Barcelona, Madrid & Portugal | 11 Days

Day 1:                                                BARCELONA

Upon arrival into Barcelona airport, transfer to your tour 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. Afternoon at leisure. (B)

Day 3:                                                BARCELONA – MADRID

After breakfast, transfer to the train station and take the high-speed train to Madrid. Upon arrival into Madrid, transfer to your hotel. (B)

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, Puerta del Sol, 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, Plaza Castilla and Parque del Oeste, as well as commercial and financial areas of Modern Madrid, the emblematic Las Ventas Bullring and the Santiago Bernabéu Football Stadium.  Afternoon at leisure to continue exploring the wonders that the city has to offer. Join your fellow travellers for an authentic Welcome Tapas Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Madrid. (B, D)

Day 5:                                                MADRID – SALAMANCA – PORTO

After breakfast, depart for Salamanca. Enjoy some free time in this University City World Heritage of great architectural and artistic wealth. Continue to the Portuguese border and then onto 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. Overnight in Porto. (B)

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. Overnight in Porto. (B)

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, centre of the Christian Faith and World Pilgrimage Sanctuary with its impressive Basilica and the Cova da Iria place where the Virgin Mary appeared. See 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. Overnight in Fatima. (B)

Day 8:                                               FATIMA – BATALHA – NAZARE – ALCOBAÇA – 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. Continue to Lisbon for overnight. (B)

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, Coach Museum, 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 nestled in narrow twisting “Ruas” full of colour housing the genuine “tabernas”. Join your fellow travellers 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 neighbourhoods in the area. Overnight in Lisbon. (B, D)

Day 10:                                              LISBON – CACERES – MADRID

Departure for Caceres, considered World Heritage site 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. We continue to Madrid for overnight. (B)

Day 11:                                             MADRID

Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the airport. End of our services. (B)

Accommodation (or similar):

BARCELONA: Hesperia President Hotel

MADRID: Riu Plaza Espana

PORTO: Bessahotel Boavista, or Hotel Vila Galé Porto

FATIMA: Hotel Sainte-Maria, Aurea Fatima Hotel Congress & Spa, Hotel Regina, or Hotel Estrela de Fatima

LISBON: Lutecia Smart Design Hotel

Includes:

–        Guided visits in Barcelona (Sagrada Familia entrance included), Madrid, Porto (including Douro River Cruise and Port wine tasting), & Lisbon

–        English speaking Tour Director throughout the journey

–        Daily breakfast

–        Welcome Tapas Experience dinner

–        Fado show and dinner in Lisbon

–        High-speed train ticket in Tourist Class from Barcelona to Madrid

–        Transportation by luxury coach

–        Accommodation at selected class

–        Private transfers to/from airport and from/to station as per itinerary

Things to Note:

–        Accommodation is subject to change without notice. Every effort is made to avoid hotel changes, but should a mid-tour hotel change become necessary after this list has been printed, contact details of the new hotel will be supplied to you by your Tour Director.

–        Itinerary is subject to change at any time without notice.

–        Service charges and tips for baggage handling are not included in the tour price.

–        Tour can be a combination of regular tours, therefore coach changes may be required. The same people may not be travelling throughout the tour.

–        *Minimum 8 passengers required for English-only tour. If the minimum of 8 passengers are not met, the tour will be run on a regular multilingual basis.

–        Baggage Policy: 1 suitcase per person up to a maximum of 25 kilos and maximum measurement of 157cm dimension (the dimensional measurement of a suitcase is the sum of length, width and height). Only suitcases of higher measures will be accepted if they are shared between two passengers. Hand bags should be taken care of personally with you. Only one hand baggage per person is allowed. Compulsory excess baggage penalties apply. We recommend that you carry only the luggage you will need. Remember that your trip will be more enjoyable if you don’t have to continually worry about heavy and bulky baggage.

–        If the panoramic tour of Madrid is not operated for technical reasons, it will be replaced by the Madrid Hop-on Hop-off Bus 1 day instead.

–        When the group is made up of 10 or fewer passengers, the circuit will have no guide, but a knowledgeable expert driver-guide. Such change will not be considered as a significant change of the trip.

–        During the journey from Barcelona to Madrid, tour escort service is not available.

–        Barcelona, Lisbon and Porto Local City Tax is not included and is to be paid locally to the hotels.