Amazing Spain & Portugal - Classic Group, Summer
From walking the cobblestone streets of a former Roman colony to tasting a decadent 'Pastel de Nata' tart made from a 200-year-old secret recipe, this 9-day guided tour allows you to embrace the best of old-world Spain and Portugal. Listen as metal sizzles in a master artisan’s hands as he teaches you the craft of Damascene. In Granada, wander the fragrant and arabesque gardens of the Alhambra Palace. Learn the art of flamenco dancing, stomping your feet to the sounds of an acoustic guitar, in a private lesson with professionals in Seville. Then, cross the Portuguese border to scale a 16th-century fortress in Lisbon and visit Fátima, Portugal's most holy site. Finally, raise a glass and say ¡salud! to these ancient wonders during a celebration feast in Madrid.


Dining Summary

• 3 Dinner with Wine (DW)
• 8 Breakfast (B)

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 18:30 for a Welcome Dinner in a local restaurant and get to know your fellow travellers over a beautiful evening of delicious food and wine.
• Lisbon: Delight in a taste of the famous Portuguese delicacy, Pastéis de Belém.
• Madrid: With good food and wine, toast the culmination of your travels during a fabulous Celebration Dinner.

Insight Experiences

• Toledo: At a Damascene workshop, meet a master artisan for a personal insight into this ancient craft. Witness firsthand their precision as they inlay gold and silver into iron, using a chisel and a hammer.
• 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

• Toledo: Explore this magnificent ancient city with your Local Expert and visit the Church of Santo Tomé to see an El Greco masterpiece.
• Granada: Explore 'The City of the Pomegranate' with a Local Expert. During sightseeing you'll see the icons dedicated to this fruit throughout the city.
• 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.
• Évora: With your Travel Director explore the ancient city of Évora and visit the fascinating Capela dos Ossos, meaning the Chapel of Bones, a chapel decorated with human remains.
• 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.
• Lisbon: Delight in a taste of the famous Portuguese delicacy, Pastéis de Belém.
• 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.
• Salamanca: See the golden stone buildings and handsome arcades of Plaza Mayor for which this city is famous for.
• Avila: Walk within the ancient walls of this unique town.
• 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.