Spain & Portugal – Grand Cultural Tour

ITINERARY

• DAY 1
  Barcelona, Spain

  Welcome to Barcelona, Spain

  Private Transfer from Barcelona Airport to the hotel. You will be meet and greet by your driver in the arrivals area of Barcelona Airport, Transfer to your hotel and overnight.

  What's included?

  • Accommodation
  • Transfer
• DAY 2

  Barcelona - Private Walking Tour of Barcelona and the Sagrada Familia

  Private Half-day Walking Tour of Barcelona & the Sagrada Familia.
  
  Meet your private guide and set off to explore Barcelona. During this half-day, you will see some of the city's most emblematic spots and hidden corners, as well as learn all about Gaudí and his jaw-dropping masterpiece which is still under construction. The afternoon is leisure. You discover the countless hidden gems of this lovely city.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 3
  Montserrat monastery is an Abbey in Spain

  Barcelona - Day trip to Montserrat & Cava Winery

  Meet your guide in the hotel reception and set off to discover the impressive Monastery of Montserrat standing at an unexpected 725 mt. /2378 ft. above sea level. Also on the day’s menu are listening to the boys' choir (most days), visiting the “Moreneta de Montserrat”, one of the black Madonnas of Europe, and a light walk to the Santa Cova where the black Madonna is said to have originally been found and rescued. We depart Montserrat and enjoy a fantastic lunch of local Catalan country cuisine in a traditional restaurant at the base of Montserrat followed by a private field tour, guided visit, and three-product wine and cava tasting at one of the premier smaller, boutique wineries.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 4
  Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain

  Madrid - Arrive to Madrid by AVE fast train

  Your driver will be waiting for you in the lobby of your hotel to transfer you to Barcelona Sants Train Station. Today you'll board the AVE fast train from Barcelona to Madrid. Reaching speeds of at least 220 miles/hour, you'll cover the distance in 3 hours! We have reserved your economy class tickets.
  
  In Madrid, your driver will be waiting for you in the arrivals area of Atocha Train Station, holding a sign with your name on it. They will transfer you to your hotel in the city center.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Transfer
  • Train
• DAY 5
  Royal Palace of Madrid is the official home of the Spanish Royal Family

  Madrid - Private Walking Tour of Madrid & the Prado Museum

  Today you're off to explore Madrid with our local History expert. You’ll start with a wander through ‘Sol’ (the heart of Madrid) before discovering the tiny streets of Los Austrias (the historic center of Madrid). You'll see some of Madrid's most impressive buildings, such as the Royal Palace and the Reina Sofia and Prado Museums too. The Prado Museum is living proof of the richness and magnitude of Spanish art. Its permanent collection is one of the largest in the world and your tour will cover some of the main highlights of the museum such as Velasquez’s Las Meninas, El Greco’s Fable, Goya’s The Countess of Chinchón, and Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights among others. Your private guide will absolutely bring these pieces to life!
  
  The afternoon is leisure. You discover the countless hidden gems of this lovely city.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 6

  Madrid - Private Artisans Tour of Madrid

  This very different tour begins as a gentle walk through the historic center passing through the cobbled stone square and alleys to learn about the history of Madrid, calling in to meet people and places that make the city what it is - the artisans! We visit a shop that specializes in painting silk and velvet. Have a quick behind-the-scenes look at a flamenco club that dates back to 1901. This is on our way to the only Spanish cape shop in the world to meet Carmen who will show us how she makes the capes. Picasso is buried in a cape he was given from this shop with other notable owners being Pierce Brosnan, Nicolas Cage, Carolina Herrera, amongst many others. Call in at the world’s best-known Luthier for the Classical guitar and the Spanish flamenco guitar. Stop off at some legendary historical bars which have been witness to many intriguing stories over the years and even hold many themselves. Visit a leather artisan to see how he cuts the leather in this workshop /shop selling rustic leather bags, purses, and catapults! This alternative walking tour will get you under the skin of Spain and introduce you to some fascinating local characters.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 7
  Exploring Cordoba, Spain

  Córdoba - Madrid to Cordoba by train

  Your driver will be waiting for you in the lobby of your hotel to transfer you to Madrid Atocha Train Station. Today you'll board the AVE fast train from Madrid to Córdoba. Reaching speeds of at least 220 miles/hour, you'll cover the distance in under 2 hours! We have reserved your first class tickets. Your driver will be waiting in the arrivals area of Córdoba Train Station, holding a sign with your name on it. They will transfer you the short distance to your hotel.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Train
• DAY 8
  The courtyards (patios) in Cordoba

  Cordoba - Private Walking Tour of Córdoba

  Meet your guide and embark on a walking tour around Córdoba’s city center. You will be sure to visit the Mezquita, originally a pagan temple later converted into the great mosque of the Ummayad caliphate and finally transformed into a Catholic church with many Moorish traits! Explore the winding side streets of the old Jewish quarter, visit the Alcázar of the Catholic kings, wander up the Callejón de las Flores and cross the Guadalquivir over Córdoba’s Roman bridge.
  The afternoon is at leisure.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 9
  Seville is the capital and largest city of Andalusia in Spain

  Seville - In Seville Private Flamenco & Tapas Tour

  Your driver will be waiting in reception to transfer you to Córdoba Train Station for your onward journey. Today you'll board the AVE fast train from Córdoba to Seville. Racing through the Andalucian countryside, you'll cover the distance in 45 minutes!
  
  Your guide will be waiting in the arrivals area of Sevilla Santa Justa Train Station, holding a sign with your name on it. They will transfer you the short distance to your hotel.
  Seville is one of the birthplaces of flamenco music. Suburbs such as Triana and La Macarena are a melting pot of flamenco influences and the city is full of superb venues offering live performances. Meet your resident guide in your hotel lobby and enjoy a stroll through the city center to a renowned flamenco venue. As you walk, your guide will prepare you to dip your toe into the underworld of flamenco, its history, origins, and influences before sitting down to watch a live flamenco performance. The venues that we select invite different professional artists to perform each night to ensure maximum spontaneity and quality in each show. After enjoying the flamenco show, your guide will take you on a tapas tour where you can rub shoulders with the locals and sample some of Seville’s top tapas in the buzzing bars of the city center.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Transfer
  • Train
• DAY 10
  Placa Espana, Seville

  Seville - Private Guided Walking Tour of Seville & visit to an Art Restoration Studio

  Meet your private guide and set off to explore Seville’s greatest monuments. Visit the Santa Cruz suburb and the old Jewish quarter. This is an area peppered with narrow, meandering streets and charming plazas. Learn about Seville’s great cathedral, the largest gothic cathedral in the world and holder of the tomb of Christopher Columbus. Visit the Alcázar, a royal palace built by Moorish kings, with beautiful gardens and the finest examples of Mudejar architecture to be seen today. Learn about the fascinating relationship between Peter the Cruel and Mohamed V which allowed for the Alcázar to benefit from the finest artists and architects in Spain. When you finish your tour be sure to ask your guide to recommend other places to visit or an excellent restaurant or two!
  In the old town of Seville, hidden down a small side street, a simple, nondescript door opens to welcome us into a nineteenth-century abode filled with artistic treasures. Renowned art restorers, Jesus & Pablo invite us into their home and studio to share with us the passion for their profession and reveal the techniques they use to save age-old pieces and bring them back to life.
  
  Far removed from museum queues and shuffling tour groups and in the privacy of their home, these experts in their field, take the time to talk us through the numerous works of art that are being restored. Depending on the day, you might find Golden Age paintings, rococo mirrors, ivory crucifixes, or Roman pottery over 2000 years old. They will demonstrate how to remove the dirt and grime from an age-old canvas, leaving a clean and fresh original image. Watch them piece together ceramics to recreate Roman pottery. Discover how chips, rips, and tears can be cured and hidden as if they had never happened.
  
  If you have a passion for art, spending a morning with these experts is a truly unique and unforgettable experience.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 11
  The Royal Alcazar of Seville

  Seville - Free day to find the hidden gems of the city

  Today is all yours to explore Sevilla at your leisure. Your TNA Pack will hold the secrets to the city, including our favorite tapas bars and restaurants, and things to see and do. Of course, if you'd like us to organize anything, please call your travel expert in Spain. Our top recommendations for your free day are:
  Visit the Plaza de España which is located in the Maria Luisa Park. Don't miss the "Setas" modern building which is located in the Plaza de la Encarnación. On any day except Sundays, go to Triana market to check out the fresh produce and taste some delicious bites as well!

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
• DAY 12
  Ronda, Spain

  Ronda - Private Guided Day Trip to White Villages & Tasting in a Ronda Winery

  Prepare yourself for an excursion full of breath-taking scenery and enchanting villages. Travel to the beautiful Sierra de Grazalema, taking in some of the most spectacular views in Andalucia. Driving through olive groves, then rolling meadows, cork forests, and mountainous terrain you will visit two of Andalucia’s white villages, perched atop limestone cliffs like snowdrops, with their immaculate streets, whitewashed houses, and artisanal craft and food producers. The first stop will be Zahara de la Sierra, perhaps the most beautiful of all the White Villages. Admire the impressive views the village offers before driving up and over the mountain range to Grazalema. In Grazalema explore the streets and squares of Spain’s most charming White Village. Your last stop is the town of Ronda. Straddling a deep gorge, Ronda enjoys commanding views over the surrounding mountain range. The old town, perched atop a cliff, offers us charming streets lined with noble houses and quaint plazas. During your free time here, you’ll be sure to see the “Puente Nuevo” (New Bridge) that links the old town to the new across the gorge. You can choose to enter the oldest bullring in Spain at your own cost and learn about our most famous and controversial tradition. In the afternoon, it will be time to check in to your nearby accommodation after an action-packed day.
  
  Ronda is a small wine region that is making a lot of noise amongst wine connoisseurs. Varying altitudes and microclimates and a brought variety of grapes and techniques make it a fascinating region to visit and taste wines in. We have arranged a visit to one of the area's smaller, family-run bodegas. Learn all about their journey with its trials and tribulations, before sitting down to try their finest wines with your delightful and very chatty host!

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 13
  Ronda is a stunning white town in the Andalusia region, Spain

  Ronda - Private Walking Tour of Ronda

  Today one of our favorite locals will take you on a private guided tour of the Ronda very few visitors get to experience. You'll stroll through the tiny backstreets of one of the oldest towns in Spain, past incredible buildings, and be absolutely mesmerized by the views of the River Tajo from the Ronda Bridge.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 14
  Alhambra is one of the most important Islamic architecture located in Granada, Spain

  Granada - Private Guided Tour of the Albaicin

  Your driver will transfer you from Ronda to Granada. The trip takes about two hours. A relaxed, informal exploration of the Albaicín district, the one-time Moorish quarter of Granada, and now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Our expert guide will show you how this medieval Islamic city has kept its identity into the modern age, explaining its social history and character in anecdotal style, and also answering your questions about current-day Spain. As you walk through its cat’s cradle of twisting alleyways you will come across stunning views of the city, the majestic Alhambra palaces, and, beyond, the often snow-capped mountains of the Sierra Nevada. You will pass by churches built on the sites of mosques, stroll underneath the walls of the scented gardens of Carmenes, and stop in squares to take in the slow rhythms of daily life in this most traditional and yet singular neighborhood.
  
  Recommendation: For dinner, we have reserved you a table at Restaurant Aben Humeya. Aside from the excellent food and service, you'll also be able to enjoy spectacular views across the Alhambra and the Sierra Nevada. Please note, this is only a reservation.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 15

  Granada - Private tour of the Alhambra

  Your driver will be waiting in the lobby of your hotel to transfer you to "La Alhambra". This morning will be one of the highlights of your holiday in Spain! You're in for a guided tour of the truly magnificent ‘Alhambra’ with a private guide to bring it alive. With as many myths and legends as there are arches and fountains, the Alhambra is enthralling so expect the next few hours to fly by. It’s also got the best view in Granada and that’s worth pausing over too.
  
  After the visit, you’ll have free time to explore the Alhambra at your leisure and then make your own way back down to Granada when you’re ready.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 16
  Malaga from the sky

  Malaga - City of the Picasso Museum contemporary art center

  Private transfer from Granada to the city of Málaga at your hotel.
  
  Since the 1950s, Malaga has been known as the gateway to the Costa del Sol. Many of the 16 million holidaymakers who come to Malaga each year head straight to the beaches and enjoy this atmospheric city. Picasso, the famous painter in the world, was born in this city.
  His cultural fortunes have been immeasurably boosted by the new Picasso museum and contemporary art center, as well as a large selection of museums, the city is finding a new identity as Andalusia's premier cultural destination.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Transfer
• DAY 17
  Tapas and wine in Spain

  Malaga - Private Walking Tour of Art & Tapas through the Eyes of Picasso

  Today you'll meet your expert guide and embark on a walking tour through the center of Málaga. The city is fast growing in popularity and offers a buzzing atmosphere and a wealth of things to see and do. Your guide will tell you all about Málaga's history, stopping by spots such as the Roman Theatre, the Cathedral, and a visit to the Picasso Museum to learn about his life and works. Finish at a nearby restaurant where you will try a selection of tapas. Picasso was a great innovator and opened new doors to the art world, although sometimes his changes were small variations in perspective, for example, that something as simple as looking through a glass full of water, makes us see things differently. Enjoy the experience and let's see how chefs and painters play with our senses!

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Transfer
• DAY 18
  Praça do Comercio (Commerce Square), Lisbon

  Lisbon - Flight from Malaga to Lisbon, Portugal

  Your driver will be waiting for you in the lobby of your hotel to transfer you to Málaga Airport. You'll board your flight in Málaga and after the short journey, you'll arrive at Lisbon Airport.
  Your driver will be waiting for you in the arrivals area of Lisbon Airport, holding a sign with your name on it. They will transfer you to your hotel in the city center.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Flight
• DAY 19
  The Monument to the Discoveries is an incredible tribute to the protagonists of the most significant marine explorations.

  Lisbon - Private walking tour

  Today you're heading out into Lisbon on a private guided walking tour with our expert local guide. You'll see all the major sites of central Lisbon, including the fabulous Santa Justa Lift, the city’s old quarter, Moorish Alfama, art deco-style Chiado and even a ride one of Lisbon's famous trams. Enjoy a unique insight into Lisbon's lifestyle, history, and culture on this walking tour.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 20
  The Sintra Pena Palace is a romantic castle

  Lisbon - Private guided day trip to Sintra & Cascais

  Today you're heading out to visit Sintra and Cascais. The tour starts with a visit to Pena Palace, a fanciful palace built using Moorish, gothic and Manueline motifs and inspired by Europe's Schinkel castles. You will then have free time for lunch and to explore Sintra's historical village at your leisure. This afternoon, you will visit the Sintra natural park, and on your way back to Lisbon, you will stop in Cascais on the Estoril coast.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 21
  The Portuguese are the biggest fish consumers in the European Union

  Lisbon - This lovely city Lisbon is free to explore by yourself.

  Today is all yours to explore Lisbon at your leisure. Your Travel Pack will hold the secrets to the city including our favorite tapas bars and restaurants and things to see and do. Of course, if you'd like us to organize anything, please call our travel expert in Spain.
  
  Some recommendations for your free day are:
  - Take the train to Belem and be sure to taste the local "Pasteis de Belem"
  - Check out the fun and funky Time Out market, a combination of fresh produce and a ready-to-eat gastro market!
  - Visit the Museo Nacional do Azulejo (Tile Museum) to see some of the most beautiful Portuguese tile designs over the years

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
• DAY 22
  Porto river cruise in Portugal

  Porto - Arrive in the vibrant and fascinating city of Porto

  Your driver will be waiting for you in the lobby of your hotel to transfer you North, through the center of Portugal to the city of Porto.
  
  Porto is a vibrant and fascinating city that has so much to offer.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Transfer
• DAY 23
  Bolsa Palace in Porto, Portugal

  Porto - Walking guided tour of Porto

  This morning our local guide will introduce you to the historical center of their hometown. You'll see the old palaces, the robust churches, the most emblematic neighborhoods, the people of Porto, and the most picturesque corners that the city has to offer. You'll also find out the history of Porto's emblematic iron bridge and the characteristic Rabelo boats lined up along the riverfront in front of the old port wine cellars.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 24
  Winery in Porto

  Porto - Day trip to the Douro Valley wine region

  Today you're going to delve into the Douro Valley! Your driver guide is going to take you on an adventure that will include visits to two different wineries, called "Quintas" and a tasting of a selection of their wines. You'll also enjoy a boat cruise along the river Douro itself. During the day, you'll enjoy a delicious local lunch before returning to Porto.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 25

  Depart to Porto Airport to fly back home

  Your driver will be waiting for you in the lobby of your hotel to transfer you the short distance to Porto Airport.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Transfer