Best Of Spain & Portugal - End Madrid, Small Group, Summer
See the masterpieces of Spain and Portugal on this 15-day guided tour. In Madrid, an art historian will walk you through the Prado Museum, where Spain's most impressive paintings hang. Navigate Segovia’s medieval streets alongside a Local Expert. Journeying to Granada, visit the region’s oldest olive grove, before dining in the home of a local family, sampling local produce and wine. At the Alhambra, explore the palace's lace-like stone walls and wander its manicured gardens. In Seville, stomp to the sounds of an acoustic guitar during a private flamenco dance lesson. In Porto, sip port during a wine tasting, and in Lisbon, see an architectural masterpiece - the Gothic-style Jerónimos Monastery.


Dining Summary

• 5 Dinner with Wine (DW)
• 14 Breakfast (B)
• 2 Lunch with Wine (LW)

Choice Highlights

• Choose between two carefully selected activities
• Seville: Stroll through Barrio de Santa Cruz with your Local Expert to hear how the Jewish community has shaped the history of Seville.
• Seville: Explore Seville's top sights on a panoramic city tour with your Local Expert.

Authentic Dining

• Madrid: Join your Travel Director at 18:00 for a Welcome Dinner in a local restaurant and get to know your fellow travellers over a beautiful evening of delicious food and wine.
• Porto: Sample a selection of famous Port wines at a tasting at the Vila Nova de Gaia wine stores.
• Lisbon: Delight in a taste of the famous Portuguese delicacy, Pastéis de Belém.
• Torremolinos: Taste a selection of freshly pressed olive oils with locally made farmer bread when you stop at Almazara, the oldest olive grove in the region.
• Alfarnatejo: Hear stories of local life as you join a local family for a freshly prepared traditional lunch with wine.
• Valencia: Learn the authentic recipe of paella when you join a local chef for a Cooking Demonstration. Savour the flavours of this classic dish for dinner, washed down with a glass of Sangria, during your Highlight Dinner.
• : Join a wine expert when you visit Cava Dorada. Enjoy a tasting at the great Cava vineyards during your delicious Highlight Lunch.
• Barcelona: At a typical Catalan restaurant, savour a delicious Celebration Dinner that incorporates classic cooking with the freshest produce.

Insight Experiences

• Madrid: Witness the world's finest collection of Spanish paintings, plus an impressive international collection, as you tour the Prado Museum with an art historian.
• Granada: Visit the famous Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens. While others wait in line, you'll be exploring accompanied by a Local Expert, keen to share insights into this Moorish landmark.

Make Travel Matter

• Seville: The Cristina Heeren Foundation aims to promote the teaching and conservation of flamenco and is a beneficiary of a TreadRight Foundation grant. Meet the students of the foundation, learn some basic flamenco steps, and then feel the passion as they perform an emotional show. The school enables students access to cultural education that otherwise may not have occurred. TreadRights sponsorship has helped students to complete their studies in advanced guitar, singing and dance. As students complete their training, they will carry on and safeguard the traditional flamenco dance, contributing to the protection of Andalusia and Spain’s cultural heritage. The Cristina Heeren Foundation advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education and UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Top Rated Highlights

• Madrid: See the highlights of the city with your Local Expert. Visit the Old Town, travelling along the elegant Paseo de la Castellana, past the fountain in the Plaza de Cibeles, the Cervantes Monument and Royal Palace, before crossing the Puerta del Sol.
• Segovia: Walk the medieval streets of this fortified city with your Local Expert and see the 14th century Alcazar Palace.
• Avila: Walk within the ancient walls of this unique town.
• Salamanca: See the handsome arcaded Plaza Mayor, the honey-coloured cathedral and the 16th century university buildings as you explore the city with your Local Expert.
• Porto: See the iconic bridges and buildings decorated in tiles.
• Fátima: Join the faithful at one of the world's holiest sites and pay homage at the Chapel of the Apparitions or see the basilica.
• Obidos: Lead by your Travel Director, walk through the picturesque narrow streets up to the main square of this ancient walled town.
• Lisbon: Explore with your Local Expert, from the Lower Town, beneath the hilltop Bairro Alto to the Terreiro do Paco. Visit the Belém Quarter to see the modern Monument to the Discoveries and the medieval Belém Tower.
• Lisbon: Visit Jerónimos Monastery with its beautiful Manueline architecture, reflecting Portugal's trade over the centuries and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Seville: Visit the Seville Cathedral with your Local Expert. Pass the altarpiece dripping with gold and see the Tomb of Columbus, held aloft by four kings.
• Seville: Stroll through Barrio de Santa Cruz with your Local Expert to hear how the Jewish community has shaped the history of Seville.
• Seville: Explore Seville's top sights on a panoramic city tour with your Local Expert.
• Gibraltar: With your Local Expert, explore the Rock of Gibraltar, one of the pillars of Hercules, affording magnificent views and see the meeting of the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and the Spanish Sierra. Visit St. Michael's Cave and see the Barbary Apes.
• Mijas: Journey to this white-washed village and stroll the streets to admire the coastal views.
• Alfarnatejo: Visit the beautiful, quiet town and walk the town cent...