PORTUGAL & SPAIN

Arrive at Lisbon Airport, be greeted by your tour director, and transfer to your hotel. Spread across picturesque hillsides that overlook the River Tejo, Lisbon offers a myriad of delights as Portugal’s star attraction, yet with a fraction of the fuss of other European capitals. Cathedrals, regal monasteries, and charming museums are all part of the colorful cityscape, but the real delights of discovery lie in its people, touring its sites, and Lisbon’s lovely and old-world backstreets. Dinner is on your own tonight, offering you the opportunity to venture along at your own pace and take in the acclaimed gastronomy of Portugal. 

After breakfast at your hotel, enjoy a morning tour of Lisbon, including the opportunity to explore the city center, the old quarter of Alfama, as well as the Belem quarter and its monuments including Jeronimos Monastery, the Belém Tower, and the Monument to the Discoveries. This city, the capital of Portugal, is a legendary city with more than 20 centuries of history. Voyages of discovery turned Lisbon into one of the world’s greatest ports and the base of an empire that stretched from Brazil in the West to India in the East. This monumental city features typical tile covered building facades and narrow winding streets. Tonight your welcome to Portugal features a flavorful dinner of local favorites and an unforgettable Fado show, a part of our Cultural Discovery Series. Meaning “destiny” or “fate”, Fado is the urban folk music of Portugal. It thrives today in the country’s bars, taverns and Fado houses for everyone to relish as a global melodic symbol of Portuguese culture and tradition. Sit back and feel free to linger over some port wine and take-in the soulful passion of Portugal via its musical tradition of Fado that is sure to stir the passion in you! (B,D)

Today is yours to explore at leisure or embark on a captivating optional excursion to Sintra, Cabo di Roca, Cascais, and Estoril. Your first stop on this fascinating day’s adventures is the historic town of Sintra, where a walking tour takes you to delve into the village’s treasures and includes a tour of the Palacio Nacional de Sintra. Next, it’s on to Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of Continental Europe where you can sample a Portuguese liquor called Ginjinha. Your day’s activities take you along to the famous resort of Cascais and the cosmopolitan coastal village of Estoril. (B)

As we travel from Lisbon to Évora this morning, we visit a tile factory and take part in an interactive tile painting workshop. As part of our Cultural Discovery Series this workshop will teach us all about Azulejos, the blue-white ceramic tiles, traditionally used in Portugal to decorate the facades of various landmark buildings, churches, and monasteries. Continue to Évora, one of Portugal’s most beautifully preserved medieval towns, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your local guide reveals how c, Moorish arcades, and a score of churches and monasteries create a fascinating cultural tapestry; see the Capela dos Ossos, the 15th century Church of São Francisco, and the Cathedral of St. Mary. Spend the remainder of the day exploring this enchanting town at your own pace, and discover its labyrinthine streets, picturesque town squares, and a great display of Moorish-inspired arches. (B,D)

After breakfast, journey to Seville, Spain’s fourth largest city and the capital of the Andalusia region. Built on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, the city has a rich history with vast Moorish influences and was once a prosperous trading port with the Americas. Take a guided walking tour with visits to the c (the old Jewish Quarter in Middle Ages) and see the renowned Giralda Bell Tower (once the minaret of a mosque during Seville’s Moorish days). Then explore the impressive Gothic Cathedral, one of the world’s most beautiful and burial site of Christopher Columbus. Next, take part in our Cultural Discovery Series and visit the interactive Flamenco Dance Museum to learn about the art and evolution of Flamenco. Evening is at leisure for you to further explore this vibrant and colorful city. (B)

Today we spend the day exploring the whitewashed villages of Spain’s pueblo blancos. Drive to Jerez de la Frontera, the capital of the Andalusian horse culture, and also one of the largest producers of fine sherry wines. Visit the famous Bodega and learn all about the tradition of producing an aged sherry, and afterwards sample different kinds of this very special Spanish wine. Next, enjoy a spectacular show featuring horses with riders dressed in 18th century costumes performing to stirring music. After some free time and lunch on your own, drive to the quintessential hill town, Arcos de la Frontera, known for its exceptional architecture and impressive location. The old town is a tangled labyrinth of cobbled streets that lead up to a sandstone castle, the Castillo de los Arcos which offers exhilarating views over the town and the rolling plain below. After a walking tour with your guide, enjoy time at leisure, before returning to the hotel late in the afternoon.(B)

Spend the day at leisure or join us on an optional tour to Córdoba where we visit the unparalleled mosque-cathedral, La Mezquita, a symbol of the worldly sophisticated culture that flourished here more than a millennium ago when Córdoba was the capital of Islamic Spain and Europe’s largest cultural and intellectual center. Córdoba was a major seat of Jewish learning in the Middle Ages, and although few Jews have returned to the city since their forced exile from Spain during the Inquisition, the historic Jewish Quarter of Córdoba remains well preserved. Explore the synagogue and view the Maimonides sculpture to get a picture of the Jewish heritage in the city. Return to Seville and join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner at the hotel.(B,D)

After breakfast transfer to Seville Airport for your return flight home. (B)