Perfect Portugal & Southern Spain - 14 days

Bienvenido! Welcome to Madrid! You will be collected at the airport and transferred to our hotel, where the evening is at leisure.

Today we explore the Spanish capital on a coach tour. We take in highlights of the city including the historic Barrio de la Morería region, Habsburgs District, Puerta del Sol central square, Plaza Mayor and the Neptuno Fountains. These are dedicated to Neptune, a Roman water god. In the more modern part of the city we see the Salamanca district, Plaza Castilla and Parque del Oeste. We also see the Santiago Bernabeu, the football stadium of Real Madrid, the most successful European club.





After the tour, the rest of the afternoon is at leisure. There's an included Welcome Dinner this evening at an authentic Tapas restaurant.

Madrid - Salamanca - Porto (Portugal). Departing Madrid after breakfast, we make a stop in the university city of Salamanca, with free time to enjoy a stroll around. After our visit, we cross the border into Portugal and complete our drive to Porto. One of the oldest cities in Europe, Porto is located along the Douro River estuary and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

Today is spent exploring Porto with a number of included activities. We enjoy a guided city tour, taking in highlights such as the Cathedral, Stock Exchange and Santa Clara Church. We also take a cruise on the Douro River, which runs through the heart of Porto. And we visit one of the riverfront Port Wine Cellars, with included tasting of this local drink.

Porto - Coimbra - Fatima. Departing Porto after breakfast, our first stop today is in Coimbra. This riverfront city is home to one of the oldest universities in Europe, which was established in 1290. It was also the birthplace of Fado music. There's free time to explore.





We complete our drive to Fatima, another important site in Christianity. It is here, at the Cova da Iria that the Virgin Mary appeared before three local shepherd children - Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta, who are buried at the Sanctuary of Our Lady Fatima, the country's most important pilgrimage site. Tonight, we may be able to attend the candlelit procession at around 22:00.

Fatima - Batalha - Nazare - Alcobaca - Lisbon. This morning we visit the UNESCO-listed Batalha Monastery, a 14th Century Gothic masterpiece, built to commemorate the victory of the Portuguese over the Castilians at the Battle of Aljubarrota in 1385. We then enjoy some free time in the quaint fishing village of Nazare before arriving in Alcobaca, where we can see the even older 12th Century monastery located here. This is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the world. After admiring the monastery, we complete our journey to Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal. The evening is at leisure.

Our day starts with a city sightseeing tour, taking in many of Lisbon's highlights. We see the city's main plazas, the fortified Belem Tower, Jeronimo's Monastery, the Monument to the Discoverers and the Marquis of Pombal Square roundabout.





The afternoon is free, and we recommend you head into the Alfama Quarter, the oldest part of Lisbon. Crowned by the Sao Jorge Castle, this part of the city features narrow alleyways and colourful 'tabernas'.





Tonight, there is an included group dinner at one of the oldest Fado venues in Lisbon.

Lisbon - Caceres (Spain) - Cordoba. Departing Lisbon, we cross the border back into Spain and the southern region of Andalusia. We make a stop in Caceres, home to a fascinating UNESCO-listed Old Town. Caceres is known for its blend of Roman, Islamic, Northern Gothic and Italian Renaissance architecture. There's time for a walk through the Plaza Mayor Square and the Old Town. We then climb back on board our coach and complete the journey to Cordoba, where the evening is at leisure.

Cordoba - Seville. This morning we tour Cordoba, an important Roman city that was also an Islamic centre during the Middle Ages. The most important landmark here is the sprawling La Mezquita mosque-cathedral, which dates back to 988 AD. Entrance to the mosque is included on our tour and we also take a stroll through the Jewish Quarter before departing the city and travelling south-west to Seville, capital of Andalusia.

Today we explore Seville on a guided tour. Entrance to the city's cathedral, the second largest in the Catholic world, is included. We also visit the Santa Cruz Quarter, where the famous opera 'Carmen' is largely set. Wander through Maria Luisa Park and the picturesque Plaza Espana. After our tour, the afternoon is free for you to further explore Seville at your own pace.

Seville - Ronda - Costa del Sol. Leaving Seville after breakfast, we pass through quaint Andalusian villages and make a stop in the picturesque mountain-top town of Ronda, where there is free time to explore and admire the view of the surrounding valleys and mountains.





Continuing our journey, we stop at a local Almazara, olive oil mill. Here we can walk through the olive groves and taste some of the delicious organic olive oil produced here. We then reach the stunning Mediterranean coast of the Costa del Sol, where we will usually stay in Malaga or Torremolinos. The evening is at leisure.

Costa del Sol - Granada. Today we travel to Granada and enjoy an included visit to the Alhambra complex. This famous 13th century palace and fortress is one of the best-preserved examples of early Islamic architecture anywhere in the world, as well as being home to important Spanish Renaissance architecture. We'll tour Alhambra and the adjacent Generalife Palace and Gardens. The gardens have historically inspired many authors, including Washington Irving. This American author wrote his Tales of the Alhambra in 1832 whilst visiting the area.





Back in the city, there is some free time before we enjoy an included group dinner and Flamenco show.

Granada - Toledo - Madrid. We return to the Spanish capital of Madrid today, stopping in the imperial hilltop city of Toledo en route. This picturesque location is surrounded by the Tagus River and is protected by UNESCO. It's also something of a confluence of culture, with Christians, Jews and Muslims having lived side by side for centuries. We enjoy a short tour of the historic Old Town before completing our journey back to the Spanish capital, where the evening is at leisure.

Enjoy a final breakfast in the hotel before our tour comes to an end. There is an included transfer to the airport.