Infuse your journey across the Iberian Peninsula with a hint of excitement as you follow an alluring path of tapas, architectural marvels, and centuries-old art during this 13-day adventure through Spain and Portugal.
Includes
13 Day Costsaver Guided Holiday
12 nights in cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
12 Breakfasts & 4 dinners
Transport by luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries
An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
Audio Headsets provided throughout your holiday to enhance your included sightseeing experiences
City orientation tours
All hotel service charges and tips, baggage handling fees and local taxes
Variety of Optional Experiences
Included sightseeing
Sightseeing with your Local Specialist in Barcelona, Madrid, Seville Lisbon
Visit the celebrated Shrine in Fatima & visit Gibraltar and much more!
Excludes
Flights
Arrival/ departure transfers
Visas
Travel Insurance
Spending money and items of a personal nature
Extras
On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilised
Choice of Optional Experiences available at an additional cost
Highlights
12 Nights in cherry-picked hotels
16 Meals
City orientation tours
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Barcelona
Bienvenido a España! The golden shores of Barcelona kickstart your exhilarating visit to Spain and Portugal. Check in to your hotel, then take some time to recharge siesta-style before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a glimpse of what lies ahead. There's boundless energy to Barcelona and you'll want to soak it all up on your first evening in the capital of Catalonia.
Accommodation: Hotel Campanile Barcelona South Cornella
Included Meals: Dinner
Day 2: Barcelona sightseeing & free time
Gear up for an exciting morning of sightseeing in Barcelona, joining your Local Specialist who knows all the best spots in town. Capture the sights and sounds of La Rambla, Plaça de Catalunya and the ornate La Sagrada Família as you tour the city, ascending to Montjuïc for sublime views. Spend the rest of your day exploring on your own. Head to the Gothic Quarter or seek out the fanciful façades of Spanish Art Nouveau architect Antoni Gaudí, whose plentiful works of art and architecture lend a fairy-tale feel to Barcelona's skyline. You may consider joining an Optional Experience to Montserrat with its hidden monastery, home to the revered La Moreneta. Grab your front-row seat, on an Optional Experience, to watch the famous Dancing Fountains followed by a delightful Catalonian feast with drinks.
Accommodation: Hotel Campanile Barcelona South Cornella
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 3: Barcelona – Peñiscola – Valencia
Today we'll skirt along the Costa Daurada, a gleaming strip of the Mediterranean coastline, travelling past expansive orange groves to Peñíscola. You'll see its imposing 13th-century Templar Castle, famed as the dramatic backdrop for the Hollywood classic El Cid. Then continue to Valencia, catching a glimpse of the iconic highlights of this bustling modern metropolis on your orientation tour with your Travel Director. View the Art Nouveau, Train Station Estación del Norte, the Towers of Serrano and Quart. Next, leave the present behind and admire the futuristic ‘City of Arts and Sciences', a cultural complex built into the Turia riverbed.
Accommodation: NH Valencia Las Ciencias
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 4: Valencia – Guadix – Granada
Today we journey to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada where you'll find a hidden underground world of cave houses. The trogloditas of Guadix live in these ancient man-made dwellings, skilfully carved centuries ago. The only clue to their existence is the white chimneys that rise up from the hills and front doors etched into the rockface. You'll have the chance to capture this curiosity on camera then continue your scenic travels across the Mora Pass to Granada, the last stronghold of the Moors in Spain.
Accommodation: Hotel Maciá Condor Granada
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5: Granada – Costa del sol
Embrace the laid-back spirit of your Spanish hosts and enjoy a slow start to the day on your Mediterranean tour. Spend your free morning exploring Granada and its Moorish influences on your own. There's even time for a quick tea break at a traditional tetería or you may choose to join an Optional Experience to the Albaicín Quarter, one of the oldest centres of Islamic culture in the city. Later, we head to the golden beaches of the Costa del Sol. Set your watch to siesta time or don your sandals and sunglasses for a leisurely stroll to soak up the fresh sea air. Consider joining an Optional Experience this evening to the hilltop village of Mijas offering stunning views of the coast followed by a delicious Mediterranean meal.
Accommodation: Hotel Málaga Alameda Centro by Meliá
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 6: Costa del sol – Gibraltar – Seville (2 nights)
Explore a slice of Britain when you cross the border into Gibraltar, the much-contested gateway to the Mediterranean Sea. Maybe join an Optional Experience to get up close to the Barbary apes and visit the cave of St. Michael at the Rock of Gibraltar, the Roman and Greeks' former pillar of the “known world”. Next, we return to Spain, travelling north through the Andalusian countryside to sizzling Seville. After dinner at your hotel tonight, you might consider an Optional Experience to see the whirling skirts and fiery passion of a flamenco show. This foot-tapping extravaganza is not to be missed.
Accommodation: Hotel M.A. Sevilla Congresos Seville
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7: Seville sightseeing and free time
A Local Specialist is on hand today to reveal Seville's special allure and, standing amidst the pavilions and fountains of Maria Luisa Park, you'll hear all about the elaborate Ibero-American Exposition of 1929 which put this sleepy Spanish city on the global map. See the world's largest Gothic Cathedral and its Giralda Bell Tower, then consider joining an Optional Experience to the Alcázar, built by a Christian king who loved Mudéjar architecture. This lavish palace complex has witnessed key moments in Spanish history and welcomed great Spanish kings and queens over the centuries. Spend some time this afternoon exploring the city's Old Quarter your way and celebrate the sunset in Seville in style, sampling the traditional tapas on an optional evening in Old Seville.
Accommodation: Hotel M.A. Sevilla Congresos Seville
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 8: Seville – Lisbon (2 nights)
The highlights of your Spain and Portugal value tour just keep on rolling and for now it's adiós Sevilla and a warm olá to Portugal, as we journey through the golden and green plains of the Alentejo to Lisbon. Pastel and azulejo-clad façades line the Portuguese capital's narrow streets which ramble across and over its seven hills from St. George Castle to the Tagus River. You'll be drawn to the city's vibrant nightlife in the Bairro Alto and beyond, so head out with new friends for a night on the town or join your Travel Director for a poignant Optional Experience including a traditional meal accompanied by the authentic sounds of fado.
Accommodation: Ramada by Wyndham Lisbon
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 9: Lisbon sightseeing and free time
Visit the banks of the Tagus River this morning, joining a Local Specialist for a guided sightseeing tour that will take you past the iconic Hieronymite Monastery and Belém Tower, built in the 16th century to defend the city. Later, you'll want to hop on one of the city's signature trams to explore the city's hilly bairros or find a corner café to sample some of the local pastries – pasteis de nata anyone? You could choose to leave the city limits behind this afternoon and visit the beach playgrounds of Estoril and Cascais, as well as Sintra, on an Optional Experience of the iconic Golden Triangle – the choice is yours.
Accommodation: Ramada by Wyndham Lisbon
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 10: Lisbon – Fatima – Salamanca
Rub shoulders with visiting travellers who have made the journey to the Catholic pilgrimage centre of Fátima. It was here in 1917 that the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to three shepherd children. Today this humble village has been transformed into a place celebrating a religious miracle. There's time to explore the Basilica and Sanctuary before venturing east and crossing the Spanish border bound for Salamanca where your Travel Director will take you to Spain’s most beautiful Plaza Mayor with its golden baroque facades. Spend the evening your way amidst the historic monuments and honey-hued façades for which this ancient university town is famous.
Accommodation: Hotel Bardo Recoletos Coco Salamanca
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 11: Salamanca – Madrid (2 nights)
We leave Salamanca behind, with Madrid firmly in our sights. Our scenic drive takes us through the Sierra de Guadarrama Mountains before arriving in the Spanish capital. With a Local Specialist at your side, you'll embark on a sightseeing tour to view the Cibeles Fountain, Gran Vía and Paseo de la Castellana. Admire views of the Royal Palace and Retiro Park, originally created as a retreat for the Royal Family. The evening is yours to discover why the Madrileños adore their nightlife, so resist the urge to set an early curfew and perhaps join an optional dinner and discovery in downtown Madrid.
Accommodation: Hotel Praga Madrid
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 12: Madrid free day
There's every excuse to rise with the Madrileños and enjoy a leisurely start to your morning. You'll have a full free day to explore the city your way and discover the legacy of 'Madrid's Best Mayor', which installed Madrid as one of the most gracious capitals across Europe. King Charles III's desire to 'beautify' Madrid can be seen around every turn. Alternatively, you could take an opportunity to join an Optional Experience to the medieval city of Toledo, the country's famous sword-making centre. This evening, you'll celebrate with your fellow travellers as your enchanting journey through the Iberian Peninsula comes to a close.
Accommodation: Hotel Praga Madrid
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 13: Depart Madrid
Keep that Spanish gusto in your step as you prepare to close the curtain on your epic Mediterranean journey through Spain and Portugal. It's time to say a final hasta la vista to your fellow travellers and your Travel Director. Find out more about your available transfers at costsavertour.com/transfers.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Terms & conditions
Prices are per person twin share, include discounts, and are subject to availability and rate of exchange changes. Offers above are a guide only and will vary depending on departure date, our guide price is based on the cheapest departure within the stipulated season and availability is correct at time of loading. Visas may be necessary and insurance is essential. Pentravel and Tour Operator terms and conditions apply, and may be found on our website. Subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. High season supplements and block out dates may apply, pricing varies pending departure date. Package excludes flights. You can do optional free-time add-on experiences in your free time and pay for them as you travel (additional costs apply). Tour operator reserves the right to withdraw promotional offers and adjust savings anytime. Full payment due 120 days prior to departure or at time of booking if booked within 120 days of departure; whichever comes first. R3000 per person deposit required at time of booking for Level 1 tours to hold space; some trips require payment in full at time of booking. Savings are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. At time of loading this may not be a definite departure, please contact a travel consultant for more info. 2024 Travel Sale, book by 30 May 2024. Other conditions may apply. These packages are based on CASH price. E&OE;.
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