Grand Spain & Portugal (Small Groups, End Madrid, 18 Days)

Guide

From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination. Évora: With your Travel Director explore the ancient city of Évora and visit the fascinating Capela dos Ossos, meaning the Chapel of Bones, a chapel decorated with human remains. Bilbao: See the spectacular modern Guggenheim Museum designed by Frank Gehry and sites of this Basque region gem during your orientation with your Travel Director.

Meals

5 Dinner with Wine (DW) 17 Breakfast (B) 1 Lunch with Wine (LW) Madrid: Join your Travel Director at 18:30 for a Welcome Dinner in a local restaurant and get to know your fellow travelers over a beautiful evening of delicious food and wine. Lisbon: Delight in a taste of the famous Portuguese delicacy, Pastéis de Belém. Madrid: Honest culinary traditions and a fiesta of fresh ingredients are the hallmarks of your Spanish Highlight Dinner. The perfect accompaniment to good conversation and a chilled glass of beer or wine. Rueda: Some of Spain's finest wines hail from the Rueda region. During your tasting, learn about the Verdejo grape and what to look for in a fresh white. Gijon: Meet Flor, a local of Gijón, for a delicious meal of locally sourced produce that she has prepared just for you. Barcelona: At a typical Catalan restaurant, savor a delicious Celebration Dinner that incorporates classic cooking with the freshest produce.

Others

Choose between two carefully selected activities Seville: Stroll through Barrio de Santa Cruz with your Local Expert to hear how the Jewish community has shaped the history of Seville. Seville: Explore Seville's top sights on a panoramic city tour with your Local Expert. Santiago de Compostela: Join a city tour with a Local Expert and visit Praza do Obradoiro to admire the cathedral facade festooned with architectural frills. Santiago de Compostela: Embark on a scenic walk on part of the Way of St. James with a Local Expert, through parks and gardens that transform with the seasons. Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary. Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels. We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door. Toledo: At a Damascene workshop, meet a master artisan for a personal insight into this ancient craft. Witness firsthand their precision as they inlay gold and silver into iron, using a chisel and a hammer. Granada: Visit the famous Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens. While others wait in line, you'll be exploring accompanied by a Local Expert, keen to share insights into this Moorish landmark. Madrid: Witness the world's finest collection of Spanish paintings, plus an impressive international collection, as you tour the Prado Museum with an art historian. Seville: The Cristina Heeren Foundation aims to promote the teaching and conservation of flamenco and is a beneficiary of a TreadRight Foundation grant. Meet the students of the foundation, learn some basic flamenco steps, and then feel the passion as they perform an emotional show. The school enables students access to cultural education that otherwise may not have occurred. TreadRights sponsorship has helped students to complete their studies in advanced guitar, singing and dance. As students complete their training, they will carry on and safeguard the traditional flamenco dance, contributing to the protection of Andalusia and Spain’s cultural heritage. The Cristina Heeren Foundation advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education and UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. San Sebastián: Uncover the important maritime cultural heritage of the Basque country on a neighborhood walking tour in the old harbor area. Toledo: Explore this magnificent ancient city with your Local Expert and visit the Church of Santo Tomé to see an El Greco masterpiece. Seville: Visit the Seville Cathedral with your Local Expert. Pass the altarpiece dripping with gold and see the Tomb of Columbus, held aloft by four kings. Lisbon: Explore with your Local Expert, from the Lower Town, beneath the hilltop Bairro Alto to the Terreiro do Paco. Visit the Belém Quarter to see the modern Monument to the Discoveries and the medieval Belém Tower. Lisbon: Visit Jerónimos Monastery with its beautiful Manueline architecture, reflecting Portugal's trade over the centuries and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fátima: Join the faithful at one of the world's holiest sites and pay homage at the Chapel of the Apparitions or see the basilica. Salamanca: See the golden stone buildings and handsome arcades of Plaza Mayor for which this city is famous for. Avila: Walk within the ancient walls of this unique town. Madrid: See the highlights of the city with your Local Expert. Visit the Old Town, traveling along the elegant Paseo de la Castellana, past the fountain in the Plaza de Cibeles, the Cervantes Monument and Royal Palace, before crossing the Puerta del Sol. Oviedo: Led by your Local Expert, see 1,000-year-old wall paintings in some of Europe's oldest churches. Admire the incredible altarpiece, one of the finest in Europe, when you visit the Cathedral of the Holy Savior. Picos de Europa: Visit the holy cave of Covadonga and see the tomb of Pelayo who is celebrated for winning the Battle of Covadonga against the Muslim Moors in 722 and later became the first King of Asturias. Picos de Europa: Venture into this magnificent national park to admire the stunning picturesque scenery and rocky trails. Santillana del Mar: Step back in time when you visit this perfectly preserved and 'most beautiful village in Spain.' Getaria: See the rock known as El Ratón or the mouse. Pamplona: Spend free time exploring this city, known for its annual Running with the Bulls festival. Barcelona: With your Local Expert, drive down Las Ramblas and the elegant Passeig de Gràcia to witness some of the finest Modernist architecture. Journey through the Eixample district to see Gaudi's extraordinary masterpiece, the mesmerizing Sagrada Família. Barcelona: Venture inside Gaudi's extraordinary masterpiece, the Sagrada Família and marvel at the contrasts of architecture. Above see its giant, tree-like pillars and spectacular vaulting. Admire the wonderful rainbow of the incredible stained-glass windows. Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

Transport

Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available). If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport. Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.

Accommodation

17 nights in twin-share rooms at hand-picked hotels

Hygieneprotocol

All guests travelling with Insight Vacations through December 31, 2022 are required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, which may include a booster shot to keep the vaccination status current and valid, depending on the travel destination. Children not eligible for vaccination and/or booster at the time of travel must provide a verifiable and negative Covid-19 test result, taken within 72 hours prior to the start of the tour (taking time zones into consideration) for all tours departing until December 31, 2022. While highly recommended, COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are no longer required for guests traveling with us from January 1, 2023 onward. It is your client’s responsibly to comply with specific vaccine and/or booster requirements imposed by airlines and/or authorities in the destinations visited, as well as requirements for accessing restaurants and venues, which may be more restrictive than the above. No refunds will be given if they are unable to undertake some or all of their vacation due to failure to comply with these requirements.

Others

Other activities and services are not included

Flights

International flights are not included

Optional

Other activities and services are not included

Insurance

Insurance is not included