Print This Page

Highlights of Spain and Portugal

13 Day Spain & Portugal Tour of Madrid, Granada | Operated by Trafalgar

  • 13 Days

  • 2 Countries

    Spain, Portugal
  • 14 Cities

    Madrid, Cuenca, Valencia, Guadix, Granada, Córdoba, Seville, Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz, Évora, Lisbon, Fátima, Salamanca, Toledo
  • 18 Meals

    5 Dinners, 12 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch
  • Pace: Active

    Faster paces with mix of 1–2-night stays in each location. Typically features 4+ miles of walking on some days and may involve steep hills and uneven surfaces, such as cobblestones.

Trip Itinerary

Day 1: Welcome to Madrid

The fiery Spanish capital of Madrid paves the way for an unforgettable journey through centuries of history and cultural highlights across the Iberian Peninsula. Embrace la buena vida and soak up the vibrant city atmosphere, before joining your fellow travelers and Travel Director for a Welcome Dinner and orientation of the city. 

Hotel: NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding
Included Meals: Dinner
Iconic Experience: Madrid Orientation Drive through central Madrid and see some of the city's famous features during an orientation with your Travel Director.
Notes
Day 2: Journey to Cuenca and Valencia

Witness the dramatic honey-colored clifftop hanging houses of Cuenca, before your journey continues to Valencia, renowned for its modern verve and spirit of innovation. An orientation drive will include views of the 14th-century Towers of Serrano and Quart, and the City of Arts and Sciences, a large-scale urban recreation center for culture and science and designed by Santiago Calatrava. Enjoy organic horchata, the celebrated drink of Valencia, during a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. 

Hotel: Silken Puerta
Included Meals: Breakfast
Iconic Experience: Valencia Orientation See the ultra-modern Center of Arts and Sciences and the historic bullring of Valencia during an orientation drive with your Travel Director.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®: Enjoy Organic Horchata, the Celebrated Drink of Valencia Taste authentic Valencian street food from a local Horchata vendor. This rich and flavourful nut-based drink loved by many is produced here using only locally sourced and natural ingredients, and respecting traditional methods of production. This experience advances UN Global Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. Alongside the local and organic production, they have been bringing the vibrant tradition of Horchata back to its glory days, giving employment opportunities to people at risk of social exclusion. They have also built over 10 street carts from recycling materials, all working on solar energy and ice.
Notes
Day 3: Off to Unique Guadix and on to Granada

We travel through the Sierra Nevada bound for Guadix, where we’ll witness how generations of locals have carved cozy abodes into their rocky surrounds. We'll view the troglodyte cave dwellings that blend effortlessly into the surrounding ochre landscape. Then, journey to Granada, the last stronghold of the Moors in Europe. This evening, sample the hearty flavors of Andalusia during a special Regional Dinner at a local restaurant.

Hotel: Hotel Catalonia Granada
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Iconic Experience: See Guadix See the cave homes that embellish the hills around Guadix.
Notes
Day 4: Onwards to Córdoba and Seville

Tread in the footsteps of Spain's last emirs, joining your Local Specialist for a visit to the incredible Alhambra, with its amazing palaces, gardens and fountains. Inspired by poetry, the architecture is said to be a reflection of paradise as described in Islamic verse. Immerse yourself in the tranquil atmosphere in quiet courtyards, follow its colossal ancient walls and admire the ornate stone carvings. We then leave Granada behind for Córdoba where we'll join a Local Specialist to visit the mesmerizing Mosque of the Caliphs, a jewel of Hispano-Islamic art featuring striking arches and Byzantine mosaics. Our final stop for the day is alluring Seville, our home for the next three nights.

Hotel: Meliá Lebreros Seville
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Iconic Experience: Alhambra Palace in Granada Visit the famous Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens. Explore with a Local Specialist keen to share insights into this Moorish landmark.
Iconic Experience: Córdoba Mezquita Visit Explore the incredible Mezquita with your Local Specialist. Admire the forest of horseshoe arches and learn how this building symbolises many of Córdoba's religious changes over the centuries.
Notes
Day 5: Uncover the Secrets of Seville

Seville takes center stage today as we explore this charismatic city. We'll see the symbolic Giralda Bell Tower with a Local Specialist, then visit the Maria Luisa Park, home of the 1929 Exposition. The park was built in Moorish style and features half a mile of fountains, ponds, pavilions and lush plantings. We'll walk through the imposing Plaza de España and visit the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world, where the explorer Christopher Columbus is entombed. Consider an Optional Experience this evening to witness the twirling of colorful skirts and rhythmic clapping of castanets at a fiery flamenco performance.

Hotel: Meliá Lebreros Seville
Included Meals: Breakfast
Iconic Experience: Seville City Tour Guided by your Local Specialist, see the Giralda Tower, former minaret of the Great Mosque and now the cathedral's belltower. Explore the narrow streets of the Santa Cruz Quarter and emerge by the great walls of the Alcazar.
Notes
Day 6: Admire the Sights of Jerez and Cádiz

We indulge in the aromatic flavors of Jerez today as we Dive Into Culture and into the centuries-old tradition of Spanish sherry production. The quiet plazas of romantic Cádiz are our next stop. Tread in the footsteps of Columbus, who used this historic port city as his launchpad to the 'New World', and see the exotic plants and trees dotted throughout the city, said to have been brought here by him upon his return.

Hotel: Meliá Lebreros Seville
Included Meals: Breakfast
Dive Into Culture: Visit the Spanish city of Jerez and enjoy the famous sherry tradition Sample the famous sherry tradition in the southern Spanish city of Jerez, which has been making wine since ancient times.
Iconic Experience: Cádiz Orientation See the cathedral, Teatro Romano, the monumental Puerta de Tierra and enjoy a walk along Paseo Maritimo.
Notes
Day 7: Venture to Évora

Leaving the zesty scents of Seville behind, we head to the golden landscapes of the Alentejo, where the Brito Paes family await our arrival for a special lunch on their traditional stud ranch, which has been rearing Lusitano horses since the 18th century. This Be My Guest experience takes place in the home of their ancestors before we continue to Évora for a guided sightseeing tour. With a Local Specialist we will visit Evora's cathedral, Roman temple and Chapel of Bones. Tonight, enjoy dinner at our hotel.

Hotel: M'ar de Ar Muralhas Évora
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Be My Guest: Lunch with Tiago and Vera in beautiful Alentejo Saddle up for a superb stud farm visit, the tragic story of unrequited love and a traditional home-cooked Be My Guest lunch with Tiago and Vera in Portugal's beautiful Alentejo.
Iconic Experience: Évora City Tour Explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site with your Local Specialist and see the famous Roman Temple. Witness the fascinating cathedral and its mix of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
Notes
Day 8: On to Lively Lisbon

We arrive in the seafaring Portuguese capital of Lisbon this afternoon, where we'll join a Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour. A particular highlight of this afternoon is an opportunity to Dive Into Culture at the UNESCO-listed Hieronymite Monastery, an exquisite testament to 16th-century Manueline architecture and art.

Hotel: Olissippo Marquês de Sá Lisbon
Included Meals: Breakfast
Dive Into Culture: Discover the Hieronymite Monastery Visit the Hieronymite Monastery, a former monastery of the Order of Saint Jerome and exquisite example of Manueline architecture.
Iconic Experience: Lisbon City Tour Explore with your Local Specialist, from the Lower Town, beneath the hilltop Bairro Alto to the Terreiro do Paco. Visit the Belém Quarter to see the modern Monument to the Discoveries and the medieval Belém Tower.
Notes
Day 9: Lisbon Your Way

Today is yours to connect with the Portuguese capital. Relax at a sidewalk café with a creamy pastel de nata and venture to the Castle of São Jorge to admire the sea of pastel pinks, yellows and blues that clad Lisbon's seven hills. You may choose to join an Optional Experience to the historic towns of Cascais and Sintra.

Hotel: Olissippo Marquês de Sá Lisbon
Included Meals: Breakfast
Notes
Day 10: Pilgrimage to Fátima and on to Salamanca

Follow the road taken by pilgrims over the last 100 years to the Shrine at Fátima, a site of celebrated religious miracles. We then leave Portugal, traveling to the historic Spanish city of Salamanca with its golden-hued façades and ancient university heritage, where we will visit its 18th-century Plaza Mayor.

Hotel: Gran Hotel Corona Sol Salamanca
Included Meals: Breakfast
Iconic Experience: Visit the Chapel of Apparations in Fátima Join the faithful at one of the world's holiest sites and pay homage at the Chapel of the Apparitions or see the basilica.
Iconic Experience: See Salamanca's Plaza Mayor See the Salamanca's golden Plaza Mayor, voted one of the most beautiful central plazas in Spain. 
Notes
Day 11: Continue to Toledo and Madrid

See the walled city of Ávila, the city of Saint Teresa of Ávila. We then arrive in the clifftop city of Toledo and join a Local Specialist for a guided walk through its streets. We'll visit the Church of Santo Tomé, home to one of El Greco's most famous paintings – 'The Burial of the Count of Orgaz' and the former Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca. Later, Dive Into Culture and witness local craftsmen at work creating inlaid steel the traditional way. We arrive in Madrid this evening, our home for the next two nights.

Hotel: Hotel Madrid Center Retiro
Included Meals: Breakfast
Dive Into Culture: Discover the forging of quality steel in Toledo The invincible swords of Toledo have defended cities for centuries. Visit an inlaid steel factory in Toledo to see local craftsmen forging the highest quality steel.
Iconic Experience: Toledo City Tour Explore this magnificent ancient city with your Local Specialist and visit the Church of Santo Tomé to see an El Greco masterpiece.
Iconic Experience: See Ávila's City Walls View the impressive city walls that define Ávila's Old Town. 
Notes
Day 12: Explore Fiery Madrid

This morning, we join a Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour of Madrid, where we’ll see the Royal Palace, Cibeles Fountain and Plaza de Oriente, originally created as a retreat for the royal family. Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the city on your own terms. Admire the world's finest collection of Spanish art at the Prado Museum, indulge in some last-minute shopping on Gran Vía or consider an Optional Experience to the medieval UNESCO-listed city of Segovia. This evening marks the end of our memorable journey through the Iberian Peninsula. Join your fellow companions and Travel Director for a Farewell Dinner.

Hotel: Hotel Madrid Center Retiro
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Iconic Experience: Madrid City Tour See the highlights of the city with your Local Specialist. Visit the Old Town, traveling along the elegant Paseo de la Castellana, past the Cibeles fountain, Cervantes Monument and Royal Palace.
Notes
Day 13: Adiós Madrid

For now it's time to say a fond farewell to our traveling companions, your Travel Director and the beauty of Spain and Portugal at the end of a memorable holiday.

Included Meals: Breakfast
Notes
This itinerary is for reference only. Upon booking with GET, guests will receive tour documents which will list all confirmed hotels and itineraries based upon the guest's departure date.

Price Includes

What's Included
  • - An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
  • - Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
  • - All porterage and restaurant gratuities
  • - All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
  • - Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
  • - Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
  • - Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
  • - Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
  • - Optional Experiences and free time
  • - On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.
Dining Summary
  • - 5 Dinners (D)
  • - 12 Breakfasts (B)
  • - 1 Lunch (L)
Iconic Experience
  • Drive through central Madrid and see some of the city's famous features during an orientation with your Travel Director.
  • See the ultra-modern Center of Arts and Sciences and the historic bullring of Valencia during an orientation drive with your Travel Director.
  • See the cave homes that embellish the hills around Guadix.
  • Visit the famous Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens. Explore with a Local Specialist keen to share insights into this Moorish landmark.
  • Explore the incredible Mezquita with your Local Specialist. Admire the forest of horseshoe arches and learn how this building symbolises many of Córdoba's religious changes over the centuries.
  • Guided by your Local Specialist, see the Giralda Tower, former minaret of the Great Mosque and now the cathedral's belltower. Explore the narrow streets of the Santa Cruz Quarter and emerge by the great walls of the Alcazar.
  • See the cathedral, Teatro Romano, the monumental Puerta de Tierra and enjoy a walk along Paseo Maritimo.
  • Explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site with your Local Specialist and see the famous Roman Temple. Witness the fascinating cathedral and its mix of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
  • Explore with your Local Specialist, from the Lower Town, beneath the hilltop Bairro Alto to the Terreiro do Paco. Visit the Belém Quarter to see the modern Monument to the Discoveries and the medieval Belém Tower.
  • Join the faithful at one of the world's holiest sites and pay homage at the Chapel of the Apparitions or see the basilica.
  • See the Salamanca's golden Plaza Mayor, voted one of the most beautiful central plazas in Spain. 
  • Explore this magnificent ancient city with your Local Specialist and visit the Church of Santo Tomé to see an El Greco masterpiece.
  • View the impressive city walls that define Ávila's Old Town. 
  • See the highlights of the city with your Local Specialist. Visit the Old Town, traveling along the elegant Paseo de la Castellana, past the Cibeles fountain, Cervantes Monument and Royal Palace.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®
  • Taste authentic Valencian street food from a local Horchata vendor. This rich and flavourful nut-based drink loved by many is produced here using only locally sourced and natural ingredients, and respecting traditional methods of production. This experience advances UN Global Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. Alongside the local and organic production, they have been bringing the vibrant tradition of Horchata back to its glory days, giving employment opportunities to people at risk of social exclusion. They have also built over 10 street carts from recycling materials, all working on solar energy and ice.
Dive Into Culture
  • Sample the famous sherry tradition in the southern Spanish city of Jerez, which has been making wine since ancient times.
  • Visit the Hieronymite Monastery, a former monastery of the Order of Saint Jerome and exquisite example of Manueline architecture.
  • The invincible swords of Toledo have defended cities for centuries. Visit an inlaid steel factory in Toledo to see local craftsmen forging the highest quality steel.
Be My Guest
  • Saddle up for a superb stud farm visit, the tragic story of unrequited love and a traditional home-cooked Be My Guest lunch with Tiago and Vera in Portugal's beautiful Alentejo.

Optional Experiences

Optional Experiences are subject to change. Your Travel Director will supply you with a final list of Optional Experiences available on your trip. Optional Experiences cannot be booked online; they can be purchased during your trip through your Travel Director.

Valencia’s Golden Age, a Leisurely Walking Tour (Available on Day 2)

Valencia has a well-preserved medieval center which our Local Specialist will bring alive as they take us back to the city's heyday, from Roman and Gothic times into the Golden Age, when Valencia was Spain’s most important city. We'll take a leisurely stroll through the medieval streets and also visit Lonja, an exquisite late gothic building, UNESCO-listed since 1996.

Adult Price: €32 Valencia Dinner and Discovery (Available on Day 2)

We'll delve into the country's third-largest city to enjoy its Mediterranean verve. Vibrant and modern, Valencia still retains much of its past, going back to its Roman foundation 2,000 years ago. The iconic dish "Paella" originated here and tonight we'll learn about its traditions and enjoy this singular Spanish fare during a typical meal in one of the city’s most emblematic restaurants.

Adult Price: €59 Gypsy Night Out in Old Granada (Available on Day 3)

Enjoy an evening in Granada’s Sacromonte quarter, which offers the finest views over the illuminated Alhambra Palace. We’ve organised tickets for you to see the Zambra dances by members of Granada's most famous gypsy clan, with their camp located inside the caves. Prepare for a fiery, emotive performance unique to these people. And we've also included a drink, too.

Adult Price: €45 The Moorish Alcázar and Plaza América (Available on Day 5)

Today, with our Local Specialist, we'll visit the elegant 14th-century Moorish Alcazar, set in its own beautiful gardens. The gardens were used as the setting for the Water Gardens of Dorne in the Game Of Thrones series. We'll also journey to the famous exhibition site of Plaza América - a must for any visitor to Seville.

Adult Price: €51 Discover The Origin Of Tapas & Evening In Old Seville (Available on Day 5)

Join us for a dinner of mouth-watering tapas-style specialties. You’ll get the chance to taste different flavors and wines and dine like a local in the charming old quarter of Seville.

Adult Price: €60 Flamenco: Experience the Best Show in Town (Available on Day 5)

Discover the passion, rhythm and magic of an Andalusian flamenco show with us this evening. We've organised tickets to the best show in town, where you’ll experience 90 minutes of memorable entertainment with an included drink.

Adult Price: €44 Flamenco, the Best Show in Town With a Three-Course Dinner (Available on Day 5)

This evening you’ll discover the magic, rhythm and passion of flamenco, while being served a three-course dinner of Andalusian specialties with drinks included. We've organised tickets to the best show in town. You won't soon forget this incredibly memorable ninety-minute experience.

Adult Price: €74 Monsaraz And The Deep Alentejo Drive (Available on Day 8)

Follow your Local Specialist through the vineyards and groves of cork oaks to charming Monsaraz, one of the most famous and beautiful villages of the Alentejo. Inhabited since prehistory, Monsaraz has beautiful white-washed houses and a 14th century Castle, which overlooks Spain. We'll also see the largest artificial lake in Europe before tasting typical local refreshments.

Adult Price: €40 Seafood Dinner By The Tagus River (Available on Day 8)

Take a ferry across the mighty Tagus River and enjoy typical Portuguese seafood and fish specialties at a local restaurant. After dinner, we’ll cross the impressive suspension bridge for a sweeping view over the Portuguese capital. 

Adult Price: €64 The Golden Triangle: Sintra, Cascais & The Estoril Coast (Available on Day 9)

We'll venture outside Lisbon with our Local Specialist today. After passing through the fashionable resort of Estoril, we'll explore the picturesque fishing village of Cascais, with its beautiful array of mansions and exclusive residences. To complete the Golden Triangle, we'll visit one of the impressive Royal Palaces of Portugal.

Adult Price: €51 Portuguese Fado Evening Of Music & Song With Dinner (Available on Day 9)

Fado is the expressive national song of Portugal, often called the soul of their identity. Tonight, we'll visit one of the famed local fado houses for an unforgettable performance and savor a typical Portuguese meal, with drinks included.

Adult Price: €76 Dinner and Discovery in Downtown Madrid (Available on Day 11)

Join us this evening as we scratch beneath the surface of some lesser-known aspects of Madrid's city center. Then, we'll settle in for dinner, along with musical entertainment and finish up with a spin around some of the wonderful squares and fountains of magical Madrid.

Adult Price: €68 Segovia World Heritage Site - Its Ancient Aqueduct & Fairytale Castle (Available on Day 12)

Enjoy a visit to Segovia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which sits on a rocky outcrop between two rivers. With your Local Specialist, you’ll visit the 13th-century castle, reputed to have inspired Walt Disney, as well as seeing the best-preserved Roman aqueduct which has remained intact for 2,000 years.

Adult Price: €53