Spain and Portugal Iberian Explorer

Welcome to Barcelona, the vibrant capital of Catalonia. Your journey begins with a welcome meeting at the hotel reception at 6pm, followed by a group dinner. If you're arriving by air, we recommend landing at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) no later than 4.30pm. There are no planned excursions for today, so take the opportunity to relax and settle in.

Start your day with a guided tour of La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's iconic Basilica. Continue your exploration through the Eixample neighbourhood, home to Barcelona's Modernisme art nouveau masterpieces, and make your way to the grand Placa d'Espanya. Take a metro ride up to Montjuic hill for a panoramic view of the city. The afternoon is free for you to explore further. We recommend a bike tour or a visit to Gaudi's Park Guell.

Today, we leave Barcelona and head south to the Penedes region, known for its cava production. Enjoy a tasting of this sparkling wine before visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site of Santa Maria de Poblet, one of Spain's largest Cistercian monasteries. After lunch, we continue to the coastal city of Tarragona, a port city rich in Roman ruins and sandy beaches. Explore the historical centre and the UNESCO World Heritage complex of Tarraco, the oldest Roman settlement on the Iberian Peninsula.

This morning, we board the fast AVE train to Madrid, Spain's bustling capital city. After checking into our hotel, we embark on an orientation walk through Madrid's most historic neighbourhood, Barrio de los Austrias. Stop for a coffee near the impressive Palacio Real and visit the bustling Mercado de San Miguel, a gourmet market filled with regional specialities. After an early dinner at the market, we head to Plaza Mayor, a large square framed by slate-roofed red-brick buildings dating back to 1619.

Today, we delve deeper into Madrid, starting with a visit to Barrio de las Letras, the Literary Quarter, and Circulo de Bellas Artes. We continue our exploration on foot through the lively Lavapies neighbourhood, known for its colourful murals and art installations. Learn about the art of churro making and indulge in these delicious fried dough sticks. Our morning tour ends near the vast 19th-century El Retiro Park. The afternoon is free for you to relax in the park, visit the nearby museums, or explore the city's back streets in search of tucked-away tapas bars.

We take an early morning train to Granada, a city known for its rich Islamic history. After checking into our hotel, we explore the city on foot, discovering the main highlights including the Albaicin, the old Moorish quarter. From here, enjoy spectacular views across to the Alhambra and Generalife with the Sierra Nevada as a backdrop. As dusk falls, we suggest a stroll around the old Moorish Quarter to see its illuminated patios.

This morning, we visit the remarkable Alhambra Palace and Generalife gardens. The Alhambra, one of the finest examples of Moorish architecture, was built by the founder of the Nasrid dynasty, Muhammad al-Ahmar. The Generalife, the summer residence of the Caliphs and its surrounding gardens, are considered among the most beautiful landscaped gardens in the world. The rest of the day is flexible, allowing you to explore Granada at your own pace.

Today, we travel to Cordoba, a city that boasts a wealth of treasures from its Moorish and Roman past. Upon arrival, we visit the renowned Mosque (Mezquita), a unique building where history has superimposed two faiths and erected two oratories on one site. After lunch, we continue our journey to the pretty white-washed town of Carmona for a short orientation walk. We then drive onto Seville, one of Spain's most beautiful cities. In the evening, we stroll across the Guadalquivir River to Triana, known for its ceramic production and tapas bars.

Spend the morning walking through Seville, exploring the former Jewish Quarter and winding narrow backstreets leading to Mudejar palaces and baroque churches. The afternoon is free for you to explore Seville at your own pace. You might like to visit the stunning Alcázar Palace and the city's Gothic Cathedral, one of the largest in the world. In the evening, consider experiencing some traditional flamenco music and dancing.

Today, we say goodbye to Spain and drive north into Portugal. Our first stop is Castro Marim, where we take a walk around the fascinating Templar Castle. We then continue along the coast to Tavira, a charming city on Portugal's Algarve Coast. After lunch, we drive to the town of Lagos, where we spend the night. Lagos is a charming port town that boasts dramatic natural scenery, beautiful beaches, and a historic town center.

This morning, enjoy some free time in Lagos. You could take an optional boat trip along the cliffs to Ponte Piedade. Later, we drive into Lisbon, stopping in Belem to visit a traditional pastelaria and enjoy a delicious Pasteis de Belem, a Portuguese custard tart. Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is a city rich in history and culture. In the evening, you have the option to see a live performance of traditional 'Fado' music, a deeply personal expression of Portuguese culture.

Our morning walking tour takes us through some of the different bairros (neighbourhoods) of Lisbon. We walk up Alfama Hill and enjoy the views across the River Tagus from the Miradouro de Graca viewpoint. Our walk ends at the Time Out Market, where a variety of Portuguese food, sweets, and drinks are on offer. The afternoon is free for further exploration of Lisbon. In the evening, you have the option to see a live performance of traditional 'Fado' music.

Today, we head north to Porto, making several stops along the way. Our first stop is Obidos, one of the most picturesque and well-preserved medieval towns in Portugal. Here, we sample Ginjinha, a local liqueur made from sour cherries. Next, we visit Aveiro, known as the Venice of Portugal, where we take a short walk along the canals and admire the colourful Moliceiros boats. We reach Porto in the late afternoon, a city known for its architectural and cultural attractions.

This morning, we explore colourful Porto on foot. We stroll down the cobbled streets to Cais da Ribeira, the city's most picturesque spot, dominated by the two-tiered Dom Luis I Bridge. Following our tour, we visit a port lodge to learn about the history and processes involved in making Porto's famous port wine, and enjoy a tasting. The afternoon is free for you to further discover Porto. You may choose to climb the tower of the 18th-century Baroque Igreja dos Clerigos for superb views across the city, or take a traditional '6 Bridges Cruise' along the River Douro.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Porto. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart from Porto at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Porto Airport (OPO), which is about 30 minutes' drive.