Classic Spain & Portugal

22 Days | Visit Spain and Portugal on a tour via the beaches, barrios and bars.

4.3 out of 5 based on 4 reviews submitted.
Explorer
From
ZAR  93,658
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Tour Spain and Portugal's pin-up attractions on this 22-day western European adventure. Soak up art and history in Madrid, be staggered by the grandeur of Alhambra Palace in Granada and take in the dramatic spectacle of a flamenco performance in Seville. Travel to Portugal to chill out in the Algarve, get loco with Lisbon locals in the Bairro Alto and taste some delectable port wine in Porto. Back in Spain, visit Santiago de Compostela and Salamanca en route to Barcelona – the epitome of all things stylish, cultural and fashionable – before continuing on to Pamplona, Longrono and the glorious beaches of San Sebastian.

Trip overview

Map of Classic Spain & Portugal including Portugal and Spain
Start
Madrid, Spain
Finish
Madrid, Spain
Theme
Explorer
Destinations
Spain, Portugal
Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Style
Original
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1 - Max 12
Trip code
ZMSJC
This trip generates 38.55 kg of CO2-e per person per day.
We offset these emissions on your behalf. But we know that is not enough, so we also have a carbon reduction target.

Why you'll love this trip
  • Gaze in awe at the artistic feats of the Spanish masters in Madrid, and experience a different sort of mastery with a fiery flamenco performance in Seville.
  • Unwind in a laidback fishing village in the Algarve on Portugal's scenic south coast. Soak up the sun on a beach and enjoy a cocktail-coloured sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.
  • People from all over the world come to Spain to walk the famous Camino de Santiago. Join pilgrims along the last leg of the journey, as they reach the historic cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
  • The fortified medieval city of Pamplona is a great place to discover on foot. Weave through the city's winding alleyways to the immense Gothic Cathedral and walk down the street of the famous bull run.
  • Logrono is bursting with delicious local produce and wine, just waiting to be enjoyed on an included tapas crawl. Delicioso!

Is this trip right for you?
  • This trip covers a lot of ground. The majority of travel between destinations on this trip is done by trains and local buses. Time estimates are given in the day-to-day itinerary. It's a good time to sit back, relax and let the scenery roll past your window. It's also a perfect opportunity for local interaction.
  • Don’t let the heat keep you from exploring the world! Summer temperatures can be very high in Spain and Portugal (over 40°C), which can make things uncomfortable. It’s important to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat, and drink plenty of water.
  • Space is at a premium in Europe and your hotel is no exception. Rooms are often small, but usually the central location makes up for that. For those travelling as a duo, hotels in Europe often don't have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together. In some cases, bathroom facilities will be shared rather than ensuite, and not all rooms will have air conditioning.
  • Some hotels and train stations don't have lifts, and you will need to walk up and down some stairs carrying your luggage. Please make sure it doesn’t exceed our weight and size recommendations. You can find this information in the 'Packing' section of the Essential Trip Information.
  • Shops, attractions, sights and businesses may be closed for up to 5 hours in the middle of the day for siesta time. This gives the locals time to escape the heat and spend time with their families, eat a large lunch or simply sleep through the most uncomfortable time of day. This means of course that people work later into the evening and dinner time can seem quite late – 9.30 pm is not uncommon for family dinner time.
  • On this trip you must pack as lightly as possible because you will be expected to carry your own bag and although you won't be required to walk long distances with your luggage (max 30 minutes), we strongly recommend keeping the weight between 15kg / 33lb. Most travellers carry their luggage in a backpack, although an overnight bag with a shoulder strap would suffice if you travel lightly. Smaller bags or backpacks with wheels are convenient although we recommend your bag has carry straps to accommodate the cobbled streets, uneven surfaces, stairs and steps you are likely to encounter while carrying your luggage. You'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water and a camera etc for day trips.

Itinerary

This itinerary is valid for departures from 01 January 2023 to 31 December 2023.

View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2024 - 31 January 2024

Map of Classic Spain & Portugal including Portugal and Spain

Inclusions

Meals

13 breakfasts

Transport

Train, Public bus, Plane, Metro, Taxi, Cable car

Accommodation

Hotel (17 nights), Pension (2 nights), Hostal (2 nights)

Activities
  • Granada - Guided Visit to Alhambra Palace & Gardens
  • Seville - Evening Flamenco Performance
  • Lagos - Algarve Cliff Boat Trip
  • Porto - Port Wine Tasting
  • Santiago de Compostela - Camino de Santiago Hike
  • San Sebastian - Monte Igueldo Funicular (Igeldo Funikularra)
  • Logrono - Txikiteo of Pintxos (Tapas Crawl)
  • Logrono - Winery Visit & Wine Tasting
Add on activities
  • Madrid - Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza - EUR12
  • Madrid - Museo del Prado - EUR15
  • Madrid - Real Jardín Botánico - EUR6
  • Madrid - Museo Reina Sofia - EUR10
  • Madrid - Royal Palace - EUR14
  • Madrid - Tapas Urban Adventure - EUR82
  • Granada - Jose Guerrero Centre - Free
  • Granada - Mirador de San Nicolas - Free
  • Granada - Science Park - EUR7
  • Granada - Science Park Planetarium - EUR2
  • Granada - Catedral de Granada - EUR6
  • Granada - Capilla Real - EUR6
  • Seville - Torre del Oro - EUR3
  • Seville - Santa Paula Convent - EUR3
  • Seville - Indias Archive - Free
  • Seville - Museum of Fine Arts - EUR2
  • Seville - Archaeological Museum - EUR3
  • Seville - Andalusian Contemporary Art Centre - EUR3
  • Seville - Guided Tour including Alcazar - EUR13
  • Seville - Museum of Art & Popular Customs - EUR2
  • Seville - Cathedral & Giralda Tower - EUR12
  • Seville - Casa de Pilatos - EUR8
  • Lisbon - Fado Show with Dinner - EUR50
  • Lisbon - Naval Museum - EUR5
  • Lisbon - National Art Museum - EUR6
  • Lisbon - Folk Art Museum - EUR3
  • Lisbon - Oceanarium - EUR17
  • Lisbon - Puppet Museum - EUR5
  • Lisbon - Gulbenkian Museum - EUR10
  • Lisbon - Citadel - EUR9
  • Lisbon - Belem Tower and Monastery - EUR13
  • Porto - Livraria Lello - EUR8
  • Porto - Clerigos Tower - EUR5
  • Porto - Serralves Foundation - EUR5
  • Porto - Bolhao Market - Free
  • Santiago de Compostela - Visit to a Local Cheesemaker - EUR20
  • Santiago de Compostela - Bike Hire - EUR10
  • Santiago de Compostela - Pilgrimage Museum - EUR2
  • Santiago de Compostela - Cathedral - Free
  • Barcelona - Barcelona Cathedral - EUR11
  • Barcelona - Casa Batllo (advance booking required) - EUR29
  • Barcelona - Cable car to Montjuic (one way) - EUR10
  • Barcelona - Contemporary Art Museum - EUR10
  • Barcelona - Guell Palace - EUR12
  • Barcelona - Museum of City History - EUR7
  • Barcelona - Picasso Museum - EUR14
  • Barcelona - Ethnological and World Cultures - EUR5
  • Barcelona - Old Santa Creu Hospital - EUR16
  • Barcelona - Museum of Gaudi - EUR6
  • Barcelona - National Art Museum of Catalonia - EUR12
  • Barcelona - La Sagrada Familia (must be prebooked in advance) - EUR26
  • Barcelona - Tapas Tour in El Raval Urban Adventure - EUR70
  • Pamplona - Gothic Cathedral - EUR5
  • Pamplona - Ciudadella Fortress - Free
  • Pamplona - Taconera Park - Free
  • San Sebastian - Catedral del Buen Pastor - Free
  • San Sebastian - Grab Your Pintxo Urban Adventure - EUR73
  • San Sebastian - Hiking the St James Way (Camino de Santiago) Urban Adventure - EUR63
  • Bilbao - Guggenheim Museum - EUR16
  • San Sebastian - San Telmo Museum - EUR6
  • San Sebastian - Basque by Bike Urban Adventure - EUR43
  • San Sebastian - Catamaran Boat Trip - EUR10
  • Logrono - Museo de la Rioja - Free
  • Logrono - San Bartolome Church - Free
  • Logrono - Cathedral - Free
  • Madrid - Museo Taurino - EUR15

Dates and availability

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Important notes

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Days 19 and 20 (Hostel) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. This trip includes a domestic flight as indicated on the trip map. The luggage allowance is 20kg for check in luggage and 5kg for carry on. However, we recommend only packing 10kg approx. in your main piece of luggage – please refer to the ‘Packing’ section of the Essential Trip Information for more details.
3. Please provide your full name and passport details at the time of booking so that we can secure Alhambra entrance tickets for you. Fees may apply for adding or amending details within 60 days of departure. In some cases, without these details, we may not be able to obtain entrance tickets for you.

Essential Trip Information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

Read Essential Trip Information

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 based on 4 reviews submitted.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip or reveal personal details.

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Wendy · Traveled April 2023
A wonderful trip with a fabulous tour leader Francisca . This trip is fast paced and lots of traveling by public transport but worth it . All the towns we visited had so much to do and see I definitely need to come back and explore but I now feel a bit more confident to do it . Pack light as you’ll fill up your bag with lots of local goodies or do as some of us did send a parcel home . For me the highlight was walking the last 18km on the Camino but loved the whole trip just the same .
Review submitted 09 May 2023

Ruvini · Traveled May 2022
Good introduction to Spain and Portugal. Getting on and off public busses so make sure you pack light and use a backpack if possible.
Review submitted 13 Jul 2022

Armine · Traveled May 2022
I loved the itinerary of this trip. We saw a lot in three week and I enjoyed every location. Although I had been in some of the locations before, I still enjoyed it and learned new things. The tour leaders were wonderful, very helpful, enthusiastic and knowledgable. I also liked the balance of scheduled activities and free time to do what we wanted. Overall, I was very happy with this trip.
Review submitted 26 Jun 2022

Vivian · Traveled April 2022
Spain and Portugal both have a multitude of amazing historic and cultural attractions to experience and this tour will take you to many of them. The physical rating of 2 is for the younger crowd and consider it higher for the 50 plus group. Our weather in April, May had a number of cool days that required a warm raincoat. My guides were wonderful caring people trying to meet all the needs of the group. Be prepared for long bus rides between cities and public transit. I loved all of it and I highly recommend going.
Review submitted 13 May 2022
Classic Spain & Portugal
From
ZAR  93,658