail in the 15th century. The afternoon is free for you to explore at your own pace – you might wander up to Bairro Alto and its viewpoint, or join an optional excursion to Sintra, Cascais and Estoril. In the evening, we return to the hotel from lively Restauradores Square, lined with bars and cafés.

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