Spain & Portugal

Day 2 – Arrive in Lisbon
After arriving in Lisbon, Portugal, our afternoon sighseeing will give us a good introduction to this intriguing city and its famous landmarks, including the Belem Tower, guarding the estuary of the Tagus River, Jeronimo’s Monastery, with the tomb of Vasco da Gama.  We’ll drive past the bull ring, to Pombal Statue and through the grand Avenida da Liberdade.  Join us for a welcome dinner.
Included Meals: Dinner
Hotel: Hotel Marques De Pombal

Day 3 – Portuguese Riviera
We’ll visit the 14th-century Royal Palace of Sintra, Queluz Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site and sure to be a highlight of your Portugal tour.  We’ll travel to the fishing village of Cascais, where we’ll have time to browse in the many specialty shops brimming with Portuguese handmade crafts.  If the tide permits, we may be able to watch a new mending demonstration by a local fisherman and hear some interesting sea stories.  Stop in the well-known resort town, Estoril, along the Portuguese Riviera today before returning to Lisbon as a delightful day comes to an end.  You are invited special guests as we experience local cuisine, wines, and Fado music at famous O Forcado restaurant—an evening you will long remember.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 4 – Lisbon to Algarve
We’ll see our second UNESCO World Heritage site, with a tour of the medieval, walled city of Evora.  Its Roman ruins and Moorish arcades create fascinating surroundings including more than 20 churches and monasteries, and the forbidding Capela dos Ossos in the 15th-century church of Sao Franscisco.  The beautiful Algarve region of Portugal is charming and we have planned a stop at a local winery for some wine tasting.  Enjoy a restful evening in the famous coastal resort area of Algarve, Portugal’s famous coastal resort area.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hotel: Hotel Tivoli Arcade

Day 5 – Algarve to Seville
Enjoy breakfast and a leisure morning in Algarve.  We’ll travel along the famous southern province of Andalucia, famous for gypsies and flamenco dancing, seaside resorts, and small whitewashed villages.  Seville, Granada, and Cordoba were the pinnacles of civilization some 1,000 years ago and have fascinated travelers ever since.  We’ll arrive in the romantic provincial capital of Seville, a beautiful mix of today’s vibrant Spain and centuries of old-world charm.  Experience the excellent cuisine Seville has to offer for dinner.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel: Hotel Tryp Macarena

Day 6 – Seville
A sightseeing tour will reveal an abundant array of Seville’s historic and cultural attractions.  Walk through old Santa Cruz Quarter and the Parque de María Luisa, the Macarena district, Murillo Gardens, and visit the world’s largest Gothic cathedral, said to be the final resting place of Christopher Columbus.  A flamenco dancer will be our guest for lunch as we experience a “tapas lunch” and learn about the history and culture of Flamenco.  We’ll see Seville’s top performers in the evening as we enjoy reserved seating at an authentic flamenco show—a perfect way to end the day.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7 – Seville to Ronda
We’ll have a morning depart for Gibraltar where, weather permitting, we’ll get a glimpse of the African continent and the famous silhouette of the Rock of Gibraltar.  Gibraltar played a major part in both world wars and has been a British territory for nearly 300 years.  Perched atop a rocky bluff divided by the Tajo Gorge, Ronda boasts incredible scenic views.  Enjoy a delightful dinner and overnight at the famous cliff hotel Parador de Ronda.  
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel: Hotel Parador de Ronda

Day 8 – Ronda to Granada
Enjoy a sightseeing tour as we learn about Ronda’s rich Moorish and Roman heritage.  Ronda is home of modern-day bullfighting and we’ll visit the oldest bullring in Spain and learn about its interesting history.  As we ascend into the mountains the views will be breathtaking.  Continue past the town of Malaga and the Costa del Sol to the town of Mijas.  A special lunch is arranged with local Spaniards at a home-hosted lunch in a traditional Andalusian village.  We’ll arrive in Granada, set in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains for a restful evening.  Enjoy dinner at the hotel.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Hotel M.A Alhamar

Day 9 – Granada to Cordoba
After breakfast we’ll visit the famed Moorish Alhambra, considered to be one of the world’s most beautiful palaces.  Tour the palace and stroll along the Generalife, the quartered grounds of the summer palace of former sultans.  Experience some of Spain’s most beautiful landscapes with olive groves that offer breathtaking views of the horizon as we motor to Córdoba, a city rich in ancient Moors influence.  A city tour reveals the Córdoba’s Mezquite Cathedral, a masterpiece of architecture.  You’ll be amazed as we stroll on the narrow cobblestone streets from the alleyways of the Judería during a walking tour of old quarter and view the intricate decorative details, columns, and candy-striped arches of the Mezquita.  Enjoy an evening at your leisure in delightful Cordoba.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Hotel Marcia Alfaros

Day 10 – Cordoba to Toledo
A journey into the mountains will lead to the charming village of Montoro, where whitewashed houses seem to cling to the hillside with the beautiful Guadalquivir River below.  Continue on scenic roads in “Don Quixote country” to the village of Puerto Lapice and have a Don Quixote lunch at the local inn where it is said that he was dubbed knight by the local innkeeper.  We’ll proceed to the saffron-producing town of Consuegra to see the windmills and where Cervantes’ fearless knight, Don Quixote del la Mancha, jousted with windmills.  We’ll descend upon Toledo, a spectacularly set village on a granite hill surrounded by the Tagus River, where we’ll enjoy dinner and an overnight in this historic city.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hotel: Hotel Alfonso VI

Day 11 – Toledo to Madrid
Enjoy a walking tour in Toledo, considered by many to be the heart and soul of Spain.  Visit the Church of Santo Tomé to see “The Burial of the Count of Orgaz,” said to be the artist El Greco’s finest masterpiece.  We’ll continue to Madrid, Spain’s majestic capital, and check in at our hotel where we will stay for two nights.  The rest of the day will be free in Madrid.  Perhaps enjoy a Spanish siesta or to take a stroll in the gardens of the Retiro Park.  Want to try some Spanish tapas?  The bars in the Plaza Mayor offer a great selection.  We’ll settle in for a two-night stay in Madrid.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Hotel Confrotel Suites

Day 12 – Madrid
A morning sightseeing tour will include Neptuno and Cibeles fountains, Paseo de la Castellana, the Grand Via and the Royal Palace.  Enjoy a guided tour of Museo del Prado, housing works by Murillo, Goya, El Greco, and Velázques.  Art lovers may enjoy exploring other notable museums, such as the Reina Sofía or the private collection of Baron von Thyssen-Bornemisza on your own. Others may enjoy free time in Madrid.  We’ll relive the experiences we’ve shared with our new traveling friends at a farewell dinner featuring Spanish cuisine and wine at a favorite Madrid restaurant.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner