Duration
14 Days
Physical rate
Moderate
Starting city
Madrid
Available
April 2023 / March 2024
Detailed day by day description
Introduction
Dear Traveler: thank you for choosing us to perform this Tour! We hope you enjoy your trip.
Here we give you a guidance on their tour with the information that we believe may be of your interest. The information is indicative, may exist variations on designated hours.
TRANSFER from the airport, if you have it included or purchasing. Our transfer will be waiting for you with a poster on behalf of Europamundo or its name to the output of the custom (after collecting your luggage)..
Remember to inform us by phone if you lost your connection flight or expected delay of their arrival, in your VOUCHER figure the phone of the transfer.
IMPORTANT: If you had additional nights upon arrival the hotel will have your reservation, but his travel guide normally will not be until the night before the start of the tour.
Scenery : different landscapes on the Spanish plateau and fertile areas in Catalonia.
07:30h Madrid – Departure.
12:30h Zaragoza – Arrival at this city, which stands on the banks of the river Ebro. The guide will join the group to Basilica del Pilar . Free time to visit this impressive sanctuary and have lunch in the city centre.
14:00 hrs. -Zaragoza.- Departure on our way to Catalunia.
16:30 hrs. – Monastery of Poblet. Surrounded by walls in a beautiful setting, this is one of the best preserved medieval monasteries in the world (entrance included) .
17:30 hrs. – Monastery of Poblet.- Departure.- We cross rich agricultural regions of central Catalonia. We go to the beautiful scenery where the Benedictine abbey is located. We climb to the summit in small rack train to admire the fantastic landscapes
18:45 hrs. -Monasterio de Montserrat. - Arrival.- Time to admire the views and visit the sanctuary where the Virgin of Montserrat, patron saint of Catalonia, is located (entrance not included).
19:45 hrs. -Montserrat.- road exit.
20:45 hrs. - Barcelona. - Arrival.
Note: In some cases, depending on the timetable of the rack railway, the ascent to Montserrat can be done in our coach.
Note: From November to March, due to the shorter duration of the days, we will neither be ascending nor stopping in Montserrat.
09:00 hrs.- We include a morning tour of the city. This visit includes monument to Columbus, Plaza de Catalunya, Paseo de Gracia, Diagonal, Gaudi´s masterchief Sagrada Familia Montjuich with Olympic facilities, Plaza de España. The visit finish in the area of Ramblas so that you can enjoy in the historical center-Gothic quarter.
Free afternoon.
In the evening we include a transfer to attend the show of THE MAGIC FOUNTAIN of Montjuïch , with its combination of lights, colors, water and music. You will have time to dine in this area.
Note: in case of having the transfer to the Magic Fountain a day that for maintenance or any other reason the show is not performed, the night transfer will be given to the Maremagnum, avant-garde leisure center with restaurants by the sea and to the Plaza Colón.
Highlights: Visit Peniscola, sightseeing of Valencia. Evening transfer.
Scenery: Picturesque towns on the Mediterranean coast.
08:00h Barcelona – Departure for the Region of Valencia.
10:45h Peñiscola – Our guide will tell you about this tiny walled city on the sea shore, which has an interesting history. We will visit the fishing harbour, the castle and the beach and spend some free time.
12:30h Peñiscola – Departure for Valencia.
14:30 h Valencia – Arrival and time for lunch. In the afternoon, with a local guide we will include a visit to the third largest Spanish city that mixes the modern with the historical. We will know its historic center, the fish market, the cathedral and also the avant-garde City of Arts and Sciences, the most important modern tourist site in the city.
18:00h- Evening transfer to the Bullring area. In this area you will have time to dine in line with your preferences (Spanish, Indian, International, etc) . Return to hotel about 21.00 hrs.
Scenery: Presence of the sea. Fertile orchards and semi -deserts. Mountains in Andalucia.
08.30 hrs- Valencia – We set out for the Region of Alicante.
10.45 hrs- Alicante - Time to stroll in this active and very pleasant city by the sea.
14.00 hrs- Alicante departure- After lunch we go on our way to the Murcia region.
16.00 hrs- Caravaca – Free time to visit this small town, considered a Holy City by the Roman Catholic Church. Its church holds a relic of Christ’s Cross. We include a ride up to the historic area on the tourist train .
17.00 hrs- Caravaca – We leave the city and pass through beautiful Andalusian scenery.
20.30 hrs Granada – Arrival at the end of the day.
We will have a full day in GRANADA . In the afternoon we will visit with a local guide the immense Alhambra Palace and its beautiful Generalife gardens, built in Arab times.
19.00 hrs.-In the evening we will visit the Albaicín district of Granada, a World Heritage site as is the Alhambra, where you can have dinner in the narrow winding streets of this captivating Medieval Moorish quarter. At night, you will have the option to attend a flamenco dance show in the traditional neighbourhood of Sacromonte.
IMPORTANT NOTE: To enter the Alhambra, it is mandatory to present the passport as ID.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The maximum number of people allowed to visit the Alhambra is limited by the local government. Even if you buy the trip with the ticket included we cannot guarantee entrance to the Alhambra. In such event, we would offer entry to the Reales Alcázares in Seville, which is similar.
Scenery: Mediterranean and mountain scenery.
08:00h Granada – We set out for the Costa del Sol.
10.00 hrs- Málaga - Arrival and time for a stroll in the historic centre with its cathedral and the Picasso Museum.
11:30h.- We will leave Malaga and continue along the coastal motorway with beautiful views of the Mediterranean.
12.30 hrs. - Arrival at Puerto Banus, in Marbella , a pretty high level recreational port. Time to stroll on the marina, with its cosmopolitan, luxurious atmosphere.
15.00h Marbella – We leave for the mountains, which was once overrun by bandolliers.
16.30 h Ronda – Arrival at the “White City”, located in a magnificent natural setting with its large gorge that divides it in two. Time to explore.
18:00h Ronda – Continuation to Seville.
20:00h Seville – Arrival at the end of the afternoon.
After breakfast, a local expert guides you through a scenic visit of Sevilla (if the English-speaking group is fewer than fifteen people, the tour can be conducted in both English and Spanish). Lasting one hour and a half featuring the Cathedral and the Giralda, Plaza de España, the beautiful banks of the river Guadalquivir, the Golden Tower, the districts of Santa Cruz and Triana, the Maestranza Bullring, and Cartuja Island. After the tour, we will include a boat trip along the river Guadalquivir , enjoying the panoramic views from the boat. Enjoy leisure time straight afterwards or the tours to the Cathedral or the Flamenco Show that will be offered as optionals by your guide.
At the end of the afternoon, we will go to the historic city centre area ( calle Alfonso XII) where many different restaurants can be found. You can choose your favorite cuisine: Indian, Halal, Chinese, Spanish, International and so on. Return to the hotel.
HIGHLIGHTS: a beautiful scenery where we will visit walled villages. Evora Chapel of bones.
Scenery: Attractive landscapes of white-painted villages, mountain ranges and castles.
Note: In Portugal we must set our watches back one hour.
08.15 hrs.- We will leave Seville and journey toward western Andalusia. Eye-pleasing landscapes will greet us en route amidst the hills and olive groves as we enter Extremadura.
11.00 hrs.- JEREZ DE LOS CABALLEROS , we will make a stop in this town that once belonged to the Knights Templar and where Vasco Nuñez de Balboa was born.
13.00 hrs- Jerez de los Caballeros. We will continue our trip and enter Portugal.
13.30 (14.30 hrs in Spain) - MONSARAZ , one of the most picturesque villages in Portugal with fortified walls, a castle, great views and white-painted streets brimming with flowerpots. Time to have lunch.
15.00 hrs.- Monsaraz- Departure.
16.00 hrs.- EVORA, a city declared a World Heritage Site thanks to its white-painted streets, Renaissance palaces and cathedral. We will also visit the impressive Chapel of Bones (admission included), which was built using the bones from over 5000 skeletons!
18.00 hrs- Evora- Departure.
20.00 hrs.- LISBON - We will arrive toward the end of the day.
09:00h. - Start of our tour with a local guide . We visit traditional neighborhoods, which take in the Belem district, which is the birthplace of the great Portuguese navigators who sailed the oceans in the fifteen century. We shall look round the Monument to the Discoveries, Belem Tower and to the beautiful Jeronimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The afternoon is free so that you can explore this great city independently.
18:00h.- At the end of the afternoon, we include transportation to Restauradores Square , full of atmosphere with its bars and cafes from where you can take the "Elevador da Gloria" (not included) that brings you to the Upper district and its viewpoint of San Pedro with beautiful views over Lisbon and the Bairro Alto.
Return to hotel.
Countryside: Pleasant green scenery, hills, historic cities.
07:30 hrs - Lisbon - Departure.
09:15 hrs - Fatima -Arrival. Time to visit the Sanctuary.
11.00 hrs - Fatima - Departure.
13:30 hrs - Oporto. - Arrival. Time for lunch. In the afternoon, we will make a tour of the city of approximately two hours with a local guide: the river Duero, its historic centre declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Iron Bridge. At the end of the tour, we will also visit one of its centenary wineries where the famous "Vino de Oporto” is made. Free time.
Countryside: Beautiful green countryside and views over the Rías Bajas.
NB: Remember that we will be taking a boat trip. Have you got warm clothing for the crossing?
08.00hrs.- Oporto -departure.
09.00 hrs. - in the city of Braga is the sanctuary of Bom Jesus ; we include a trip on the oldest funicular in the world... Moved only with water, after a visit to the sanctuary, we suggest walking down the beautiful staircase admiring the views and the sanctuary gardens.
10:15 hrs Bom Jesus -departure. We go into to Galicia, with views over the Galician estuaries. We will see the Ría de Arosa.
13.00 hrs (12.00 hrs in Portugal) - Cambados - Arrival. A historic maritime town. We include a glass bottomed boat trip along the Ría de Arosa estuary. We will be told how mussels are grown. On the boat, we include wine tasting and mussels. Time afterwards to stroll in Cambados and have lunch.
16.00 hrs -Cambados. - Departure.
16.45 hrs -Santiago de Compostela. - Arrival. We include a panoramic tour of the city with a local guide. They will tell us how St James brought pilgrims over the centuries, we will stroll through the mediaeval streets in the centre and admire the cathedral.
NB: On some dates (particularly on the festivity of Santiago, or St James) our groups may be accommodated in a town near Santiago.
Countryside: Attractive green scenery, villages. Way of St. James. Spectacular mountain scenery crossing the Cordillera Cantábrica mountain range.
08.00 hrs. - Santiago -departure. Following the ancient way of St James amidst picturesque scenery, we travel to Lugo.
09:30 hrs.- Lugo - Free time, you can stroll around its walls built more than 2000 years ago by the Romans, declared UNESCO World Heritage.
11.00 hrs.- Lugo -departure. We travel to Castile, and on our way we make a stop at O Cebreiro, a small Galician stone village that shows us this region’s traditional way of life.
14:15 hrs. -Leon . - Time for lunch and stroll in this historic Leonese capital which stands on the Way of St James. Its Gothic cathedral stands out with magnificent stained glass windows.
16:45 hrs -Leon. - Departure.
18:30 hrs -Oviedo - Arrival. We include (sometimes on the following morning) a one and a half hour tour of the city with a local guide. We will see the ninth century cathedral, the Calatrava Palace, the Campoamor Theatre, and the Calle de la Rua. Night in the capital of the Principality of Asturias. A city with a great atmosphere.
Scenery: Very beautiful landscapes: mountains, views of the sea, small villages line the road.
08:30 hrs Oviedo-Departure of the Asturian capital.
09:45 hrs Covadonga. - We will visit Basílica which is surrounded by beautiful scenery.
10:45 hrs Covadonga -Departure. The green mountains blend with the sea. Beautiful scenery on the way.
12:30 hrs Santillana. -Arrival to one of Spain’s most beautiful towns. We will visit its well-preserved medieval quarter with its embalzoned houses, the Collegiate church, its cobbled streets. Time to walk and have lunch.. We visit the National Museum and Research Centre of ALTAMIRA (ticket included) located in the vicinity of this town where we can find reproduction of the fantastic rupestrian paintings of the cave.
16:00 hrs Santillana / Altamira-Departure.
16:30 hrs Santander - Arrival to the region’s capital city, a coastal city with amazing vistas and beaches. We will foloow the coast of the port to arrive to the beaches of Sardinero. We include a tourist train tour of the Magdalena Palace gardens , where we will enjoy their magnificent vistas.
Free time in Santander.
NOTE: On some high difficulty dates (especially in summer from July to mid September), some groups can be accommodated in Bilbao.
Countryside: Great views over the sea, mountains and green scenery before entering in the Castilian Plateau.
09.00 hrs.- Santander -departure. Magnificent scenery. Travel to the Basque Country.
10:30 hrs.- Bilbao. -Arrival, we are in the largest city of the Basque Country. On arrival, we include a funicular ride up to the Artxanda viewpoint for a great view of the whole city. After this, with a local guide, we will make a short tour of the city: the Guggenheim area, Old Quarter, Cathedral, etc. at the end of the tour there will also be time to try one of the famous “pintxos” and have lunch.
14:15 hrs – Bilbao. Departure- . We travel to Castile.
20.30 hrs.- Madrid- Arrival.
NB: If the number of travellers from Bilbao to Madrid is very small, the trip may be done by train or regular transport.
End of our services. Please, check the time of your flight in case you might need an additional night.
Important note: In case you have to book an external service (plane/train...) on the day of the end of
your tour with activities included, please remember that the schedules of the detailed itineraries are the "planned" ones but may be affected by different circumstances (traffic density, customer delays, breakdowns...). Do not book a flight/train with a tight schedule without taking this into account.
Always leave a margin in the schedule for unforeseen events.