Itinerary
- Day 1
Madrid
You'll arrive in Madrid and get settled at your hotel. After meeting your tour director and other travelers, the evening is yours to wander around and get a feel for the city at your own pace.
- Day 2
Madrid
Start the day with a guided tour covering Madrid's main highlights, including the Museo del Prado, Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor, and El Retiro Park. By afternoon you're free to explore on your own. Later, join everyone for a welcome dinner featuring authentic local cuisine.
- Meals
- Dinner (Welcome Dinner)
Included Activities
- Guided discovery of Madrid
- Visit Museo del Prado
- Visit Royal Palace of Madrid
- Visit Plaza Mayor
- Visit El Retiro Park
- Welcome Dinner
Optional Activities
- Optional excursion to Toledo, an ancient city built atop a gorge and home to one of Spain's top 10 cathedrals (own expense)
Landmarks/POIs Museo del Prado Royal Palace of Madrid Plaza Mayor El Retiro Park - Day 3
Madrid to Granada
You'll head south toward Granada, stopping in Úbeda to check out the Gothic and Renaissance buildings and sample some locally produced extra virgin olive oil. Once you reach Granada, prepare for a behind-the-scenes flamenco performance followed by dinner.
- Meals
- Dinner (Insider Experience dinner at flamenco show with local specialties)
Included Activities
- Stop in Úbeda
- Explore Gothic and early Renaissance Spanish architecture
- Taste locally grown and produced extra virgin olive oil
- Behind-the-Scenes Flamenco Performance with dinner
- Watch flamenco performance
Landmarks/POIs Úbeda - Day 4
Granada
Spend the day at the Alhambra, the Moorish palace and fortress built in 1238 that sits on a hill overlooking Granada and the River Darro. The views are worth it, and there's plenty to see inside the complex. The rest of your day is free to do whatever you like.
Included Activities
- Visit Alhambra palace and fortress complex
Optional Activities
- Optional guided walk through the Albaicín neighbourhood, the oldest in Granada, featuring narrow streets with whitewashed buildings and one of the best-preserved public Arab hammams in Spain
Landmarks/POIs Alhambra - Day 5
Granada to Córdoba
Travel to Córdoba and walk through neighborhoods with Moorish architecture, including the Jewish Quarter and Calleja de las Flores, a narrow lane where photographers love to stop. That evening, you'll see the Mezquita lit up with special atmospheric lighting.
Included Activities
- Explore Córdoba
- Wander through the Jewish Quarter
- Visit Calleja de las Flores (Flower Alley)
- Evening visit to Mezquita with special lighting and atmospheric sound
Landmarks/POIs Mezquita - Day 6
Córdoba to Seville
After breakfast, head to Seville and get checked in at your hotel. The afternoon is yours to explore. This evening, join an authentic tapas experience where you'll visit local bars and learn about Seville's history and hidden spots.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Authentic Seville Tapas Experience with local specialties including solomillo al whisky (pork loin with whisky sauce), espinacas con garbanzos (spinach and chickpeas), and jamón ibérico de bellota (acorn-fed Iberian ham))
Included Activities
- Travel to Seville
- Authentic Seville Tapas Experience exploring local tabernas
- Day 7
Seville
You have the full day to explore Seville at your own pace. Hit up Plaza de España, the Royal Alcázar, and Parque de María Luisa, or if you prefer, there's an optional tour to Jerez de la Frontera available.
Optional Activities
- Optional tour to Jerez de la Frontera, considered the home of flamenco and renowned for world-famous Jerez wines
Landmarks/POIs Plaza de España Royal Alcázar of Seville Parque de María Luisa - Day 8
Seville to Lisbon
Cross into Portugal and visit Monsaraz, a medieval village surrounded by old walls and olive groves. Continue to Évora for a wine tasting at a historic pousada convento. Then head to Lisbon where you can explore the capital at your leisure.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch at Pousada Convento Évora following wine tasting)
Included Activities
- Visit Monsaraz medieval village
- Southern Portugal Wine Tasting at historic Pousada Convento Évora
- Lunch at Pousada Convento Évora
Landmarks/POIs Monsaraz - Day 9
Lisbon
Wander Lisbon's hilly streets and take an iconic tram to Belém Tower, which marks Portugal's Age of Discoveries. You'll visit Pastéis de Belém and take a tart making class. The day ends with a fado farewell dinner where you'll enjoy traditional folk music.
- Meals
- Dinner (Fado Farewell Dinner with fado performance and traditional folk music)
Included Activities
- Explore Lisbon hilly streets
- Iconic tram ride
- Visit Belém Tower
- Portuguese Tart Making Class at local bakery
- Learn to make pastel de nata (Portuguese tart)
- Taste your homemade creation
- Fado Farewell Dinner with fado performance
Landmarks/POIs Belém Tower Pastéis de Belém - Day 10
Sintra and Cascais
Take a full-day trip to Sintra, a fairy-tale town in the mountains. You'll visit Pena Palace sitting on a hilltop with wide views and colorful Romanticist architecture. After that, stop in Cascais, a coastal town with good beaches and old buildings.
Included Activities
- Visit World Heritage-listed town of Sintra
- Visit Pena Palace
- Explore Pena Palace gardens
- Visit Cascais coastal resort town
Landmarks/POIs Pena Palace Cascais - Day 11
Óbidos to Coimbra
Check out Óbidos, one of Europe's best medieval villages with walls and a castle still standing. Continue to Nazaré, famous for big-wave surfing, where you can walk the cobblestone streets and relax on the beach. From there, head to Coimbra, home to Portugal's oldest university from 1290.
Included Activities
- Visit Óbidos medieval village
- Explore medieval walls and castle
- Visit Nazaré
Landmarks/POIs Óbidos Nazaré - Day 12
Coimbra to Porto
You'll visit Aveiro, sometimes called Portugal's Venice. Board a traditional moliceiro boat for a cruise along the canals. Walk through the Beira Mar neighborhood with its colorful azulejo-tiled buildings and check out the fish market. Then continue on to Porto.
Included Activities
- Visit Aveiro
- Moliceiro boat canal cruise
- Explore Beira Mar neighbourhood
- Visit fish market
Landmarks/POIs Aveiro - Day 13
Porto
Take a walking tour through Porto learning about the city's history and architecture while navigating the hilly streets. Later, you'll have a private wine tasting at a quinta followed by a farewell lunch with the owners. Spend the rest of the day on your own.
- Meals
- Lunch (Farewell Lunch at private quinta with local wines)
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Porto
- Exclusive wine tasting at private quinta
- Farewell Lunch at quinta
- Day 14
Porto
Transfer to the MS Estrela cruise ship in Porto. You'll meet other passengers and the cruise director at a welcome reception while the ship cruises along the Douro River at sunset.
Included Activities
- Embark MS Estrela cruise ship
- Welcome Reception
- Sunset cruise on Douro River
- Day 15
Douro River Cruise to Lamego and Pinhão
Cruise along the Douro River with vineyards covering the hillsides on both sides. There's a Portuguese language lesson in the morning. You'll visit Lamego to see the elaborate Baroque Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies and taste Bola de Lamego. Dinner that evening is a Portuguese quinta experience in Pinhão.
- Meals
- Dinner (Portuguese Quinta Dinner with traditional dishes and dessert at local quinta)
Included Activities
- Cruise Douro River
- Portuguese language lesson
- Visit Lamego
- Visit Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies
- Visit museum
- Portuguese Quinta Dinner
Optional Activities
- Sample Bola de Lamego (smoked ham roll)
Landmarks/POIs Lamego Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies - Day 16
Douro River to Vega de Terrón
The ship crosses the border into Spain and stops at Vega de Terrón. You'll have free time before an excursion to Castelo Rodrigo, a hilltop village with views of both Spain and Portugal, complete with old ruins and a castle. Then return to the ship for the evening.
Included Activities
- Excursion to Castelo Rodrigo
- Explore village ruins and castle
Landmarks/POIs Castelo Rodrigo - Day 17
Vega de Terrón to Salamanca
Get off the ship and travel by coach to Salamanca, one of Spain's beautiful cities with golden sandstone buildings and an important university. You'll have a flamenco show with lunch included. Later, head back to Barca d'Alva for a traditional Portuguese barbecue dinner on the ship.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch with Flamenco Show), Dinner (Traditional Portuguese barbecue dinner)
Included Activities
- Coach journey to Salamanca
- Explore Salamanca
- Flamenco Show with lunch
- Return to ship
- Traditional Portuguese barbecue dinner
Landmarks/POIs Salamanca - Day 18
Barca d'Alva to Régua
Join an excursion to Mateus Palace and walk through its 18th-century gardens. You'll learn about how the palace connects to Mateus rosé wine. After that, rejoin the ship which is now in Régua.
Included Activities
- Excursion to Mateus Palace
- Tour palace and gardens
- Learn about Mateus rosé wine
Landmarks/POIs Mateus Palace - Day 19
Régua to Entre-os-Rios
Start with a port wine tasting at a local quinta with great views of the Douro Valley. Then continue to Entre-os-Rios, a lively riverside town where you can spend free time exploring and checking out what's there.
Included Activities
- Portuguese Quinta Port Tasting
- Travel to Entre-os-Rios
- Day 20
Entre-os-Rios to Porto
After breakfast, return to Porto for a guided tour of the city's key sights. Then visit a local port winery for a tour and tasting. Spend the afternoon on your own, maybe shopping or visiting the historic Bolhão market. If interested, there's an optional trip to Guimarães. Wrap up with a farewell dinner on board.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Farewell Dinner with newfound friends)
Included Activities
- Breakfast
- Guided tour of Porto
- Visit local port winery with tour and tasting
- Farewell Dinner on board
Optional Activities
- Optional excursion to World Heritage-listed city of Guimarães, known as 'the birthplace of the Portuguese nationality', including Guimarães Castle and other historic landmarks
Landmarks/POIs Bolhão food market - Day 21
Porto
Have a final breakfast on the ship, then transfer to Porto airport for your onward flight.
- Meals
- Breakfast
