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At Madrid Airport, transfers depart for your hotel at 9:00 am, 11:00 am, 1:30 pm and 4:00 pm. Later, join your Tour Director for a Welcome Reception and a beautiful evening of dinner and wine.

Guided sightseeing takes you past Madrid's most famous fountain in the Plaza de Cibeles. Drive down the Gran Via to the Royal Palace and Cervantes Monument before crossing the Puerta del Sol. The highlight of your tour is a visit to the magnificent Prado Museum.

Travel to the fortified city of Segovia where you will walk through the medieval streets from the ancient aqueduct to see the magnificent Alcazar fortress. Journey west, passing the ancient walls of Ávila, en route to Salamanca. During your orientation see some of the golden stone buildings the city is famous for, including the handsome arcaded Plaza Mayor, the honey-colored cathedral and the 16th century university buildings.

Cross the Portuguese border to reach Porto. See the Vila Nova de Gaia wine stores that house the famous wines. Walk along corridors of casks and get to know your tawnys and vintages during a tasting. Admire the multi-colored houses and churches covered in glazed tiles, as well as the iconic bridges.

In Fatima, see the basilica or visit the Chapel of the Apparitions. Then continue to the hilltop town of Obidos, where you'll walk inside the city walls to explore the flower-bedecked houses and narrow, medieval streets. Your next destination is the Portuguese capital.

Sightseeing with a Local Expert takes you along the spacious avenues of the Lower Town and beneath the hilltop Bairro Alto to the Terreiro do Paco, the finest square in the city. Visit the Belém Quarter from where sailing ships once set forth to discover unknown lands. See the traditional patisserie that has managed to hold on to the secret recipe of Portugal's finest pastry for almost 200 years and enjoy a taste of the famous Pastéis de Belém. View the Monument to the Discoveries and the more ancient Belém Tower. This fortress was originally set in the middle of the river, but is now left high and dry on the riverbank. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Jerónimos Monastery with its beautiful Manueline architecture. With the afternoon at your leisure, perhaps join an Optional Experience to the Portuguese Riviera? It is often visited by surfers, occasionally royalty, and even James Bond. 

Leave Lisbon via the modern Tagus Bridge and cross the border to reach Seville. With your Local Expert, visit the immense cathedral to see the Tomb of Christopher Columbus and the slender Giralda Tower, the former minaret of the Great Mosque. Explore the labyrinthine Santa Cruz Quarter and see the Alcazar.

Enjoy a relaxed start and a day to relax, shop or continue exploring this fascinating city at your own pace. Our suggestion is to join an Optional Experience to the ancient city of Cordoba, where you will visit the magnificent Mezquita, see the old Jewish Quarter, and enjoy some free time to shop or explore as you wish. In the evening you are treated to dinner, wine and entertainment featuring a fiery flamenco show.

Head south to Gibraltar, part of mainland Spain yet an overseas territory under British control since 1704. With your Local Expert, visit the Rock of Gibraltar and St. Michael’s Cave to see the Barbary Apes, legendary guardians of the colony. Relax as you travel the scenic route along the Costa del Sol through exclusive resorts where the rich and famous holiday. Your journey continues through the green hills to the white-washed village of Mijas. Stroll through the old streets and gardens and take in the views of the coast.

Travel to the oldest olive grove in the region and stop at the rural mill-factory of Almazara to taste a selection of different oils with locally made farmer bread. Continue through the Provence of Malaga, where Picasso was born, to Alfarnatejo, a quiet town with a population of just 500 people and surrounded by stunning mountainous landscape. Walk the town center to see the 18th century Iglesia del Santo Cristo de Cabrilla.

In small groups, you are invited to into the home of a local family to join them for a delicious Highlight Lunch made of fresh, local produce with flavors typical of the region. Continue to Granada to visit the magnificent Alhambra Palace with your Local Expert. Built as a citadel by the Moors in the 13th century, it is a wonder of beautiful gardens, fountains and stone cut like lace.

Journey to Valencia, home of the City of Arts and Sciences. Pass through the Old City and see the city's ancient gates, Torres de Serranos and Torres de Quart. In your free time perhaps take a stroll to the Cathedral and El Miguelete? Or sit back to with a drink and watch the Valencian’s go about their day. Valencia is home to one of the world's greatest dishes, paella. Meet the chef of a local family-run restaurant in the heart of the old town and learn the traditional recipe during a Cooking Demonstration, before savoring the delicious flavors of this classic dish, washed down with a glass of sangria, during your Highlight Dinner.

Follow the coast to Peñíscola to view the sea-lapped castle used in the film 'El Cid'. Continue along the Costa Dorada to the Cava Bodegas at Sant Sadurni d'Anoia. During a delicious freshly prepared Highlight Lunch, enjoy a tasting as you learn the sparkling secrets of Spanish bubbly. Continue along the coast to reach Barcelona.

A Local Expert joins you for a drive along the Passeig de Gràcia adorned with elegant wrought-iron street lamps and some of the most flamboyant Modernist buildings. Continue through the Eixample district to visit inside Gaudi's extraordinary masterpiece, the Sagrada Família. See the central nave with its giant, tree-like pillars, spectacular vaulting and the beautiful rainbows flooding in through the intricate stained-glass windows. At a local restaurant, join your fellow travelers to toast newfound friends and a wonderful journey as you enjoy a Celebration Dinner with wine.

Departure transfers arrive at Barcelona Airport at 7:00 am, 9:00 am and 11:00 am. The 9:00 am transfer will continue to Madrid, scheduled to arrive early evening at Madrid Airport, followed by the Madrid tour hotel.