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10 Days SpSouthern Spain & Portugal Tour Package
Duration: 10 Days / 9 Nights
Priced From: $1,775 pp dbl. occ.
Dates: Apr - Sep
Among the many highlights of this tour are Madrid's Royal Palace, the divine Alhambra Palace, Seville's Maria Luisa Park, and the Monument to the Discoveries in Lisbon. Dine on tapas in a typical bodega in Seville.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1 - Depart USA
Overnight flight to Madrid.
Day 2 - Arrive Madrid (2 nights)
Welcome to Madrid, the Spanish capital city! Time to relax or explore this lively
Spanish capital. Later enjoy a Welcome Drink with your Tour Director and fellow
travelers.
Hotel: Rafael Atocha
Day 3 - Madrid sightseeing & at leisure
This morning our guided sightseeing tour introduces us to Madrid which King Philip II made the capital of the empire in 1561. We drive along the leafy avenues to see the statue of Cervantes’ fictional hero, Don Quixote, in the Plaza de España. Then we continue past the Cibeles Fountain and the Parliament, and cross the Puerta del Sol. Finally we see the Royal Palace, the largest royal palace in Western Europe with more than 2,800 rooms, which was the official residence of King Juan Carlos and the Royal Family, and is now used only for state occasions. The Royal Family choose to live in the smaller Palacio de la Zarzuela on the outskirts of the city. Then we have time at leisure to relax or perhaps take an excursion to see the Valley of the Fallen which commemorates all those who died on both sides during the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), and General Franco is buried inside the impressive basilica.
Day 4 - Madrid – Toledo – Granada
We travel south to Toledo, former capital of Spain but now the capital of the region of Castile. On our arrival a guided walking tour highlights the Jewish Synagogue, which is one of the oldest in Europe, and the church of Santo Tome which houses one of the masterpieces of El Greco. Then we travel through the wine producing centre of Valdepeñas, before crossing through La Mancha where Don Quixote tilted at windmills as his faithful servant, Sancho Panza, looked on. Later we arrive in hilltop
Granada with wonderful views of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This evening we have dinner included in our hotel. (Buffet breakfast / Dinner)
Hotel: Gran Luna
Day 5 - Granada – Costa del Sol (Marbella)
Our morning guided sightseeing tour visits the Alhambra Palace, Spain’s most magnificent example of Moorish architecture and the former residence of the Moorish monarchs of Granada. The name means ‘the red fortress’ and the palace and fortress complex occupies a hilly terrace on the southeastern border of the city. We also see the exotic water gardens of Generalife, the royal summer residence, where you can enjoy fine views over the town and the hills beyond. Then we depart for the coast and the Costa del Sol, on of the most popular resort areas of Europe, where tonight you may wish to sample the nightlife of this lively area. (Buffet breakfast)
Hotel: Melia Dinamar
Day 6 - Costa del Sol (Marbella) – Gibraltar – Seville (2 nights)
Today we drive along the Costa del Sol to La Linea where we cross to the Rock of Gibraltar, the British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian peninsula and overlooking the Straits of Gibraltar. The territory of Gibraltar was ceded by Spain to Great Britain in perpetuity in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht. There is time to do some duty-free shopping before we travel through the sherry wine region of Jerez to Seville. (Buffet breakfast / Dinner)
Hotel: Zenit
Day 7 - Seville sightseeing & at leisure
Seville is the artistic, cultural and financial capital of southern Spain and the capital of Andalusia. The city is situated on the River Guadalquivir and our morning sightseeing with the local guide is dominated by the cathedral with its Bell Tower, where we will see the tomb of Christopher Columbus. We will also see the pools and fountains of Maria Luisa Park and enjoy a walking tour of the Jewish quarter. Tonight we enjoy a typical Andalusian dinner of local specialties in an authentic hacienda. (Buffet breakfast / 'Be My Guest' Dinner)
Hotel: NH Parque De Lisboa (2 nights)
Day 8 - Seville – Lisbon (2 nights)
Our journey today takes us via the ‘Jabugo’ (ham centre) of Spain and past mighty castles. Later we enter the Alentejo region of Portugal which is commonly known as the bread basket of Portugal, a region of vast open countryside with undulating plains and rich fertile soil. All the major towns are mainly reliant on agriculture and there are several types of cheeses, wines and smoked hams and sausages which are produced in this region, as well as the cultivation of cork forests. Later we reach the capital, Lisbon, where we stay for the next two nights. You may wish to dine out on local specialties and listen to the haunting sound of Fado music tonight? (Buffet breakfast)
Hotel: NH Parque De Lisboa
Day 9 - Lisbon sightseeing & at leisure
Our guided tour shows us the Monument to the Discoveries which was inaugurated in 1960 during the celebrations of the 500-year anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator. It commemorates the maritime expansion of Portugal as well as many heroes of Portuguese history including Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral, the discoverer of Brazil. Then we see the beautiful suspension bridge across the Tagus, which looks like the Golden Gate Bridge, and finally the Belem Tower which was built in the early 16th century to commemorate Vasco da Gama’s expedition. This defensive yet elegant construction has become one of the symbols of the city, a memorial to the
Portuguese power during the age of the great discoveries. In 1983 it was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Then time at leisure perhaps to shop for pottery, cork and fisherman’s sweaters in the nearby fishing villages of Cascais and Sintra. Tonight we enjoy a Farewell Dinner with our Tour Director and fellow travelers. (Buffet breakfast / Farewell dinner)
Day 10 - Lisbon – USA
This morning after breakfast it is time to bid farewell to our Tour Director as our tour comes to an end or you can join the Highlights of France and Spain, see below. Airport transfers are available, conditions apply. (Buffet breakfast)
Highlights:
Madrid
Toledo
Granada
Seville
Lisbon
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