Spain and Portugal – Iberian Panorama (Europamundo)

Meals

– Daily Breakfast except on Day 01

– 02 lunches as mentioned in the itinerary

– 06 dinners as mentioned in the itinerary

Itinerary

Day 1: Evening transport to the Gran Via district. Welcome to Madrid

Upon arrival at the airport, we shall be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. Free time. You will receive information about the start of the circuit during the afternoon, or you can check the informative panels in the hotel reception area. Towards the end of the day, we provide transfers to the Egyptian Debod temple, Plaza de España and Gran Via; a vibrant district.

Day 2: Madrid city tour. Visit to the Plaza de Toros de las Ventas bullring. Stroll through the Retiro Park

This morning, experience the city on a guided tour, which showcases the city’s vibrant centre, the beautiful Plaza Mayor (Main Square), its broad and magnificent avenues, its many fountains and a walking tour of the beautiful Retiro Park, enhanced by the lake and Crystal Palace. Our tour includes a visit to see inside the Plaza de Toros de las Ventas, a fine-looking building. Here we learn about the tradition of “corridas” in the Bullfighting Museum. Vegetarian or Indian lunch is included. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon. At sunset we provide transfers to the Plaza de Oriente in the historic centre of Madrid, opposite the Royal Palace. Return to hotel.

Day 3: Monastery of Poblet, rack train to Montserrat

In the morning we leave for Aragón over the lands of Castile. In ZARAGOZA we stop briefly to see the Pilar Basilica. We continue to the Monastery of Poblet, surrounded by its walls in a beautiful site that is one of the best-preserved medieval monasteries in the world (entrance and guided tour included). We then proceed to the Monastery of Montserrat where you will go up the mountain on a rack train to see its fantastic scenery. Following this we will continue to BARCELONA, arriving in the late- afternoon.

Note: In the winter months, from November to March, due to the shorter days, we will not visit the Monastery of Poblet in order to reach Montserrat in the daylight.

Day 4: Barcelona city tour. “Spanish Village” visit and evening transfer to Las Ramblas district

Today we will get to know Barcelona, an impressive city right on the Mediterranean Sea. Our visit includes an informative city tour with a local expert (Note: If the group has fewer than fifteen people, explanations can be given by our guide.) We also visit the city’s historic central area with its Gothic neighbourhood dating back to the Middle Ages. We will visit the area where the Olympic Games took place. It will be possible to see and photograph La Sagrada Familia basilica; the masterpiece designed by the architect Gaudi. Subsequently, we include the entry ticket to “Poble Espanyol” (meaning “Spanish Village”). This open air architectural museum is situated in one of the most emblematic areas of Barcelona. Be delighted by the best Spanish craftsmanship and discover the architectural styles, traditions and folklore of the different communities in Spain. Free time to explore the city on your own. In the evening we provide transfer to Las Ramblas and Plaza Catalunya area, Indian dinner included. Return to hotel.

Day 5: Visit Peniscola, a beautiful walled town combined with a castle on the sea. Sighseeing of Valencia. Evening transfer

We travel south along the Mediterranean. A special stop is made at PENISCOLA, a small walled town on the shores of the sea. After a short introduction given by our guide, you can make your way through the town, discovering the fishing port, the castle and the beach. Time for a walk. Afterwards we travel to VALENCIA, time for lunch. In the afternoon, with a local guide we will include a visit to the third largest Spanish city that mixes the modern with the historical. We will know its historic center, the fish market, the cathedral and also the avant-garde City of Arts and Sciences. the most important modern tourist site in the city. Evening transfer to the Plaza de Toros. In this area an indian or vegetarian dinner will be included. Return to hotel.

Day 6: Tourist train in Caravaca

Today we will continue our trip and head to ALICANTE. We will have time to take a walk in this charming, coastal city and, after lunch, we will make our way to the Murcia region, where we will visit CARAVACA DE LA CRUZ, a town considered by the Catholic Church as one of the five holy cities. Its church holds a relic of Christ’s Cross. We will also take a train ride up to its historic area, which we can explore, before we continue our trip along scenic roads on our way to Andalusia. We will end the day in GRANADA.

Day 7: Visit to the Alhambra. Night transfer

A full day in GRANADA and tour (including entrance and local guide) of the immense Alhambra Palace and its beautiful Generalife gardens built in Arab times. Time for lunch. Free afternoon to see the Cathedral with the sepulchre of the Catholic Kings. Later, enjoy an evening transfer to the Albaicín of Granada, a World Heritage site along with the Alhambra, where you can enjoy dinner in a restaurant in the narrow winding streets of this captivating Medieval Moorish quarter. Dinner included (vegatarian or Indian) Tonight you have the option to attend a flamenco dance show and the traditional neighborhood of Sac-ramonte.

Note: in the Alhambra complex, the Nazari palaces allow a limited number of people in at a time. Sometimes your visit may be in the afternoon, depending on the timetables in which we are allowed in. In the highly improbable case of not being able to visit this area of the Alhambra, a visit to the Alcázares will be included in Seville (which have similar architecture and features).

Day 8: Costa del Sol and the Andalusian village of Ronda

Departing from Granada and travelling towards the Costa del Sol, we will arrive in MALAGA and explore its historic city centre, with its cathedral and the Picasso Museum. After this we will continue along the coastal motorway with beautiful views of the Mediterranean. Stopping in PUERTO BANUS, Marbella, a pretty resort known as the playground of Europe’s rich and famous. In the afternoon we will continue through the hills until we reach RONDA, a very beautiful “white town” with its large gorge that divides it in two. Then we will travel onward to SEVILLE, arrival sometime in the late afternoon.

Day 9: Guided visit with local expert in Seville. Boat trip along the river Guadalquivir. Night transfer to the historic city centre

After breakfast, a local expert guides you through a scenic visit of Seville featuring the Cathedral and its famous Giralda, the banks of the Guadalquivir River, popular neighborhoods of Santa Cruz and Triana and the beautiful Plaza de España. (note: If the group is fewer than fifteen travellers, it can be arranged in both Spanish and English). After the tour, we will include a boat trip along the river Guadalquivir, enjoying the panoramic views from the boat. Enjoy leisure time straight afterwards. At the end of the afternoon, we will go to the historic city centre area (Calle Alfonso XII). Dinner, indian or vegetarian included.

Day 10: A scenic stage with walled border villages. Evora Chapel of bones

We will leave Seville on a stage of scenic beauty. Amidst hills and olive trees we will enter Extremadura. We will stop in JEREZ DE LOS CABALLEROS, this town belonged to the Knights Templar and is where Vasco Nuñez de Balboa was born. We will then enter Portugal. MONSARAZ, one of the most picturesque villages in Portugal with its walls, castle, great views and white and flowery streets. We will travel on to the city EVORA, declared a World Heritage Site, with its white streets, its Renaissance palaces and its cathedral. Time for lunch. We will also visit the impressive Chapel of Bones (admission included), built with 5000 skeletons! We will be arriving in LISBON toward the end of the day.

Day 11: Visit Lisbon. Transfer to Restauradores Square

In the morning we have a sightseeing tour with a local guide (note: Explanations may be given by our guide if the group has fewer than twelve people). We visit traditional neighborhoods, which take in the Belem district, which is the birthplace of the great Portuguese navigators who sailed the oceans in the Fifteenth Century. We shall look round the Monument to the Discoveries, Belem Tower, and the beautiful Jeronimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The afternoon is free so that you can explore this great city independently. At the end of the afternoon, we include transfer to Restauradores Square, full of atmosphere with its bars and cafes from where we suggest you to take the ¨Elevador da Gloria¨ that brings you to the Upper district and its viewpoint. Indian or vegetarian dinner included.

Day 12: Fatima Shrine

Today we will travel to the north of Portugal and visit FATIMA, an important sanctuary (a pilgrimage site). We will continue on through the green lands of the centre, passing into Spain and then, over grasslands, we will cross the North of Extremadura. Lunch included en route at a regional cuisine restaurant. We will travel on to MADRID where we will be arriving towards the end of the day.

End of our services. Please, check the time of your flight in case you might need an additional night.

Trip Included / Not Included

What your tour price includes?

Boat: Along Guadalquivir River in Seville
City Tour: Madrid, Poblet, Barcelona, Valencia, Granada, Seville, Lisbon
Evening Transfer: Debod Temple and Plaza de Espana/Gran Via in Madrid, Plaza de Oriente in Madrid, Ramblas and Plaza de Catalunya in Barcelona, Bullrign square in Valencia, Albaicin in Granada, Historic center of Seville, Restauradores Square in Lisbon
Ticket Admission: Las Ventas bullring in Madrid, Poblet Monastery, Poble Espanyol in Barcelona, lhambra Palace and Generalife if it is included in the tour, Chapel of Bones in Evora
Train: Montserrat, Caravaca de la Cruz

Europamundo General Services: Travel by bus with English speaking guide and basic travel Insurance
Includes Arrival Transfer

What your tour price does not include?

Return Airfare and Taxes
Tips and Porterage
Visas and Travel insurance
Any Services not mentioned inclusion list