Day 1. (Thursday) LISBON

Olá! Bem Vindo a Portugal! Welcome to Europe! Arrival at the International Airport Humberto Delgado in Lisbon. Assistance and transfer to your hotel in Lisbon. You’ll enjoy some free time at your disposal to get acquainted with this cosmopolitan city, the capital and largest city of Portugal. Please check the informative panels in the hotel reception area for the welcome meeting with your guide and fellow travellers, and to receive information about the circuit. We recommend you to leave your luggages at the hotel and start exploring at your own pace this magnificent city. As you’ll enjoy a complete sightseeing tour of Lisbon on the next day of the tour, we recommend you to get away from the touristic routes and experience, feel and taste the genuine Lisbon. It’s worth going for the tram ride! These vintage restored streetcars, wooden and painted yellow, are a throwback to another era. That retro feel, perched on a bench as the tram clatters its way through the city’s narrow streets and blares its horn, is priceless. You should taste the pastel de nata (cinnamon-dusted egg custard tart), Portugal’s signature confection any of the pastry shops in Lisbon. And then, feast your eyes on displays of tiles spanning 500 years of feverish creativity at the Museu do Azulejo, housed in convent cloisters. And finally, from imposing São Jorge Castle, take a memorable picture of the old city’s pastel-colored buildings, Tagus Estuary and Ponte 25 de Abril suspension bridge. Accommodation in hotel.

Day 2. (Friday) LISBON

Breakfast at the hotel. We’ll have a full day to explore each corner of Lisbon. We’ll start the day with an in-depth sightseeing tour of Lisbon. We’ll visit Lisbon’s traditional neighbourhoods, which take us into the Belem district, on the northern bank of the Tagus River estuary, the birthplace of many great Portuguese navigators who sailed the oceans in the Fifteenth Century to explore and trade with India and the Orient. We will walk around the Monument of the Discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos), a monument that celebrates the Portuguese Age of Discovery, we’ll see the Belem Tower, a medieval defensive fortification and a prominent example of the Portuguese Manueline style. We will finally see the beautiful gothic style Jeronimos Monastery, Vasco da Gama’s resting place, classified a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the nearby Tower of Belen. Enjoy some free time at leisure to explore Lisbon at your own pace, to discover the nostalgic corners of the Barrio de Alfama, the old city grouped next to its Castle with its old buildings in narrow and twisted “ruas” full of color and housing the genuine “taverns” where Fado music sounds like a lost past. Late in the afternoon, we’ll include a transfer to the Restauradores Square, a public square with lots of restaurants. We suggest you to take the Elevador Da Gloria, a cable-car that climb the steep hill into the Bairro Alto district, from the viewpoint of San Pedro you can enjoy the best views over Lisbon. Return to the hotel.

Day 3. (Saturday) LISBON – FATIMA – MADRID

Our last breakfast in Portugal. Departure northbound to Fatima. We will visit this important sacred center of the Christendom, known worldwide for its sanctuary, a place of Christian pilgrimage since the beginning of the 20^th century. We continue our route through the green lands of the center regions of Portugal. Departure towards Spain travelling along beautiful green plains that extend as far as the eye can see dotted with cork oaks and olive trees that withstand time. Once in Spain, we enjoy the beautiful landscape of Region of Extremadura, the typical wooded pasture known as the “dehesa” where the iberian pigs forage freely for acorns. Stop for a lunch of regional food (included) on our route. Continuation to Madrid. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation. Towards the end of the day, we’ll do a transfer to the Egyptian Debod temple, Plaza de Es­paña and Gran Via, a vibrant district where you’ll find a great variety of restaurants for dinner.

Day 4. (Sunday) MADRID

Breakfast at the hotel. Escorted by a local guide, we’ll start a guided tour of Madrid discovering Paseo del Prado, one of the main boulevards in Madrid, Cibeles Square, the most emblematic square in Madrid with the fountain of the Greek goddess Cibeles, place where Real Madrid and Spain national team fans celebrate their victories, the Neptuno Square, the Gate of Alcala, one of the old royal gates that gave access to the city, Cristofor Columbus Square and the Plaza Mayor, once the centre of Old Madrid, is one of the prettiest open spaces in Spain. Our city tour of Madrid continues with the visit to Retiro Park, an oasis in the city centre, where we will see its lake and the Glass Palace. You’ll have the chance then to visit Las Ventas Bullring, one of the most famous bullrings in the world where we will learn about the tradition of “corridas” in the Bullfighting Museum. The afternoon will be at your disposal to enjoy the beautiful atmosphere of Spain Capital. At sunset we’ll take you to Plaza de Oriente, opposite the Royal Palace, an elegant and bustling area with many restaurants serving different exquisite cuisines (Indian, Middle Eastern, Muslim, Spanish, International) in which to enjoy a pleasant dinner. Return to hotel and accommodation.

Day 5. (Monday) MADRID – ZARAGOZA – POBLET – MONTSERRAT – BARCELONA

Breakfast. We depart early in the morning from Madrid. Heading towards the Region of Aragon, we pause our journey in Zaragoza, located on the banks of the Ebro River, one of Spain’s major cities. You’ll enjoy free time to visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Pilar, Patroness of Hispanity and take a stroll into the old town, to discover its impressive monumental legacy, as Romans, Muslims, Jews and Christians left their mark on this place. After lunch time we continue to the Monastery of Poblet, one of the best examples of religious architecture in Catalonia and considered one of the best-preserved medieval monasteries in the world (entrance and guided tour included). We travel later to the Monastery of Montserrat where we include a ride on the rack railway to enjoy fantastic landscapes. We will resume our journey to Barcelona, arrival at the hotel and accommodation.Note: In the winter months, from November to March, as days are shorter, the Poblet Monastery will not be visited (in order to arrive in Montserrat during the daylight hours).

Day 6. (Tuesday) BARCELONA

We wake up in Barcelona. After breakfast, we get on the bus to visit Barcelona with a local guide, discovering its main avenues decorated with impressive modernist buildings of Antoni Gaudí. We’ll make a short stop to see the impotent Gaudí’s Great Basilica of Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) from outside, a unique creation that has become Barcelona’s most universal symbol. We’ll take a walk into the city’s historic central area with its Gothic neighbourhood dating back to the Middle Ages. Next destination is Montjuic and the Olympic Ring, a legacy of the 1992 Olympics Games that took place in Barcelona. Our city tour of Barcelona takes us to visit the Poble Español (Spanish Village), an open-air architectural museum where you’ll enjoy Spanish craftsmanship and discover the architectural styles, traditions and folklore of the different communities in Spain. From this moment you’ll have free time to explore in depth what you couldn’t see before. We recommend you to book in advance your tickets to see the Sagrada Familia from inside if it is of your interest, or if you prefer, you may explore other parts of the Gothic Quarter… there are many options: visit the Cathedral of Barcelona, Plaça del Pi, the Plaza Real or take a walk on the famous Rambla de los Capuchinos, an emblematic street and a must-see for any visitor to Barcelona. In the evening we provide transfers to Las Ramblas and Plaza Catalunya area for dinner, where you can select from a great variety of restaurants. Return to the hotel and accommodation.

Day 7. (Wednesday) BARCELONA

Breakfast at the hotel and end of our services. If you still have some time to spend in Barcelona, here we give you several ideas to organize your time: visit the famous Park Güell: a park full of sculptures, structures and mosaics designed by the great Gaudí (at certain times the visit is free), visit Casa Batlló built by the same architect, you may visit the Ciudadela Park with its museums, its navigable lake and its zoo. For football lovers, we suggest you visit the Camp Nou Stadium, home of the Barcelona Football Club. If you prefer to enjoy one of the best views of Barcelona, ​​it is highly recommended to go up to the Tibidabo Mountain, full of modernist buildings and with a small vintage-style amusement park that is also the oldest amusement park in Spain and the third one in Europe. Crowning the park is the Expiatory Temple of the Sacred Heart, which reminds us of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, located in Paris. Other options are visiting the Fundació Joan Miró, with multiple works by the artist, strolling through the romantic labyrinth park in Horta, or taking advantage of the day with one of our excursion to Girona and Figueres, or spending an unforgettable day touring the rugged Costa Brava, activities that you can book on our website.