Escorted Great tour of Portugal & Spain 16 days from Madrid
PEPE TOURS
Escorted Great tour of Portugal & Spain 16 days from Madrid
PEPE TOURS
Departure City
SPAIN, Madrid
Returning City
SPAIN, Madrid
Number of DAYS
16
Meeting point
Madrid
Google Maps
Frecuency
Saturday
PRICE in Euros
2.065,00 €
GREAT IBERIAN ROUTE – 16 DAYS TOUR PACKAGE
Great route of the Iberian Peninsula. Coach holiday to Spain and Portugal from Madrid with English-speaking guides to discover Madrid, the capital of Spain, the highlights of Portugal: Lisbon, Evora, Fatima, Porto & Braga, travel through the beautiful landscapes of Galicia and Northern Spain, explore the cosmopolitan Barcelona, capital of Catalunya, Valencia and finally marvel with the Moorish Legacy in Andalusia visiting the unique Alhambra Palace in Granada or Seville, the biggest city of the southern Spain.
Departure days of the tour
Departures: Saturday
Escorted Great tour of Portugal & Spain 16 days from Madrid includes:
The coach tour to Spain and Portugal includes:
Transfer from Madrid Airport to hotel / Transportation in a modern bus with air conditioning / English-speaking guide during the tour / Visits in Madrid, Granada (Alhambra Palace & Generalife Gardens), Seville, Lisbon, Porto, Santiago de Compostela, Oviedo, Santander, Bilbao, Zaragoza, Poblet and Barcelona / Glass bottom boat trip in Galicia with mussel & wine tasting, boat trip along Guadalquivir River in Seville / Evening transfer to Plaza Mayor in Madrid, Historic centre of Seville, Restauradores Square in Lisbon, Ramblas and Plaza de Catalunya in Barcelona / Ticket admission to Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Alhambra Palace in Granada, Roman theatre of Merida, Old cellars in Porto, National Museum of Altamira Caves in Santillana, Wine museum in Briones, Poblet Monastery / Train ride in Briones / Cable car to Bom Jesus Sanctuary in Braga / Accommodation at 3* and 4* hotels / Daily breakfast buffet and 1 meal / Hotel city taxes / Travel insurance.
Price details
PRICE PER PERSON IN EUROS (SEASON 2024 - 2025) | ||
IN DOUBLE ROOM | from 2065 € | |
IN SINGLE ROOM | from 3080 € |
Day 1. (Saturday) MADRID
Hola! Welcome to Europe! Welcome to Spain! Arrival at the International Airport of Madrid – Barajas. Assistance and transfer to your hotel in Madrid. 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 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 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 neighborhoods 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 flavor 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 flavors of this active city full of lights. At night, optionally you may enjoy an exquisite flamenco show.
Day 6. (Thursday) SEVILLE – MERIDA – EVORA – LISBOA
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 Theater of Mérida, a symbol of the city, which continues to function after 2,000 years of history and which hosts the International Classical Theater 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 – FATIMA – PORTO
Breakfast at the hotel. 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 20th century. We continue our route through the green lands of the center regions of Portugal. Arrival in Porto, the second-largest city of Portugal. You’ll enjoy some free time for lunch and then we’ll do a panoramic visit of Porto, to discover its beautiful historic center located on the banks of the Douro River. The Porto city tour ends with a visit to some old wineries where we will learn about and taste the famous Porto Wine. Free time at your disposal to discover the atmosphere loaded with history and nostalgia of this city with its elegant neighborhoods and stately villas in counterpoint with the narrow streets and old alleys that the UNESCO has declared a World Heritage Site. Transfer to the hotel and accommodation.
Day 9. (Sunday) PORTO – BOM JESUS SANCTUARY – CAMBADOS – SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
After breakfast, we start our trip to the northern Portugal. We travel among beautiful landscapes. At Braga, we go up in the oldest funicular in the world, an impressive piece of 19th century engineering, to discover the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, from where we will appreciate beautiful views of the city of Braga. We suggest walking down to admire its beautiful Stairway of the Five Senses, a monumental Baroque stairway of 381 feet. We continue our trip to Galicia, with its landscapes of lush valleys and stunning beaches, spectacular cliffs, charming fishing villages and incredible cities. At Rias Bajas (Lower Estuaries of Galicia) we will stop in the historic city of Cambados, and we will board for a glass bottom boat trip in which we will explain how mussels and oysters are produced, with a wine and mussels tasting included. After lunch time we arrive at Santiago de Compostela, whose old town is a World Heritage Site, one of the most important monumental centers of Spain, one of the sacred cities of Christendom and end of the Way of Saint James pilgrimage route. Upon arrival we’ll enjoy a city tour visiting amongst others, the Plaza del Obradoiro, the point at which all roads into the city converge, where we can find Santiago’s Highlight, the Cathedral dedicated to the Apostle James the Elder, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ and brother of John, the Evangelist. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation. We recommend you to take a night walk to discover at your pace this historic city, its university atmosphere of joy and vitality, try the delicious cuisine that Galician tradition has preserved and its regional products, especially seafood, fish and beef.
Day 10. (Monday) SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA – LUGO – O CEBREIRO – LEON – OVIEDO
Breakfast. We travel along the Saint James Route towards Castilla. We stop in Lugo (Lucus Augusti during the Roman Period) to get to know its historic center, an urban network of quiet pedestrian streets and the grand Roman walls encircling old Lugo, considered the best preserved of their kind in the world, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We continue our route in Galicia travelling through O Cebreiro, a small Galician stone village and Leon, a historic enclave on the Pilgrim’s Road to Santiago de Compostela. Free time to visit some of the most emblematic buildings such as the Gothic cathedral, with the most beautiful stained-glass windows in Europe, the Collegiate Church of San Isidoro and the facade of the San Marcos Hostel in Plateresque style. Later we will cross the Cantabrian Mountains traveling to Asturias. Arrival in Oviedo, a city of an unquestionable medieval flavour. Lead by a licensed local guide, we’ll do an in-depth city tour of Oviedo to discover its beautiful 9th century cathedral, the Calatrava Palace, the Campoamor theater, the Rua street. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation.
Day 11. (Tuesday) OVIEDO – COVADONGA – SANTILLANA – SANTANDER
After breakfast we travel to the Picos de Europa National Park & UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Driving a twisty road that will slowly reveal a beautiful countryside made up of calm waters, unimaginable green carpets and mountain peaks which all seem to be almost within reach, we will arrive to Covadonga, where you will have free time to visit the Shrine, a place of worship and pilgrimage for the people of Asturias, where you will see the Patroness of Asturias our Lady of Covadonga. We continue the route towards Santillana del Mar, one of the most important historical artistic towns in Spain. It contains architectural treasures such as the Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana, a Jewel of the Romanesque Architecture in Cantabria. We will visit the Museum of the Caves of Altamira, that will give us a closer look at the prehistoric era of the Iberian Peninsula. Later we travel to Santander, capital of Cantabria Region, one of the most elegant and beautiful cities of the North Coast of Spain. Santander is a port city located between the sea and the mountains, well known for its Sardinero Beach, one of the best-known beaches in Spain. With a local guide we’ll do a sightseeing tour of Santander to discover the highlights of this elegant coastal city and its beautiful bay. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation. Note: From July to mid-October, due to high occupancy some groups will be accommodated in Bilbao.
Day 12. (Wednesday) SANTANDER – BILBAO – LA RIOJA – ZARAGOZA
Breakfast. Following the highway along the Cantabrian Coast, with beautiful landscapes between the mountains and the sea we arrive to Bilbao, capital of the province of Vizcaya, and the largest city of the Basque Country. Accompanied by an expert local guide, we will visit Bilbao, where design and architecture permeate this entire city: the avant-garde building of the Guggenheim Museum, the old town of Bilbao, the Cathedral … Then you will have free time to take some “pintxos” – bite-sized pieces, miniature culinary works of art. Our route continues to La Rioja Region, internationally famous for the quality of its wines. We will visit the Wine Culture Museum that will take us on a journey through the history of wine, with an explanation of its production methods and cultural significance. A stop later in Santo Domingo de la Calzada, a historic city on the Pilgrim’s Route to Santiago de Compostela. By the end of the day we’ll arrive to Zaragoza, located on the banks of the Ebro River, one of Spain’s major cities and capital of the Region of Aragon. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation.
Day 13. (Thursday) ZARAGOZA – POBLET – BARCELONA
Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning we will do a panoramic tour of Zaragoza with a local guide. During the visit of Saragossa we will discover Basilica of Our Lady of Pilar, Patroness of Hispanity. We will learn about Goya, the famous painter, and see some of his works. We will also see a Roman theatre, a Renaissance palace and we will and walk by the Aljaferia Moorish Palace. 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 Barcelona, arrival at the hotel and accommodation.
Day 14. (Friday) 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. 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 15. (Saturday) BARCELONA – PEÑISCOLA – VALENCIA – MADRID
Breakfast. We leave behind us the capital of Catalonia and travel south along the Mediterranean Coast. Our first stop will be at Peñiscola, a medieval walled town that stands as a delightful balcony over the Mediterranean. You’ll enjoy some free time for lunch and to have a walk through its old town, which enters the Mediterranean Sea forming a small peninsula, crowned by the imperial Castle of Papa Luna.The route along the Mediterranean continues to reach Valencia, a vibrant and cosmopolitan city on the Mediterranean coast, that harmoniously combine the remnants of its farthest past, with the most innovative and avant-garde buildings from the new millennium. After some free time for lunch we’ll enjoy from the bus the breath-taking avant-garde architecture of the City of Arts and Sciences, one of the largest scientific and cultural complexes in Europe, then we’ll continue our route to Madrid. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation. Note: Depending on the number of passengers, the Valencia / Madrid route may be made by high speed train.
Day 16. (Sunday) MADRID
Breakfast at the hotel and end of our services. We recommend you to keep exploring Madrid, diplomatic capital, economic centre and most populous city in Spain, headquarters of the Spanish government and city where the Spanish monarchy resides. You can take a walk through the courtly Madrid de los Austrias Neighborhood with its Renaissance and Baroque buildings in Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor and Plaza de la Villa, continue to the Royal Palace located in the elegant Plaza de Oriente, get to know the Cibeles Fountain, Fountain of Neptune, Puerta de Alcala, Gran Vía or Paseo de la Castellana. You can also, optionally, visit the nearby imperial city of Toledo, declared a World Heritage Site, make a daytrip to Avila and Segovia, the jewels of Castilla y León, cities declared World Heritage Cities, tours that you may book on our website.
Summary
- Departure city: SPAIN, Madrid
- Returning city: SPAIN, Madrid
- Cities where we will travel through: Barcelona, Bilbao, Covadonga, Evora, Fatima, Granada, Leon, Lisbon, Lugo, Madrid, Malaga, Marbella, Merida, Montserrat, Oviedo, Peniscola, Poblet, Porto, Ronda, Santander, Santiago de Compostela, Santillana del Mar, Seville, Valencia, Zaragoza
- Countries where the tour goes: PORTUGAL, SPAIN
- Nº days of the tour: 16
- Departure day of the tour: Saturday
- Price: from 2065 €
- Tour code: 11924-1600000S0-04-MADMAD-G
Please note that
Exceptionally, the itinerary and the order of the excursions could be altered and modified for organizational reasons. Depending on hotel availability or in case of last minute reservations, the provided hotels may be replaced by others of the same category (see list of planned hotels at Scheduled Hotels).