The fiery coastal city of Barcelona kicks off your mesmerizing encounter with Spain and Portugal. Set your watch to the leisurely Mediterranean way of life, spending the day relaxing or connecting with a city that once inspired Gaudí's imagination. Later, join your Travel Director and fellow compañeros for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience during dinner and an evening drive to see the city’s iconic sights.
This morning consider joining an Optional Experience to Montserrat to see the shrine of the Black Madonna, affectionately known in Catalonia as La Moreneta. Afterwards, spend the day exploring a city whose great passions include football, fashion and fairy-tale façades by famed architect Antoni Gaudí. We'll admire the exterior of his masterpiece - the unfinished Sagrada Familia, as well as his creations on the Passeig de Gracia during our guided sightseeing with a Local Specialist. The rest of the day is yours to delight in Spanish culture and cuisine
Today, we drive through the valleys and pastures of Aragón towards Spain's capital where you will have lunch in Zaragoza. We arrive this evening in Madrid, renowned for its vibrant nightlife which we will have an opportunity to enjoy on our own terms.
We join a Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour of Madrid, where we will see trendy Gran Vía and the Cibeles Fountain, before we Dive Into Culture visiting the world-famous Prado Museum. Admire the masterpieces of Velázquez and other Spanish greats in this extraordinary museum, said to house the largest collection of European art in the world. Spend the rest of your day exploring the city at leisure. Visit the Royal Palace or stroll through Buen Retiro Park at the heart of the city – the choice is yours.
Journey south to the clifftop city of Toledo, where your Local Specialist reveals the layers of its history on a walking tour. Visit the Church of Santo Tomé to see El Greco’s celebrated The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, then continue to the former synagogue of Santa María la Blanca. Arrive in Seville this evening and settle into the vibrant spirit of Andalusia before a Be My Guest experience with Isaac, sharing dinner at his family’s olive farm.
The charisma of Seville is unmistakable. Your Local Specialist will take you on a sightseeing tour past the symbolic Giralda Bell Tower, Maria Luisa Park and the architectural gems of Seville's 1929 Ibero-American Exposition. Later, we’ll stroll through the historic Jewish Quarter before visiting the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world, where Christopher Columbus is entombed.
Travel west to Portugal through the province of Huelva, renowned for its Jabugo ham. After crossing into Portugal's rural landscapes of the Alentejo – the world's cork capital – arrive in Lisbon. Spend the rest of the evening exploring the Portuguese capital.
Meet your Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour that celebrates Portuguese achievements of centuries past. See the Monument to the Discoveries, the suspension bridge that spans the Tagus River, and Belém Tower, once the ceremonial gateway to Lisbon. Dive into Culture as you visit the Belém Quarter and enjoy a taste of Pastéis de Belém. This evening, enjoy dinner with newfound friends and your Travel Director, toasting to an epic Iberian holiday.
Our journey through Spain and Portugal has come to an end. All that's left is to say a fond adeus at the end of an unforgettable holiday.
