Day 1. (Saturday) BARCELONA – MADRID

Call on at Barcelona “Sants” Station and departure by high-speed train to Madrid. Pleasant and short journey with the comfort and speed of this fast train. Arrival in Madrid, capital city of Spain. Upon arrival, our representative will be waiting for you to transfer you to the hotel. You’ll enjoy some free time at your disposal to get acquainted with this cosmopolitan city, capital of Spain. 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. Towards the end of the day, we’ll do a transfer to Plaza Mayor, the heart of Madrid, a vibrant district where you’ll find a great variety of restaurants for dinner. Accommodation in hotel.

Day 2. (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 Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, the football stadium of Real Madrid, for many, world’s best football club. The afternoon will be at your disposal to enjoy the beautiful atmosphere of Spain Capital. Return to hotel and accommodation.

Day 3. (Monday) MADRID – GRANADA

After breakfast, we’ll leave Madrid heading south to discover the impressive Andalusia, a historical region of Spain, where we’ll discover from outstanding monuments to a wide variety of different natural landscapes. We’ll drive southward along the land of Don Quixote, “The Man from La Mancha”, along the way observing vast vineyards. We’ll be stopping in Puerto Lapice, a ‘manchego’ village, evoking the figure of Don Quixote. Later we’ll cross the natural border of “Despeñaperros” and get into Andalusia, a region with a huge heritage from a splendorous past. Arrival to Granada, an incredible and amazing monumental environment, the last stronghold of the Moorish Kingdom up to 1492. After the lunch (included), we’ll visit the world-famous Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens (entrance ticket and local guide included). Its fountains, gardens and patios (courtyards) have inspired several authors with their sounds and sights, such as the “Tales of the Alhambra” by Washington Irving. We recommend you in the afternoon to take a walk through the Monumental area of ​​Granada, strolling through the origins of this city that still retains all the magic of its Arab past. There are some must-see places: the Royal Chapel of Granada, the place chosen by the Catholic Monarchs for their last rest, the Cathedral, with its impressive facade of Spanish Baroque style and also the Alcaiceria, the old Silk Market in the Nasrid era, a network of narrow streets filled with shops selling handicrafts from Granada. Optionally you can see a Gipsy Flamenco Show held in a cave-house at Sacromonte Quarter. Accommodation at the hotel. Note: Within the Alhambra, the Nasrid Palaces allow the entry of a limited number of people. In case of not being able to visit this area of the Alhambra, a visit with a local guide of the city of Granada would be included and also the Real Alcazar of Seville with similar characteristics will be visited.

Day 4. (Tuesday) GRANADA – MALAGA – MARBELLA – RONDA – SEVILLE

Breakfast at the hotel. Our next destination is the famous Costa del Sol, one of the most modern and important international tourist areas. Arrival in Malaga, capital city of Costa del Sol and hometown of Pablo Picasso and Antonio Banderas, among its most famous citizens. You’ll enjoy some free time for a stroll in the historic centre of Malaga with its cathedral, Moorish Fortress and the Picasso Museum. We will continue along the coastal motorway with beautiful views of the Mediterranean and passing through Puerto Banus, in Marbella, an exclusive high-level marina. In the afternoon we will continue along the Route of the White Washed Villages to reach Ronda, one of the most beautiful towns in Andalusia, situated on the gorge of the Guadalevin River (locally known as Tajo de Ronda). Free time to admire this town of Celtic origin and the marvellous views of the valley and mountain range. Continuation to Sevilla, capital city of Andalusia. Arrival at the hotel, dinner included and accommodation.

Day 5. (Wednesday) SEVILLE

After breakfast, we’ll do a monumental and panoramic visit of Seville. Lead by an expert guide you will discover the Cathedral of Seville, the second largest in the Catholic world after San Pedro in Rome and its famous Giralda Tower, the old seminar of the Arab mosque, also the popular neighbourhoods of Santa Cruz, the natural setting of “Carmen” as well as the place where the myth of “Don Juan” developed and Triana, of deep popular flavour and cradle of bullfighters and artists. After the visit, we will include a boat trip on the Guadalquivir River to enjoy the panoramic views that exist from the boat. We recommend you to take a nice walk along the banks of the Guadalquivir River, the “great king of Andalusia”, as the poet Luis de Góngora y Argote called it. Afternoon free to discover different perspectives and specific flavours of this active city full of lights. At night, we recommend you to go out for Tapa-hopping, an unbeatable way to experience Andalusian culture and savour the charms of its bars and taverns. Tapas are an exquisite, varied and choice example of popular gastronomy which allows you to share a variety of dishes and try a wide range of different products for reasonable prices. Optionally, you may also enjoy an exquisite flamenco show.

Day 6. (Thursday) SEVILLE – MERIDA – EVORA – LISBON

Breakfast at the hotel. We leave for Portugal, crossing the Region of Extremadura, land of the best cured ham, good wines and tasty cheeses. Travelling along large meadows of evergreen oaks and cork oaks groves where the Iberian pig roams freely, we arrive at the ancient Augusta Emerita, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Admission included to the archaeological site to visit at your leisure the imposing Roman Theatre of Mérida, a symbol of the city, which continues to function after 2,000 years of history and which hosts the International Classical Theatre Festival on summer nights. After that, among beautiful landscapes of the Alentejo Region we arrive at Évora, capital of the region, a city declared a World Heritage Site with its important historical heritage evoking times past: the ruins of the Roman Temple of Diana, its impressive Gothic cathedral, its palaces Renaissance and also the Church of San Francisco with its adjacent Chapel of Bones (Capela dos Ossos), where all its walls are covered with skulls and human bones, symbolizing how ephemeral human existence is. We’ll continue to Lisbon, the capital and largest city of Portugal. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation.

Day 7. (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 8. (Saturday) LISBON – CACERES – MADRID

Our last breakfast in Portugal. Departure towards the Spanish border, crossing beautiful green plains that extend as far as the eye can see, dotted with cork oaks and olive trees that resist time. Once in Spain, we will enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the Extremadura Region, extensive areas of holm oaks and cork oaks known as “dehesas” and where Iberian pigs roam freely in search of acorns. Arrival in Cáceres, a magical medieval city, capital of the province, in the west of Spain. Free time to walk through the old town with its walls and watchtowers and its well-known medieval quarter, considered a World Heritage Site. We recommend that you follow the narrow paths that will transport you to another century and captivate you with its ancient charm. You will discover the main square of Cáceres: the Plaza Mayor and the Bujaco Tower, known locally as the Clock Tower, the Arco de la Estrella, which is one of the five access gates of Cáceres, the beautiful Palacio de los Golfines… Continuation to Madrid. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation.

Day 9. (Sunday) MADRID – BARCELONA

Breakfast at the hotel. At the agreed time, presentation on your own at the Puerta de Atocha – Almudena Grandes Train Station to take the high-speed train included to Barcelona. Pleasant and short journey with the comfort and speed of this AVE train. Arrival and end of our services.