Barcelona, Northern Spain & Portugal | 18 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 – BURGOS – LA RIOJA – BILBAO

Breakfast at the hotel. Depart towards Burgos. Free time to visit the 13^th century gothic Cathedral, the third largest in Spain after Sevilla and Toledo. We will continue to Haro, in the heart of La Rioja, one of the most famous Spanish wine regions. Among the vineyards, we will visit a traditional and family run wine cellar. Take a taste of the world-famous Rioja Reds. Depart to Bilbao for overnight. (B)

Day 6:                                                BILBAO – SAN SEBASTIAN – BILBAO

Breakfast at the hotel. Take a Bilbao city tour and discover its most recent developments. Time at leisure for you to explore the esplanade where The Guggenheim Museum is located in order for you to admire this modern architectural building. Continue to San Sebastian in the afternoon, one of the most famous tourist destinations where they hold the International Film Festival. Panoramic city tour of this marvel style bourgeois city, seeing the extraordinary landscape dominated by the bay and the magnificent La Concha beach. We will approach Mount Igueldo for the marvellous views of the city. Free time to stroll through this elegant city. Return to Bilbao. Enjoy dinner at local restaurant to taste the famous typical “pintxos”, Basque name for tapas. Overnight in Bilbao. (B, D)

Day 7:                                                BILBAO – CASTRO URDIALES – SANTANDER  

Breakfast at hotel. Depart for Asturias and proceed to the old fishing village “Castro Urdiales”. Time at leisure. Depart to Santander, a port city located between the sea and the mountains, well known for its Sardinero Beach. Overnight in Santander. (B)

Day 8:                                               SANTANDER – SANTILLANA DEL MAR – COVADONGA – OVIEDO

Breakfast at hotel. Depart to Santillana del Mar, one of the most important historical artistic towns in Spain. It contains architectural treasures such as the Collegiate of Santa Juliana, a Jewel of the Romanesque Architecture in Cantabria. Continue to Covadonga, where you will have free time to see the Sanctuary and the Grotto where you will see the patroness of Asturias our Lady of Covadonga. In the afternoon, departure to Oviedo, where you will see on a series of hills the beauty of Saint Maria de Naranco Church, Jewel of the pre-Romanic Asturian architecture. Free time to explore Oviedo, many of their streets are pedestrian, where you will be able to see World Heritage sites like The Cathedral, a splendid example of gothic Asturian architecture. Join your fellow travellers to dine at a traditional cider house. Overnight in Oviedo. (B, D)

Day 9:                                               OVIEDO – MONDONEDO – LUGO – SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

Breakfast at the hotel. Depart for a short stop at Mondoñedo, Time at leisure to visit the 13^th century Cathedral and try the delicious “Mondoñedo cake”. Continue to Lugo. Time at leisure to explore the Roman remains that still retains like its walls, declared Patrimony of the Humanity. We finally approach Santiago de Compostela´s holy land, declared World Heritage as it is the most important centre of Christian Pilgrimages in Spain as the end of the Camino de Santiago route built during the Roman Empire. Overnight in Santiago de Compostela. (B)

Day 10:                                              SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

Breakfast at hotel. Join a city tour where we will see the main square called Obradoiro and the Cathedral (entrance included) dedicated to the Apostle Santiago. Rest of the day at leisure to explore the narrow cobblestone streets. Overnight in Santiago de Compostela. (B)

Day 11:                                             SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA – RIAS BAJAS – PORTO

Breakfast at the hotel. Depart towards one of the most marvellous areas of Galicia, the Rias Bajas (Spanish Fjords). Continue to the Ria de Arosa, where we will do a cruise, with tasting of the typical wines and mussels. Depart for 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 12:                                             PORTO

Breakfast at the hotel. Take a 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 13:                                              PORTO

Breakfast at the hotel. Day is at leisure to discover the city on your own. Overnight in Porto. (B)

Day 14:                                             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 15:                                             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 16:                                             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 17:                                              LISBON – CACERES – MADRID

After breakfast, 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 for overnight. (B)

Day 18:                                              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

BILBAO: Barceló Bilbao Nervión, or Occidental Bilbao Hotel

SANTANDER: Hotel Santemar

OVIEDO: AC Hotel Oviedo Forum, or Hotel EXE Oviedo Centro

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA: Eurostars Hotel Santiago, or EXE Peregrino Hotel

PORTO: Vila Gale Porto, or Felix Ipanema

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

LISBON: Lutecia Smart Design Hotel

Includes:

–        Guided city tour with local guides in Barcelona (Sagrada Familia entrance included), Madrid, Bilbao, Santiago (Cathedral ticket included), Porto (including Douro River Cruise and Port wine tasting) & Lisbon

–        Wine tasting in La Rioja

–        Tapas Experience dinner in Madrid

–        Pintxos Dinner in Bilbao

–        Dinner and cider tasting in traditional cider house in Oviedo

–        Mussels and wine tasting on a Rias Baixas cruise

–        Fado show and dinner in Lisbon

–        Accommodation at selected hotels

–        English speaking Tour director throughout the journey

–        Transportation in luxury coach

–        Daily breakfast

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

–        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.

–        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.

–        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. Handbags 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.

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

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

–        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 your stay in Madrid, tour escort is not available