Great Iberian Cities

Visit Europe

Day 1

Welcome to Barcelona

Ramble up Las Ramblas and get ready for an unforgettable discovery of the Iberian Peninsula.

The fiery coastal city of Barcelona kicks off your mesmerising encounter with Spain and Portugal. Set your watch to the leisurely Mediterranean way of life, spending the day relaxing or connecting with a city that once inspired Gaudí's imagination. Later, join your Travel Director and fellow compañeros for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience during a Welcome Reception, and evening drive to see the city’s iconic sights.

Day 2

Discover Lively Barcelona

We spend the morning exploring a city whose great passions include football, fashion and fairy-tale façades by famed architect Antoni Gaudí.

We'll admire the exterior of his masterpiece - the unfinished Sagrada Familia, as well as his creations on the Passeig de Gracia during our guided sightseeing with a Local Specialist. The rest of the day is yours to delight in Spanish culture and cuisine. Consider joining an Optional Experience to Montserrat to see the shrine of the Black Madonna, affectionately known in Catalonia as La Moreneta.

Day 3

Journey to Madrid

Today, we drive through the valleys and pastures of Aragón towards Spain's capital where you will have lunch in Zaragoza.

We arrive this evening in Madrid, renowned for its vibrant nightlife which we will have an opportunity to enjoy on our own terms.

Day 4

Explore Fiery Madrid Dive Into Culture

We join a Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour of Madrid, where we will see trendy Gran Vía and the Cibeles Fountain, before we Dive Into Culture visiting the world-famous Prado Museum.

Admire the masterpieces of Velázquez and other Spanish greats in this extraordinary museum, said to house the largest collection of European art in the world. Spend the rest of your day exploring the city at leisure. Visit the Royal Palace or stroll through Buen Retiro Park at the heart of the city – the choice is yours.

Day 5

Onwards to Toledo and Seville

We journey south to the clifftop city of Toledo, where we'll join our Local Specialist for a walking tour.

Visit the Church of Santo Tomé, home to one of El Greco's most famous paintings, 'The Burial of the Count of Orgaz', and visit the former synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca. We arrive in Seville this evening and immerse ourselves in the effervescent spirit of Andalusia. Visit Basilippo Olive farm which produces 100-percent organic extra virgin olive oil. At this Be My Guest experience you’ll Connect With Locals over dinner featuring fresh regional ingredients and the local sangria of course.

Day 6

See the Sights of Seville Connect with Locals

The charisma of Seville is unmistakable.

Your Local Specialist will take you on a sightseeing tour past the symbolic Giralda Bell Tower, Maria Luisa Park and the architectural gems of Seville's 1929 Ibero-American Exposition. Later, we’ll stroll through the historic Jewish Quarter before visiting the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world, where Christopher Columbus is entombed.

Day 7

Continue to Colourful Lisbon Dive Into Culture

We travel west to Portugal, meandering through the province of Huelva, renowned for its Jabugo ham.

After crossing into Portugal's picturesque rural landscapes of the Alentejo – the country's cork capital – we arrive in colourful Lisbon where we'll meet our Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour celebrating the grand triumphs of the Portuguese in centuries past. See the Monument to the Discoveries, the suspension bridge that spans the Tagus, and Belém Tower, once the ceremonial gateway to Lisbon. Dive Into Culture on a visit to the UNESCO-listed Hieronymite Monastery, built in the 16th century, then spend the rest of the evening on your own exploration of the Portuguese capital.

Day 8

Lisbon Your Way

Enjoy the day sauntering through Lisbon's grand shopping boulevards and the narrow lanes of Bairro Alto or consider joining an Optional Experience to the historic towns of Cascais and Sintra.

This evening, we enjoy dinner with newfound friends and our Travel Director, toasting to an epic Iberian holiday.

Day 9

Farewell Lisbon

Our journey through Spain and Portugal has come to an end.

All that's left is to say a fond adeus at the end of an unforgettable holiday.

Dining Summary

1 Welcome Reception (WR)

8 Breakfast (B)

2 Dinner (D)

1 Be My Guest (BMG)

Be My Guest

Seville: Enjoy a traditional Andalusian Be My Guest dinner and the charming company of your host, Isaac. A welcome drink of sangria in their sun-dappled courtyard before learning how they produce olive oil.

Dive Into Culture

Madrid: Visit the Prado Museum in Madrid, where you'll have time to admire its extraordinary collection of European art dating from the 12th to early 20th centuries.

Lisbon: Visit the Hieronymite Monastery, a former monastery of the Order of Saint Jerome and exquisite example of Manueline architecture.

Iconic Experience

Barcelona: Take in the beauty and unique architecture of Barcelona on an orientation drive with your Travel Director.

Barcelona: With your Local Specialist, see Las Ramblas and the elegant Passeig de Gr��cia to take in some of the city's finest Modernist architecture. Journey past the beautiful façades of the Eixample district to see the exterior of Gaudi's extraordinary masterpiece, the mesmerizing Sagrada Família

Madrid: See the highlights of the city with your Local Specialist. Visit the Old Town, travelling along the elegant Paseo de la Castellana, past the Cibeles fountain, Cervantes Monument and Royal Palace.

Toledo: Explore this magnificent ancient city with your Local Specialist and visit the Church of Santo Tomé to see an El Greco masterpiece.

Seville: Guided by your Local Specialist, see the Giralda Tower, former minaret of the Great Mosque and now the cathedral's belltower. Explore the narrow streets of the Santa Cruz Quarter and emerge by the great walls of the Alcazar.

Lisbon: Explore with your Local Specialist, 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.

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®

Barcelona: In Barcelona, the talented team at Mescladis, an initiative promoting work opportunities to people victim from social exclusion, introduces us to local and seasonal flavours during our Welcome Dinner. Your experience supports UN Global Goal 4 Quality Education and 10 Reduced Inequalities.

Must-see Highlights

Explore Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo, Seville and Lisbon

Visit Prado Museum in Madrid, Church of Santo Tome and the Synagogue in Toledo, the Cathedral in Seville

View La Sagrada Família in Barcelona, the Monument to the Discoveries in Lisbon, the Giralda Bell Tower in Seville and Hieronymite Monastery in Lisbon

See the Royal Palace, the Gran Vía, Retiro Park and the Cibeles Fountain in Madrid, Seville Cathedral and the Belém Tower in Lisbon

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