Gastronomic Spain & Portugal - 16 days

Arrive in Madrid, where you will be collected and transferred to our hotel. The rest of today is free for you to relax or head out into the city to explore independently.

Today we take an all-encompassing coach tour of Madrid. Highlights of the excursion include the historic Barrio de la Morería region, Habsburgs District, Puerta del Sol central square, Plaza Mayor and the Neptuno Fountains. These are dedicated to Neptune, a Roman water god. In the more modern part of the city we see the Salamanca district, Plaza Castilla and Parque del Oeste. We also see the Santiago Bernabeu, the football stadium of Real Madrid, the most successful European club.





After the tour, the rest of the afternoon is at leisure. There's an included Welcome Dinner this evening at an authentic Tapas restaurant. Dine on regional specialties, from 'patatas bravas' to manchego cheese!

Madrid - Burgos - Haro - Bilbao. Leaving Madrid after breakfast, our first stop is in Burgos. There is free time here to admire the towering 13th Century Gothic Cathedral, the third largest in Spain. Then we head into wine country and Haro, where we visit a traditional winery. Head into the wine cellar and try some of the region's famous Rioja red. Our final destination is Bilbao.

Bilbao - San Sebastian - Bilbao. After breakfast at the hotel we enjoy a Bilbao city tour, taking in the city's main highlights. The port city of Bilbao is surrounded by green mountains, and the de facto Basque capital is one of the prettiest cities in Spain.





Later, we head to nearby San Sebastian, an exclusive resort town known for hosting the International Film Festival and for La Concha, one of Spain's finest beaches. We will admire the view over San Sebastian and the Bay of Biscay from Mount Igueldo and enjoy some free time before returning to Bilbao for the evening. Dinner tonight is at a local restaurant, where you can try pincho, The Basque version of tapas.

Bilbao - Santander. Leaving Bilbao, we head into the green mountainous region of Asturias, admiring the view en route to the fishing town of Castro Urdiales. There's free time to wander around, and you will be able to see the castle which dates back to the Middle Ages. Then it's onto Santander, a coastal city known for the popular Sardinero Beach.

Santander - Santillana del Mar - Covadonga - Oviedo. Our first stop today is Santillana del Mar, known for its Renaissance palaces, medieval towers and the beautiful Romanesque Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana. We then have a short stop in Covadonga before arriving at our destination, Oviedo. There is free time to explore the many pedestrianized streets and you can see the hilltop Saint Maria de Naranco Church overlooking the city. The UNESCO-listed Cathedral is also worth a visit. We enjoy a group dinner tonight at a traditional cider house.

Oviedo - Mondonedo - Lugo - Santiago de Compostela. Today we head into Galicia, Spain's north-westernmost region. Our first visit is Mondonedo, where you can see the 13th century Cathedral and sample the local delicacy. Mondonedo Cake is made with puff pastry, sponge, almonds and fruit.





Stopping in Lugo, you will have time to admire the historic Roman city walls before we arrive in Santiago de Compostela. The UNESCO-listed Old Town is home to one of the most important pilgrimages in Christianity. It marks the end of the Camino de Santiago Route, which was constructed during the Roman Empire.

We spend this morning on a city tour of Santiago de Compostela. We will see the Praza do Obradoiro main square and enjoy included entry to the Cathedral, which is dedicated to the Apostle Santiago.





After our tour, the rest of the day is free to lose yourself down some of the Old Town's cobbled streets.

Santiago de Compostela - Porto (Portugal). Today is the day we say goodbye to Spain and cross into neighbouring Portugal. First, we travel to the Rias Bajas fjords and enjoy an included cruise, with tasting of local mussels and wine. Back on dry land, we cross the border into Portugal and complete our drive to Porto. One of the oldest cities in Europe, Porto is located along the Douro River estuary and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

Day 10 is spent exploring Porto with a number of included activities. We enjoy a guided city tour, taking in highlights such as the Cathedral, Stock Exchange and Santa Clara Church. We also take a cruise on the Douro River, which runs through the heart of Porto. And we visit one of the riverfront Port Wine Cellars, with included tasting of this local drink.





The evening of day 10 and the next day are free for you to explore Porto further at your own pace. There is also an optional excursion to medieval Guimaraes. The city is known as the cradle of the Portuguese nation because it was the birthplace of modern Portugal's first king - Afonso Henriques.

Porto - Coimbra - Fatima. Departing Porto after breakfast, our first stop today is in Coimbra. This riverfront city is home to one of the oldest universities in Europe, which was established in 1290. It was also the birthplace of Fado music. There's free time to explore.





We complete our drive to Fatima, another important site in Christianity. It is here, at the Cova da Iria that the Virgin Mary appeared before three local shepherd children - Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta, who are buried at the Sanctuary of Our Lady Fatima, the country's most important pilgrimage site. Tonight, we may be able to attend the candlelit procession at around 22:00.

Fatima - Batalha - Nazare - Alcobaca - Lisbon. This morning we visit the UNESCO-listed Batalha Monastery, a 14th Century Gothic masterpiece, built to commemorate the victory of the Portuguese over the Castilians at the Battle of Aljubarrota in 1385. We then enjoy some free time in the quaint fishing village of Nazare before arriving in Alcobaca, where we can see the even older 12th Century monastery located here. This is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the world. After admiring the monastery, we complete our journey to Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal. The evening is at leisure.

Our day starts with a city sightseeing tour, taking in many of Lisbon's highlights. We see the city's main plazas, the fortified Belem Tower, Jeronimo's Monastery, the Monument to the Discoverers and the Marquis of Pombal Square roundabout.





The afternoon is free, and we recommend you head into the Alfama Quarter, the oldest part of Lisbon. Crowned by the Sao Jorge Castle, this part of the city features narrow alleyways and colourful 'tabernas'.





Tonight, there is an included group dinner at one of the oldest Fado venues in Lisbon.

Lisbon - Caceres (Spain) - Madrid. Departing Lisbon, we cross back into Spain and make a stop in Caceres. The Old Town here is UNESCO-listed, known for its blend of Roman, Islamic, Northern Gothic and Italian Renaissance architecture. There's time for a walk through the Plaza Mayor Square and the Old Town before we complete our journey back to Madrid. Your last evening is at leisure.

Enjoy a final breakfast in the hotel before our tour comes to an end. There is an included transfer to the airport.