Spain and Portugal in Style with Luxury Gold
Photo: Portugal in Style-Panorama view on Royal Palace
Step into the rich worlds of Spain and Portugal on this 13-Day guided tour. Explore Granada’s grand Alhambra Palace with a Local Expert, who will lead you through its exotic water gardens. After wandering the white-washed alleys of Seville on a guided tour, visit an 18th century mansion, where you’ll be treated to a private-but-passionate flamenco dance performance; later, enjoy a romantic carriage ride through the city's streets. In Lisbon, have the Queluz National Palace all to yourself during a private visit. Marvel over Madrid’s Prado Museum, where an art historian will lead you on a tour of Spanish masterpieces.
Inclusions:
- Magnificent Stays at Hand-Picked Hotels
- Curated Experiences
- Connect and make long-lasting memories with Local Experts
- Extraordinary Dining
- Custom Coach with 2x the legroom
- Travel Concierge
- Door to Door Transfers
- Smaller Groups
- Full-service Porterage
Photo: Map of the itinerary
Day 1: Welcome to Barcelona
Bienvenida a Barcelona! You will be met and transferred to your elegant accommodation. Unpack for the next two nights and head up to the hotel’s glamorous rooftop where you’re treated to views across the city from the terrace bar or a heated infinity pool. Cool off with an easy swim before joining your Travel Concierge for your welcome dinner.
Day 2: Catalonia’s Creative Capital
Barcelona’s captivating architecture is yours to discover on your Spain and Portugal luxury tour. Pay a visit to Gaudí's imaginative Sagrada Família where mosaic spires pierce the sky like a giant crown and serve as symbol of Barcelona. Uncover more of Barcelona’s whimsical sites on a stroll through Park Güell on Carmel Hill with a Local Expert. Walk along its leafy paths, down the dramatic Dragon Stairway, and through Gaudí’s Greek Theater designed for open-air shows.
Photo: Aerial view of Barcelona skyline
Day 3: Valencia and the Orange Blossom Coast
Follow the sunny Costa Dorada to La Galera where flowers spill from window boxes and locals welcome. Indulge in the gastronomic delights over lunch at the incredible Michelin-starred L’Antic Molí where local seafood and innovative seasonal dishes invite you to savor every bite. Satiated and eager to soak up coastal living, continue past orange groves to Valencia and check into a Valencian manor house turned hotel.
Day 4: Granada and the Alhambra Palace
Travel to colorful Granada to live the good life. Join a Local Expert to experience the exquisite Alhambra Palace, a sprawling arabesque complex built by the Moors in the 13th century. First admire the hilltop fortress that has watched over Granada before stepping inside its elegant grounds. As you stroll through the ornate buildings decorated with intricate Islamic designs and tilework, exotic gardens, tranquil pools and statue and fountainfilled patios, imagine the royal life of the Kings of Granada. Relaxed after an easy afternoon, check into your own decadent stay - a renovated 19thcentury palace centrally located in Granada.
Day 5: Córdoba and Seville
Journey through the silent sierras to Córdoba to take in views of the Old Roman Bridge. You’ll feel as if you’ve stepped back 2000 years as you admire the 800-foot-long bridge’s dramatic presence across the Guadalquivir River. Exquisite structures continue at the magnificent Mezquita, one of the greatest works of Islamic architecture. Join your Local Expert to stroll beneath a forest of delicate arches and pillars to the opulent Christian cathedral nestled within. Explore the Jewish Quarter before continuing to the stunning Andalusian capital of Seville. Dine at an elegant restaurant.
Day 6: Seville, the City of Carmen
Seville, the “Soul of Spain,” lures you in with its artistic flair and tempting secrets as you join your Local Expert on a walk through the flower-decked squares of the Santa Cruz quarter. Soak in the city’s creative masterpieces visiting the Fine Arts Museum. Marvel at the haunting, evocative masterpieces of Sevillian Baroque and Spanish artists such as Murillo, Velásquez, and El Greco. Tonight, learn and join in with the locals visiting the Cristina Heeren Foundation flamenco dance school for a simple lesson in Seville's own expressive and powerful dance.
Photo: White Horse with Carriage
Day 7: The Flavors of Andalucía
After a Relaxed Start, immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, smells, and – most temptingly – tastes of Andalusia on a morning market trip to Mercado de Abastos. Stroll amidst the stands filled with fruits, fish, sausages, and intimate bakeries, restaurants and bars before joining the local masters on a Spanish cooking experience. Learn the culinary secrets of some of the most popular dishes and enjoy your creations for lunch. Pair your gourmet cuisine with epic sightseeing, choosing to go on a romantic horse and carriage ride past some of the city's highlights. Or, indulge in a locally made cocktail.
Day 8: Across the Alentejo to Lisbon
Greet Portugal in the hilltop town of Serpa where the cobbled streets lined by olive trees, red-sloped roofs and white sun-baked houses extend a warm welcome. Sit down to a fresh, local lunch while you’re treated to a performance of Cante Alentejano - a moving, traditional, polyphonic singing style telling tales of everyday life, love, and culture that has been recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. With a song in your heart, continue to Lisbon and check into your elegant hotel located in a historic part of the city.
Day 9: Lisbon and the Age of Discoveries
Savor another Relaxed Start before starting your day in Lisbon’s seaside Belém Quarter where you’ll view the Monument to the Discoveries and the 16thcentury Belém Tower, the ceremonial gateway to the city, standing proudly in the crashing waves. Continue your day with a visit to the National Coach Museum to see its unique collection before going on to the National Palace of Queluz to marvel at the architectural details with your Local Expert or explore the fascinating history of the National Coach Museum. Enjoy dinner in one of the local restaurants this evening.
Photo: The Discoveries Monument
Day 10: Forever Évora
Continue to the vibrant university city of Évora that blends a lively young atmosphere with some of the best-preserved architecture in Portugal. Experience the juxtaposition within this UNESCO World Heritage Site for yourself on a walking tour with a Local Expert pausing at some of Évora’s iconic structures. Admire the hilltop Evora Cathedral displaying a variety of architectural styles including Gothic, Romanesque and Manueline. Then bask in the region’s gastronomical delights at Herdade da Calada local winery where you’ll explore the estate, learn about their winemaking process and have the privilege to sip on a selection of their tantalizing local wines well-known to the Portuguese but largely undiscovered further afield. In the evening, enjoy a delicious dinner with wine at the hotel restaurant.
Day 11: The Roman Ruins of Mérida and Madrid
Let your imagination wander as you make your way across patterned green and golden farmlands to the Spanish border to Mérida, famous for its extensive Roman ruins. On your visit to this well-preserved Roman Theater, you can almost hear the booming voices of jubilant actors in this arena where a variety of plays were once performed to delight the patrons of ancient Lusitania. From Roman ruins to a vibrant city, journey through the sunbaked landscapes of Extremadura to Madrid. As the city lights up, the evening is yours to stroll along Calle Serrano, Madrid’s most famous and elegant shopping street, or relish in the cool breeze from your 5-star hotel’s terrace lined with olive trees, cypresses and elegant fountains.
Day 12: Madrid of the Bourbons
The riches of Madrid are yours to uncover, beginning with a stroll among the city's historic sites with your Local Expert. Admire the statue of Madrid’s own author Cervantes watching over the plaza before viewing the Cibeles Fountain that exhibits a rush of movement leaving you eager for sites to come. Curate your day joining an art historian at the Prado Museum, housing the world's richest and most comprehensive collection of Spanish paintings by artists such as Bosch, Titian and El Greco. Or, join a walking tour of the maze-like old town paired with an energizing sampling of churros, Spain’s favorite sweet treat. Celebrate your travels over a final decadent dinner.
Photo: Cibeles Square, Madrid
Day 13: Depart Madrid
After breakfast, bid farewell to your travel companions before your private transfer to Madrid Barajas Airport.
