Portugal & Andalucia Exploration

We meet at 8:30 in the morning at the designated meeting point in Madrid (please check your documentation for exact departure details). From there, we travel to Salamanca, a World Heritage city renowned for its university and remarkable architecture. You will have some free time to explore the city at your own pace. Afterwards, we cross the Portuguese border and continue to Porto, where you will check in to your hotel for the night.

After breakfast at the hotel, we embark on a panoramic tour of Porto, a city recognised as a World Heritage site. We take in key landmarks including the Cathedral, the Stock Exchange building, and Santa Clara Church. Next, we enjoy a scenic cruise along the Douro River, offering a fresh perspective of the city's historic waterfront. Afterwards, we visit one of the renowned Port wine cellars for a guided tour and tasting. The remainder of the day is yours to explore Porto at your leisure. We stay overnight in Porto.

After a leisurely breakfast, we depart for Coimbra, home to one of Europe's oldest universities and the birthplace of Fado music. You will have some free time to explore the city at your own pace. We then continue to Fatima, a significant Christian pilgrimage site and World Sanctuary. Here, we visit the impressive Basilica and the Cova da Iria, the site of the Virgin Mary's apparitions. The Chapel of the Apparitions, at the heart of the sanctuary, houses the tombs of the three shepherd children - Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta, who witnessed the miracle. In the evening, weather permitting, you may choose to attend the candlelight procession. We stay overnight in Fatima.

After breakfast, we travel to Batalha Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its striking Gothic and Manueline architecture. Next, we visit the charming fishing village of Nazare, where you can enjoy some free time to explore its authentic atmosphere. We then continue to Alcobaca, another World Heritage site, to see its famous 12th-century church and the tombs of Pedro and Ines de Castro. Finally, we drive to Lisbon, where you will check in for the night.

After breakfast, we set off on a morning tour of Lisbon, once known as Olissipo during Roman times. We drive through the cityes main squares and avenues, taking in iconic landmarks such as Belem Tower, Jeronimos Monastery, the Coach Museum, the Monument to the Discoverers, Marquis of Pombal Square and Liberty Avenue. The afternoon is yours to explore at leisure - wander the atmospheric Alfama Quarter with its narrow, winding streets, colourful houses and traditional taverns where Fado music often fills the night air. We stay overnight in Lisbon.

After breakfast, we depart for Merida, the capital of Extremadura. This city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is famed for its exceptional Roman ruins, including a well-preserved theatre, amphitheatre, and Roman bridge. You will have some free time to explore these remarkable sites before we continue to Cordoba, once the capital of the Caliphate, where we will spend the night.

After breakfast, explore Cordoba with a guided tour of its remarkable Mosque-Cathedral, a stunning example of Moorish architecture later transformed into a cathedral. Wander through the narrow, winding streets of the Jewish Quarter, rich in history and atmosphere. In the afternoon, we travel for approximately two hours to Seville, where you will check in to your hotel for the night.

After breakfast, we set off on a panoramic tour of Seville. You'll admire the exterior of the city's cathedral - the second largest in the Catholic world after St Peter's in Rome, before exploring the atmospheric Santa Cruz quarter, known as the backdrop for the stories of Carmen and Don Juan. We then visit Maria Luisa Park and the impressive Plaza de Espana. The afternoon is yours to enjoy at leisure, offering the chance to discover unique views or sample the distinctive flavours of this vibrant city. Overnight in Seville.

After breakfast, we travel south, passing through several charming traditional villages before arriving in Ronda. Here, you have some free time to explore this town of Celtic origin and take in the stunning views of the valley and surrounding mountains. In the afternoon, we continue to the Costa del Sol, a vibrant and modern coastal region known for its international appeal. Overnight on the Costa del Sol.

After breakfast, we depart for Granada, renowned for its remarkable historic setting as the final stronghold of the Moorish Kingdoms until 1492. Upon arrival, we visit the world-famous Generalife Gardens, celebrated for their beauty and tranquillity, which inspired Washington Irving's "Tales of the Alhambra." You will have time to appreciate the gardens' peaceful atmosphere before settling in for the night in Granada.

After breakfast, we travel north to the remarkable city of Toledo. Rising dramatically above the Tagus River, this UNESCO World Heritage site was once a meeting place for Christian, Muslim and Jewish cultures. We take a guided tour through its historic centre, exploring narrow streets steeped in art, history and spirituality. Afterwards, we continue on to Madrid, where the tour concludes.