Barcelona to Gastronomic Spain & Portugal - 18 days

Leaving Madrid after breakfast, we'll make our first stop in Burgos, where you'll have free time to admire the majestic 13th Century Gothic Cathedral. We then head to Haro, in the heart of wine country, for a visit to a traditional winery. Here, you'll have the chance to sample the region's famous Rioja red. Our final destination for the day is Bilbao.

After breakfast, we'll start with a city tour of Bilbao, taking in the city's main highlights. Later, we'll head to nearby San Sebastian, a resort town known for its International Film Festival and La Concha, one of Spain's finest beaches. We'll admire the view over San Sebastian and the Bay of Biscay from Mount Igueldo and enjoy some free time before returning to Bilbao for the evening. Dinner tonight is at a local restaurant, where you can try pincho, the Basque version of tapas.

Our first stop today is Santillana del Mar, known for its Renaissance palaces and medieval towers. We then have a short stop in Covadonga before arriving at our destination, Oviedo. There is free time to explore the many pedestrianized streets and you can see the hilltop Saint Maria de Naranco Church overlooking the city. We enjoy a group dinner tonight at a traditional cider house.

We'll spend the morning on a city tour of Santiago de Compostela. We'll see the Praza do Obradoiro main square and enjoy included entry to the Cathedral, dedicated to the Apostle Santiago. After our tour, the rest of the day is free for you to explore the city's cobbled streets.

Today, we'll say goodbye to Spain and cross into neighbouring Portugal. We'll travel to the Rias Bajas fjords and enjoy a cruise, with a tasting of local mussels and wine. Back on dry land, we'll cross the border into Portugal and complete our drive to Porto, one of the oldest cities in Europe.

Day 12 is dedicated to exploring Porto. We'll enjoy a guided city tour, taking in highlights such as the Cathedral, Stock Exchange, and Santa Clara Church. We'll also take a cruise on the Douro River and visit one of the riverfront Port Wine Cellars, with a tasting of this local drink. The rest of the day and the next day are free for you to explore Porto at your own pace.

Departing Porto after breakfast, we'll make our first stop in Coimbra, home to one of the oldest universities in Europe and the birthplace of Fado music. After some free time here, we'll continue to Fatima, an important site in Christianity. Here, you'll visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady Fatima, the country's most important pilgrimage site. In the evening, you may have the opportunity to attend the candlelit procession.

This morning, we'll visit the UNESCO-listed Batalha Monastery, a 14th Century Gothic masterpiece. We'll then enjoy some free time in the quaint fishing village of Nazare before arriving in Alcobaca, where we can see the 12th Century monastery. After admiring the monastery, we'll complete our journey to Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal. The evening is at your leisure.