Home
Europe
Spain
Portugal
Highlights Of Spain And Portugal

Highlights Of Spain And Portugal

heart_plus

tourhub | Expat Explore Travel | Highlights Of Spain And Portugal | ESP | Map

location_on

8,281 Views

9 Days From

~~$1800~~

$1284

Highlights Of Spain And Portugal

9 Days Starting and ending in Madrid

Visiting: Spain, Madrid, Granada, Toledo, Ronda, Seville, Algarve, Lisbon, Portugal, Porto, Obidos, Salamanca, Guarda, Avila

Tour operator:

Expat Explore Travel

Tour code:

ESP

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

10 - 51

Physical rating:

Low

Age range:

10-99

Special diets catered:

Vegetarians

Tour operated in:

English

From:

$1800

$1284 (USD) Operator discount: -$517

Tourhub Members Discount - Sign In

-29%

Tour Overview

Satisfy your wanderlust with a 9-day trip to Spain and Portugal! Start in Madrid and learn about amazing architecture, inspiring culture and the Spanish lifestyle! Discover Toledo, Granada and Seville. Visit Ronda and see the famous Puente Nuevo. Cross into Portugal and admire the incredible Algarve views. Experience lively Lisbon, taste port in Porto and explore historic Garda. Finish off this Spain and Portugal tour with stops in Salamanca and Avila. Embrace the local way of life complete with tapas, flamenco and bullfighting on our unforgettable Portugal and Spain tours!
You can combine this itinerary with a tour of eastern Spain and Andorra - click here for more information.

Highlights

Visit the medieval town of Toledo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Ronda, famous for its ‘Puente Nuevo’ (New Bridge)
Free days in Seville and Lisbon
Taste the fortified wine Port in Porto
Experience the Old Town of Salamanca and tapas in Seville

Itinerary

tourhub | Expat Explore Travel | Highlights Of Spain And Portugal | ESP | Route Map

Not what you're looking for?

People that have booked this tour have also searched for the following:

Tours in Spain Tours in Portugal

Expand All

Day 1: Start Of Tour In Madrid

Location: Spain, Madrid

Meals Included: Dinner

Welcome to the start of your 9-day tour of Spain and Portugal! On arrival in Madrid, make your way to the hotel to meet up with your tour leader and the other travellers in the tour group this morning. After everyone is gathered, it’s time to explore Madrid which is the beautiful capital of Spain, on an orientation tour. Afterwards, enjoy free time to explore more of the city - you could choose to enjoy a taste of Spain on the Madrid Tapas Food Tour! This evening, enjoy your first taste of Spain at an included welcome dinner - a great opportunity to meet the other travellers in the group!

Orientation tour of Madrid: Explore Spain’s vibrant capital city with your tour leader. Wander the streets of Madrid and see top sights such as Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, the Royal Palace, Mercado de San Miguel and more!

Traditional dinner in Madrid: Get a taste of Spanish cuisine and get to know your fellow travellers and tour leader over dinner at a local Madrid restaurant.

Day 2: Toledo - Granada

Location: Spain, Granada, Toledo

Meals Included: Breakfast

This morning, leave Madrid behind and head to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Toledo. This charming, ancient walled town, complete with Gothic architecture and an impressive Cathedral, is sure to have travellers falling in love with it! The tour continues south to the Moorish city of Granada. Arrive this afternoon and join your tour leader on an orientation tour of this historic city. Listen in for great insight into this beautiful region of Spain as well as the history, culture and highlights of Granada.

Visit Toledo: Experience the Gothic architecture found throughout this UNESCO World Heritage Site city. The history of this region goes all the way back to the Bronze Age!

Orientation tour of Granada: Learn more about the Moorish influence in southern Spain. Granada is often called the "Damascus of the West." First an Iberian settlement, it came under the influence of the Moors in the 8th century. The neighbourhood of Albaicin offers original narrow winding streets and many fine examples of Moorish and Morisco architecture. Granada is also home to the famous Alhambra.

Day 3: Granada - Ronda - Seville

Location: Spain, Granada, Ronda, Seville

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

The journey through Andalusia continues! Spend the morning exploring the city of Granada, or join our optional excursion to the Alhambra Palace. In addition to a rich Moorish and Medieval history, Granada is a fascinating city packed with street art, culture and the best restaurants. Next, travel to Ronda, a town located on both sides of the Tajo Gorge. The most iconic site here is the ‘Puente Nuevo’ (New Bridge). Take in the spectacular views from the bridge before enjoying a leisurely lunch stop. Finally, travel to Seville. Arrive and enjoy a driving tour of this enchanting city before enjoying free time at the beautiful Plaza de Espana. Next, it’s time for an included dinner before checking into the hotel for tonight.

Visit Ronda: Stop over in Ronda and see the towering ‘Puente Nuevo’ (New Bridge). Found on top of the El Tajo gorge, Ronda is a unique little town. Here, catch a glimpse of some truly breathtaking views!

Driving tour of Seville: Learn more about Seville’s history, culture and architecture on a driving tour. Seville is where some famous scenes for TV series and films were shot. These include Game of Thrones, Star Wars and Lawrence of Arabia.

Dinner in Seville: Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant in Seville.

Day 4: Seville

Location: Spain, Seville

Meals Included: Breakfast

Discover the history and charm of Seville today! Begin with a guided tour of the city, accompanied by an expert local guide. The rest of the day is free to spend as you wish! Choose to tour the Alcázar of Seville on an optional excursion, visit the Metropol Parasol for amazing views or visit the Museum of Flamenco. Alternatively, simply wander the historic city and see where your feet take you! Legend has it that Seville was founded by Hercules, and it certainly boasts a colourful history, from the Romans to the Moors! Seville is famous for its flamenco and tapas bars and tonight is your chance to experience this dance of passion at the lively optional Flamenco dinner show!

Guided tour of Seville: Explore Seville on a tour with a local guide. Learn more about its history, culture and architecture. Seville is where some famous scenes for TV series and films were shot. These include Game of Thrones, Star Wars and Lawrence of Arabia. This is the ideal way to take to the streets of Seville to soak up the culture, tastes, sights and sounds of the city!

Day 5: Algarve - Lisbon

Location: Algarve, Lisbon

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today it’s time to travel to Lisbon, Portugal! Along the way, visit the Algarve. This stunning southern coastal region of Portugal features golden beaches and limestone cliffs. Look forward to a comfort stop at one of these beautiful beaches so you can top up your tan or take a dip in the cool, blue ocean. Arrive in Lisbon, set off on an orientation tour of the capital and see Lisbon’s highlights. From the imposing Sao Jorge Castle to the pastel colours of the old town, Lisbon has it all! Enjoy an included dinner in Lisbon tonight.

Visit the Algarve: Enjoy a scenic drive through the Algarve. This is definitely one of Portugal's most spectacular regions - complete with rugged cliffs, golden beaches and crashing waves! Spend some time on one of the stunning Algarve beaches, enjoy lunch here or explore the local town.

Lisbon driving tour: Drive alongside the Tagus River and along some of Lisbon's most famous streets and learn about the history, culture and Portuguese lifestyle. Sights like the Sao Jorge Castle and the colours of the Old Town are not to be missed. There are seven miradouros (viewpoints) dotted around the city - all offering glorious views of the city and its surrounds!

Day 6: Lisbon: Free Day

Location: Portugal, Lisbon

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today is your free day to explore Lisbon at your own pace. You could visit Lisbon's landmarks, including the Monument to the Discoveries and the Belém Tower or discover the hilltop district of Bairro Alto. Alternatively, join an optional excursion to Sintra, a charming UNESCO World Heritage Site village and the capital of Romanticism in Portugal, known for its striking monuments. While there, visit Pena Palace and enjoy lunch. Or, join an excursion to Portugal’s most famous pilgrimage site, Fátima. This evening is your chance to enjoy one of Portugal's cultural highlights; Fado music. Unique to Portugal, it is arguably the oldest urban folk music in the world - you are sure to discover many bars nearby playing Fado!

Day 7: Obidos - Porto

Location: Portugal, Porto, Obidos

Meals Included: Breakfast

On the way to Porto this morning, enjoy a stop in Obidos. This classic fortified town is home to narrow cobbled streets, picturesque houses and an imposing hilltop castle. We continue our tour of Portugal and enter Porto - Portugal’s second-largest city and home of one of the country’s most famous exports - port wine! Enjoy a walking tour of Porto, where you will see Ponte Dom Luis - a stunning bridge that crosses the River Douro, the Clerigos Tower and many other famous landmarks. Enjoy the opportunity to sample a glass of port wine this afternoon at the included Port tasting.

Visit Obidos: Enjoy some free time to explore the picturesque medieval streets of this charming town. The main gate into Obidos, Porta de Vila, contains a beautiful tiled chapel depicting the passion of Christ, and the walls of the town can be walked in around one hour.

Porto driving and walking tour: See picturesque Porto from the coach and on foot. Learn about the history of the architecture, sights and the culture of this city and its UNESCO World Heritage Site historical centre.

Port tasting: Try Portugal's most famous drink - Port! It's a sweet, fortified red wine, often served as a dessert wine in dry, semi-dry and white varieties.

Day 8: Guarda - Salamanca

Location: Spain, Salamanca, Guarda

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

It is time to depart Portugal and travel back to Spain through beautiful stretches of countryside. En route, make a stop in Guarda, the highest city in Portugal which is home to centuries-old fortified towers and defensive walls. After arriving in Salamanca, embark on a locally guided city tour. Salamanca is a stunning city home to incredible Baroque, Gothic and Renaissance buildings. See top sights including the old and new cathedrals, the University and Casa Lis (an Art Deco museum) before ending in the Plaza Mayor with some free time. The day ends with an included dinner before the tour concludes tomorrow. Enjoy three courses of delicious traditional meals from the Salamanca region.

Visit Guarda: Enjoy free time to explore the highest city in Portugal. Guarda is a historic city home to fortified towers and walls built during King Sancho I’s reign that survive to this day. At its heart is a Cathedral built in a mix of Gothic and Manueline styles. Other highlights include the Guarda Museum, Jewish Quarters and the Corgas da Matança Dolmen, a portal tomb that provides a window into the lives of the people who lived across the Iberian Peninsula during the Neolithic Period.

Guided tour of Salamanca: Discover the many beautiful sights of Salamanca on a city tour with a local guide! Start at the Casa Lis museum and marvel at its spectacular Art Deco windows. Make your way to the 12th-century Old Cathedral and the “new”, 16th-century Salamanca Cathedral. Visit the city’s famous University, the oldest university in the Hispanic world, and try to spot the frog in the reliefs! Other top sights include Casa de las Conchas, La Clerecía, la Plaza Mayor and more.

Day 9: Avila - Madrid

Location: Avila, Madrid

Meals Included: Breakfast

After nine fun-filled days on the road, today is the last day of this Spain and Portugal tour. This morning, depart Salamanca and travel to the stunning city of Avila, which is notable for its many Romanesque and Gothic churches, and the famous and incredibly well preserved medieval walls. Then, continue on to the capital Madrid. Arrive in Madrid and the tour concludes this afternoon. Make sure to swap contact details with your newly-made travel friends! Adios!

Visit Avila: Visit this beautiful medieval city en route to Madrid. This walled city and its Cathedral are a UNESCO World Heritage site. Enjoy some free time to explore the main sights in the historic centre, such as San Vicente de Ávila, a church that is one of the best examples of Romanesque architecture in the whole of Spain.

What's Included

Accommodation

8 nights in 2, 3 & 4* hotel accommodation in twin rooms with private bathrooms
Single travellers have the option to pay a single supplement to ensure a private room (subject to availability)
Transport

Modern air-conditioned coach with reclining seats and toilet onboard
Any public transport used as part of the tour (excludes free days)
Meals

8 Breakfasts, 4 Dinners*Vegetarian options available for all meals on request
Experiences

Explore Madrid; capital of Spain
Enjoy a welcome dinner in Madrid
Visit the ancient city of Toledo
Discover the delights of Granada
Visit Ronda; home to the famous Puente Nuevo
See Seville on a driving tour
Enjoy a local dinner in Seville
Explore the streets of Seville on a guided tour
Visit the Algarve; Portugal's stunning southern coast
Enjoy a driving tour of Lisbon
Visit Obidos; a medieval fortified town
Enjoy a driving and walking tour of Porto
Taste Portugal’s most famous drink - Port!
Visit Guarda; Portugal’s highest city
Explore the streets of Salamanca
Farewell dinner in Salamanca
Visit Avila; home to incredible Romanesque architecture

What's Not Included

International flights
Travel to the start point and from the endpoint is not included. We recommend using Skyscanner to find the best deals on international flights.

Travel insurance
For a relatively small price, travel insurance provides you with the peace of mind so that you can enjoy your tour without any worries.

All passengers travelling on an Expat Explore tour are required to have valid travel insurance cover and you are responsible for arranging your own insurance. Click here for more information.

Mode of Transport

Modern air-conditioned coach with reclining seats and toilet onboard

Any public transport used as part of the tour (excludes free days)

Accommodation

8 nights in 2, 3 & 4* hotel accommodation in twin rooms with private bathrooms

Single travellers have the option to pay a single supplement to ensure a private room (subject to availability)

Traveller Comfort - COACH tours

We welcome all travellers on our tours but we would like to ensure that you are as comfortable as possible. In light of this, please ensure that you are happy with the below information and level of fitness required.

Expat Explore tries to be as accommodating as possible, however, our tours are unfortunately not designed for people travelling with wheelchairs or severe mobility issues.

Our tours are fast paced because they are designed for you to see the most a destination has to offer. We also want to ensure that you explore as much as possible, which may require long periods without stops on the coach as we drive to a new destination.

We offer walking tours in most cities (up to 3 hours), and a wheelchair is not always a practical option as there are often cobbled streets and stairs on these tours.

For travellers in wheelchairs, you will only be able to store your wheelchair under the coach with the other luggage. Thus, on the long drives between cities you will not necessarily have access to your wheelchair if we make a quick bathroom stop along the way. Please note that travelling with a wheelchair could prove difficult as our coaches don't have wheelchair lifts, as such you will need to be able to board and alight the coach on your own.

With regards to our accommodation, not all hotels have lifts and this means potentially having to carry bags up and down stairs.

For more information regarding traveller fitness please see our Terms and Conditions.

Check out our Q&As

Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

If you are travelling alone there is no compulsory charge - you will share a twin room with another passenger of the same gender. There is an optional single supplement/private room upgrade available for single travellers who wish to have a private room. This can be added at the time of booking or by contacting our team.
Children on tour?

Our tours are not suitable for young children which is why we have a minimum age limit of 10 years old. However, at the discretion of Expat Explore we may consider younger children on certain tours if they meet certain criteria and a request is received in writing via email. Minors (between 10 and 18 years of age) must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who accepts full responsibility for them. Unaccompanied minors will not be accepted on tour. Expat Explore reserves the right to decline any booking at our discretion. Any minor (between 10 and 18 years of age) is priced the same as an adult.
What policies are in place for Covid-19?

The health and safety of our travellers and employees are our top priority. Which means, when you travel with us, our enhanced hygiene protocols will ensure you do so in a safe and responsible way - ask for details of current policies.
How long has the tour company been trading?

Since 2005
What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?

At Expat Explore we value responsible travel and are committed to exploring the world consciously and kindly. We are proud to make responsible travel possible with a number of our sustainable travel practices!

Am I contributing to any charity by booking the tour?

Relate is a South African based not-for-profit organisation that Expat Explore supports. The group aims to help those less fortunate create better lives for themselves through a variety of fundraising initiatives. On our South Africa tours, each passenger will receive an Expat Explore branded Relate bracelet. We donate the cost of these bracelets to our chosen Relate charity: the Nelson Mandela Sc

Reviews of this Operator

Roger

Wonderful new addition

19-Oct-2022

Great new country and addition by Expat. One of the most interesting and beautiful countries I've ever been. Great food, scenery and lovely people.

Jamie the Kingslayer

Everything I had expected and more

01-Oct-2022

It was my first time traveling to Europe so I was nervous about everything including finding my way around, speaking the languages, and finding lodging. It turned out to be an incredible experience, I couldn't ask for a better your guide. Luke truly is the best in the business and we were so lucky o have him on the last tour of the season. I am definitely going to recommend Expat to my family and friends when they want to travel to Europe. I am going to go as far as finding out when Luke will be the guide and have family/friends specifically book the tour with him.

Randy

Outstanding!

25-Sep-2022

From orientation to farewell dinner Martina was always there to ensure that everyone was happy and enjoying the tour! It was fast paced, especially with the added excursions, but the tour covered the best of Italy and Martina was absolutely the best. She was entertaining and informative. Look forward to another tour with her!!

Emma

Perfect combination of sites, history, culture and food

19-Oct-2022

The highlights of Japan tour with Expat Explore was the ideal way to see the country. It had the perfect mix of big cities, small quaint villages, historical sites and food! The tour was well organised and a good pace to enjoy the various places and activities. We had the opportunity to be immersed in local culture and try the cuisine in a range of dining experiences. The hotels were clean and roomy to rest for days filled with adventures. Japan with Expat should be on your wish list!

CCY

Good experience

07-Oct-2022

Enjoyed the views of different places and learnt about the history of different places in UK/Ireland.

Kendra Olson United States

Classic Europe - 14 Days

03-Apr-2024

Such a great trip and saw so many places, if we did this trip on our own I think we would only get half of what we did done in this time period. It definitely was busy with not much down time but we didn’t pay to go be bored. Beautiful and memorable trip!

Travelling Solo

12 Day Italian Delights

18-Oct-2022

A great tour made even better by our tour leader Marty. She was so knowledgeable and helpful. Made us laugh, showed us amazing sites and always had great recommendations.

Tash

Really nice experience

26-Oct-2022

Loved the small country towns. Very beautiful MARTY AND ALEX THE DRIVER , made the tour experience perfect for me. She is a brilliant guide.

Disappointed

Totally exhausted

05-Oct-2022

I need a holiday to recover from this full-on, insufficient down time, tour. Late hotel arrivals, late city tours, late dinners and excessive walking due to public transport use and then early morning starts. And to top it off, no seat rotation (tour leader advised on day 2 for covid reasons) which made sense on day 2 but not by day 3 or 4 when we had been grouped together at meals, on walking tours, and sharing rooms with people we had just met...merrily spreading our germs between our group anyway! This seating rule however was waived for a special few...those who insisted that they get travel sickness (and must sit in the front seat) and..those who think the rule is not for them and aren't challenged by the tour leader anyway. No seat rotation also meant not getting the opportunity to get to know everyone on the tour on an equal basis.

Dates & Availability

tourhub Discount Available - Sign In

May
2024 Jun
2024 Jul
2024 Aug
2024 Sep
2024 Oct
2024 Dec
2024 Mar
2025 Apr
2025 May
2025 Jun
2025 Jul
2025 Aug
2025 Sep
2025 Oct
2025

Instant Booking Available

Friday - Saturday

May 17, 2024 - May 25, 2024

~~$1800~~ $1586 (USD)

Operator discount: -$215 (USD)