BARCELONA, MADRID & PORTUGAL (ENGLISH ONLY – SMALL GROUP) 11 DAYS
11 Days: Barcelona, Madrid, Porto, Fatima, Lisbon & Madrid
Tour overview:
Visit some of the best cities in Spain and Portugal. Start in Barcelona with its Gothic quarters, the world famous Sagrada Familia and Gaudi’s awe-inspiring architecture. Explore Madrid, Spain’s eclectic capital and home to some of its most historic buildings. In Portugal, see where Fado began in Coimbra. Wander in the twisting ‘Ruas” full of color housing the genuine ‘tabernas’ in the Alfama Quarter in Lisbon, Portugal’s capital.
Day 1 - Barcelona
Arrival at the airport and transfer to your hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 2 - Barcelona
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning city tour of Barcelona. Drive along the main avenues with its impressive Gaudi modernist buildings such as La Pedrera and Casa Milá. The Montjuïc Park with spectacular views of the city and harbor, Olympic Ring, monument to Columbus and the Olympic Port. Visit the most important landmark in the city of Barcelona, Sagrada Familia. Admire Gaudi’s masterwork by the hand of your expert local guide. Afternoon at leisure. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 3 - Barcelona – Madrid
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the train station to take the high-speed train to Madrid. Arrival and transfer to your hotel. Accommodation.
Day 4 - Madrid
Breakfast at the hotel. Discover the beauties of the city with a guided city tour. Barrio de la Morería, the Hapsburgs District, Plaza Mayor and Plaza de la Villa; the Madrid of the Bourbons and the complex town planning schemes of Charles III, the Royal Palace, Cibeles and Neptuno Fountains and the Puerta de Alcalá. The contemporary Madrid with areas such as Gran Vía, Castellana, the district of Salamanca, as well as commercial and financial areas of Modern Madrid, and the Santiago Bernabéu Football Stadium. Afternoon at leisure to continue exploring the wonders that the city has to offer. Join your fellow travelers for an authentic Welcome Tapas Dinner. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 5 - Madrid – Salamanca – Porto
Breakfast at the hotel. Bound for Portugal, we will drive towards Salamanca. Enjoy some free time in this University City and World Heritage Site of great architectural and artistic wealth. Continue to the Portuguese border to reach Porto. Located along the Douro River estuary in northern Portugal, Porto is one of the oldest European towns, and proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 6 - Porto
Breakfast at the hotel. Guided sightseeing tour of Porto. Admire the Cathedral, Stock Exchange building and Santa Clara church. Afterwards, enjoy a Douro River Cruise and discover famous Port Wine Cellars with a wine tasting experience included. Rest of day at leisure. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 7 - Porto – Coimbra – Fatima
After breakfast, we depart to Coimbra, one of the oldest universities in Europe and the birthplace of Fado. Free time. Continue to Fatima. Center of the Christian Faith and World Pilgrimage Sanctuary with its impressive Basilica and the Cova da Iria place where the Virgin Mary appeared, and the Chapel of the Apparitions, heart of the sanctuary, with the tombs of the three shepherds, Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta. At night, possibility to attend the procession of the candles. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 8 - Fatima – Batalha – Nazare – Alcobaca – Lisbon
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to the Batalha Monastery, a masterpiece of Gothic and Manueline style considered a World Heritage place by UNESCO. Continue to the picturesque fishing town of Nazaré. Free time and continue to Alcobaça (World Heritage) with its Gothic church and Cistercian monastery, whose origins date back to the XII C. We continue to Lisbon. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 9 - Lisbon
After breakfast, join a morning city sightseeing of the ancient Olissipo. Drive through its main squares and avenues, Belem Tower, Jeronimos Monastery, Monument to the Discoverers, Marquis of Pombal Square & Liberty Avenue. Afternoon at leisure for you to catch the nostalgic corners of Alfama Quarter, the old city gathered next to its Castle, with old buildings nested in narrow twisting “Ruas” full of color housing the genuine “tabernas”. Join your fellow travelers and enjoy a typical Portuguese dinner visiting one of the oldest Fado venues in the city and located in one of the most interesting cultural neighborhoods in the area. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 10 - Lisbon – Caceres – Madrid
Departure to Caceres considered as World Heritage place because of the city’s blend of Roman, Islamic, Northern Gothic and Italian Renaissance architecture. Walk through its Plaza Mayor and the Old Town with its famous Medieval Quarter. Continue to Madrid. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 11 - Madrid
Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the airport. END OF OUR SERVICES.