Highlights of Portugal & Spain (14 days)

Arrive in Lisbon. Private transfer to your hotel.

Half Day Tour of Lisbon (up to 4 hours)

First, enjoy a panoramic drive through Lisbon. Drive along the Tagus to the Praça do Comércio and drive through the Baixa financial district with its elegant, late 18th-century architecture.

Continue to Belem where you will visit the Monastery of the Jerónimos. See the Tower of Belém and the Monument to the Discoveries, and then visit the Coach Museum which opened in 1905 to display over 70 carriages in the former royal riding school.

Evening Dinner & Fado Show

You have a table reserved for dinner which will be followed by a Fado performance. Dinner includes 1 appetizer, 1 main dish, 1 dessert and drinks to choose from.

The first Fado singer starts at 9:15 pm and there will be various singers throughout the evening. Fado is the uniquely Portuguese musical genre which values above all the performance of the voice. In its essence, it evokes the feeling, the heartbreak, and the longing for someone who left.

Return to hotel.

Private Cooking Class at a chef's home

Meet your chef in the hotel lobby and make your way to the local market. You will meet some of the vendors at the market and select some produce to use in your cooking class.

Continue to the chef's home and learn how to cook a Portuguese meal. The class is a fun, hands-on experience that will leave you with lifelong knowledge and memories. Finally, sit down and enjoy the 3-course meal along with some local wines.

Rest of the day at leisure.

Sintra, Cascais & Estoril Full Day Tour (8 hours)

Head to Sintra, known by the Romans as the Mountains of the Moon. The Serra da Sintra holds a delightful confection of palaces, monuments and splendid beaches.

You will visit the National Palace in the historic center of Sintra Vila, which dates back to the 14th century. Broad stairs lead up to the stately building with Gothic arches, Moorish windows and two extraordinary chimney cones.

Have lunch on your own in town or at our favorite restaurant overlooking the water on Guincho beach.

Then, depart for the coast on your way back to Lisbon and visit the traditional fishing villages of Cascais and Estoril, which have now become popular resort towns.

Return to hotel.

Transfer to Porto

Meet your driver and depart to Porto. We suggest stopping in some of the following towns to explore on your own:

Start in Obidos. There are no modern buildings in this medieval town. Everything is painted white, with blue and yellow trimmings. The main gate into town contains a beautiful, tiled chapel.

Continue to the coast and to Nazaré, one of Portugal’s most famous fishing villages with its boats and striped bathing cabins. We suggest having lunch here.

Continue north to Alcobaça. Here you can visit the 12th century Cistercian Monastery of Santa Maria. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, this magnificent monastery is one of the finest and most impressive examples of Cistercian architecture in Europe. The church is the largest primitive Gothic church built in Portugal in the Middle Ages.

Finally, arrive at your hotel in Porto.

Half Day Walking Tour of Porto (up to 4 hours)

Begin your tour with a visi to the beautiful Sâo Bento Rail Station. The walls are covered with 20,000 lovely blue and white tiles depicting the history of transportation and historic battles.

Walk down charming Rua das Flores to the Palacio da Bolsa belonging to the Commercial Association of Porto. Visit the various lovely salons, especially the magnificent Salon Arabe.

Visit the Livraria Lello, which is one of the oldest bookstores in Portugal and frequently rated among the top bookstores in the world. This bookshop inspired Harry Potter’s library in Hogwarts.

Tour ends. Rest of the day at leisure.

Douro Valley Full Day Tour with private boat ride (up to 9 hours)

Depart for the Douro Valley. Arrive at a prestigious local winery which dates back to 1764. Enjoy a special 'winemaker for the day' experience. In this exclusive experience, you will enjoy a visit with a wine educator who will help you discover the secrets of the Douro wines.

Then, have a private boat ride along the river to Pinhao. Enjoy the spectacular views of the terraced vineyards on the surrounding hills.

Have lunch on your own at a local restaurant.

After lunch, return to Porto with your driver.

Time permitting, stop in the town of Amarante to explore on own. This picturesque riverside town has charming 16, 17 and 18th century houses along the river. It was founded in the 4th century BC and is situated in the rich agricultural lands of the Minho region, where the crisp vinho verde is made.

Return to hotel.

Private transfer to Porto airport.

Flight tickets to Madrid.

Private transfer to your hotel on arrival.

Half Day Tour of Madrid (up to 4 hours)

Begin with a visit to the Prado Museum. The Prado Museum houses one of the finest art collections in the world. Your visit will focus on the Spanish masters such as Velázquez, Murillo, Zurbarán and Goya. The Museum also contains Flemish works collected by the Catholic monarchs, as well as Italian paintings.

Continue with a walking tour of the old quarter known as Madrid of the Austrias. See the Plaza Mayor, which is part of the architectural center of Habsburg Madrid. Also see the Plaza de la Villa, which includes several famous buildings including the town hall, the Torre de los Lujanes and the Casa de Cisneros.

Tour ends. Have lunch on your own.

Evening Dinner with Flamenco Show

Arrive at the venue where you will enjoy a delicious, seasonal dinner along with a spectacular Flamenco performance. Flamenco is a folkloric art that blends passionate song, dance, and instrumental music.

Segovia & La Granja Full Day Tour (9 hours)

Drive to Segovia, one hour northwest of Madrid.

The medieval town of Segovia was an important military town in Roman times. Walk through the ancient walled city, where you will see a number of Romanesque churches from the 11th and 12th centuries, Renaissance fortresses and palaces. Segovia’s Gothic Cathedral is constructed of beautiful golden stone and the 14th Century Alcazar is one of Spain’s most impressive castles Also see the 1st century Roman Aqueduct, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In the afternoon, we will stop for lunch at one of our favorite local restaurants to feast on local delicacies.

After lunch, drive to La Granja de San Idelfonso, the location of La Granja’s Royal Palace. Here, you will visit its exceptional gardens built by Spanish Bourbons in the Versailles style. The palace was used as a summer and autumn residence by King Philip V and his successors.

Return to Madrid.

Private transfer to the Madrid train station.

Rail tickets on high-speed train to Barcelona.

Private transfer to hotel on arrival.

Evening Tapas Tour in La Ribera District (up to 3 hours)

Transfer by taxi to the Ribera District for a walking tour, exploring this artistic and affluent neighborhood through its history and gastronomy.

In this exclusive tour, we will taste some of the best Spanish specialties accompanied by a glass of wine, beer or soft drink of choice. We will be visiting two different restaurants.

Your first stop will include traditional tapas such as croquettes, patatas bravas, gildas which are from the Basque Country, or Spanish tortilla. Don't forget to try some gourmet sangria!

You second stop will include a modern twist on traditional Spanish dishes. Their version of cod fritters are a must! Includes an excellent selection of wines.

Return to hotel.

Half Day Gaudi Tour (up to 4 hours)

Begin your tour with a drive up to Montjuic Hill, viewing the Olympic sites en route which were designed by leading architects. See the view of Barcelona from above.

Next, drive by the famous Manzana de la Discordia and see the façade of 3 modernist apartment buildings including Casa Batlló by Gaudi. Visit the Casa Mila, known as La Pedrera, Gaudí’s charming apartment building. Tour an apartment decorated from the era and see the famous roof-top chimney knights. See the Espai Gaudi Exhibit in the Pedrera which contains drawings, models, and photographs from the architect's life.

Continue with a visit to the magnificent Church of the Sagrada Familia, Gaudí’s unfinished masterpiece. Gaudí worked on the church from 1883 to his death in 1926. It is set to be completed in 2026 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the death of Gaudi.

Afternoon at leisure.

Full Day Excursion to Montserrat Monastery (up to 6 hours)

Meet your driver and head to explore the magnificent mountains of Montserrat. See the spectacular views and take the funicular to see the sanctuary from above, which has been in use for almost 1,000 years by pilgrims.

Then visit the Monastery of Montserrat. The Monastery dates from the 9th Century. It is located in a national park, 60 kilometers to the west of Barcelona. The Virgin of Montserrat, the patron saint of Catalonia, is worshipped at the shrine in the monastery.

Return to Barcelona. Rest of the day at leisure.

Departure

Private transfer to airport for departure.