Best Of Spain & Portugal (Classic, Summer, End Barcelona, 15

Guide

From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination. Obidos: Lead by your Travel Director, walk through the picturesque narrow streets up to the main square of this ancient walled town.

Meals

5 Dinner with Wine (DW) 14 Breakfast (B) 2 Lunch with Wine (LW) Madrid: Join your Travel Director at 18:00 for a Welcome Dinner in a local restaurant and get to know your fellow travellers over a beautiful evening of delicious food and wine. Porto: Sample a selection of famous Port wines at a tasting at the Vila Nova de Gaia wine stores. Lisbon: Delight in a taste of the famous Portuguese delicacy, Pastéis de Belém. Torremolinos: Taste a selection of freshly pressed olive oils with locally made farmer bread when you stop at Almazara, the oldest olive grove in the region. Alfarnatejo: Hear stories of local life as you join a local family for a freshly prepared traditional lunch with wine. Valencia: Learn the authentic recipe of paella when you join a local chef for a Cooking Demonstration. Savour the flavours of this classic dish for dinner, washed down with a glass of Sangria, during your Highlight Dinner. Join a wine expert when you visit Cava Dorada. Enjoy a tasting at the great Cava vineyards during your delicious Highlight Lunch. Barcelona: At a typical Catalan restaurant, savour 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Madrid: See the highlights of the city with your Local Expert. Visit the Old Town, travelling 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. Segovia: Walk the medieval streets of this fortified city with your Local Expert and see the 14th century Alcazar Palace. Avila: Walk within the ancient walls of this unique town. Salamanca: See the handsome arcaded Plaza Mayor, the honey-coloured cathedral and the 16th century university buildings as you explore the city with your Local Expert. Porto: See the iconic bridges and buildings decorated in tiles. 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. 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. 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. Gibraltar: With your Local Expert, explore the Rock of Gibraltar, one of the pillars of Hercules, affording magnificent views and see the meeting of the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and the Spanish Sierra. Visit St. Michael's Cave and see the Barbary Apes. Mijas: Journey to this white-washed village and stroll the streets to admire the coastal views. Alfarnatejo: Visit the beautiful, quiet town and walk the town centre to see the 18th century Iglesia del Santo Cristo de Cabrilla. Granada: Explore 'The City of the Pomegranate' with a Local Expert. During sightseeing you'll see the icons dedicated to this fruit throughout the city. Valencia: See the ultra-modern Centre of Arts and Sciences and the huge gates of the old town, Torres de Serranos and Torres de Quart. Peñíscola: See the castle featured in the film 'El Cid'. 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 mesmerising 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

Salamanca: The centrally located Hotel Alameda Palace is close to a range of restaurants and shops and only a short walk to the Plaza Mayor. The spacious rooms all have marble bathrooms and antique-style furniture. Lisbon: Dom Pedro Palace is located across the street from one of the largest Lisbon shopping centres: the Amoreiras Shopping Centre with 250 high-quality shops, cinemas and restaurants. On the top of the hotel there is the most exclusive Lisbon Penthouse Suite with a 360º degree view overlooking the city. This deluxe hotel offers elegant guest accommodation with great city views and a fantastic spa. Granada: The 4-star Vincci Albayzín is located in the centre of Granada and is typically Andalusian in style. It boasts a magnificent enclosed patio that bathes its rooms in natural light. Valencia: The Barceló Valencia hotel is situated right in the centre of the City of Arts and Sciences opposite the Queen Sofia Palace of Arts, a building which was designed by the renowned architect Santiago Calatrava and is situated in one of the most modern and attractive areas of the city of Valencia.

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 not included

Flights

International flights are not included

Optional

Other activities and services not included

Insurance

Insurance is not included