Duration
15 Days
Physical rate
Moderate
Starting city
Lisbon
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.
Reception. Transfer to hotel and free time. You will receive information about the start of the circuit during the afternoon, or you can check the informative panels in the hotel reception area.
IMPORTANT - IF YOU REQUESTED ADDITIONAL NIGHTS on arrival at the hotel you will have your booking made but the guide of your trip will normally not arrive until the start of the included activities. YOUR TIME BEFORE THIS MOMENT IS THEREFORE FREE. At your hotel they can help you with all the information you need.
NB: The schedules you will find in this itinerary are approximate. The guide, depending on the situation and in order to improve the development of the circuit, may adjust the schedules.
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.
08:00 hrs -Lisboa -salida. Bonitos paisajes atravesando el largo puente sobre el Tajo. Llegada al Algarve, la región del sur en Portugal.
12:00 hrs - Lagos - Llegada.Ciudad histórica desde la que salieron los navegantes portugueses en el siglo XVI hacia Brasil y la ruta de la India. Sugerimos un paseo por su puerto y sus murallas. Tiempo para almorzar.
14:30 hrs. - Lagos - salida. Seguimos la costa del Algarve. Paramos en Vila Moura.
15:30 hrs - Vila Moura .- Población balnearia de alto nivel, muy de moda. Un paseo por su puerto deportivo.
16:30 hrs. - Vila Moura.-Salida-.
17:00 hrs - Albufeira - llegada. Hermosa ciudad costera, una de las más populares entre los turistas europeos, puede disfrutar de sus playas. Recomendamos un paseo por su casco histórico dominando el mar y lleno de ambiente. Puede disfrutar también de nuestro hotel vacacional.
Scenery: The Alentejo, region of white villages and medieval castles.
08:45hrs. - Faro- Arrival.-A time for a stroll through the small capital of the Algarve; Its walled historic center seems stopped in time.
09:45hrs - Faro - Departure.- We continue our route towards the Alentejo.
11:15hrs - Mértola. -Arrival. On the bank of Guadiana river, an old Muslim town whose church was formerly a mosque; we will enjoy the sight of its walls and white streets
12:15hrs. - Mértola - Departure. Great plains of cereals; Meadows.
14:15hrs. - Evora. Time for lunch and to know the historic city that was declared a World Heritage Site due to its white streets, its Renaissance palaces and its cathedral. The ticket to the spectacular Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones) is included. This chapel was built with 5,000 skeletons! You may also relax at the hotel’s swimming pool.
Free afternoon.
Landscapes: Pleasant landscapes, white villages, castles, agricultural land.
08:30 hrs. - Evora - departure.
10:15 hrs- Marvao - very picturesque small town surrounded by walls that offers a fantastic panoramic view of the region.
11:15hrs- Marvao. Departure.
11:45 hrs- Castelo de Vide- Time to enjoy in this Alentejo village with its castle and old Jewish quarter. We will have a chance to visit the old synagogue (a museum today) or wander around this town’s maze of quaint streets. Time for lunch.
13:45 hrs- Castelo De Vide, departure.
15:30 hrs- Tomar. -Arrival to this town over which CONVENT OF CHRIST looms, an old castle-convent where Templar Knights lived. Ticket included
16:30hrs- Departure.
17:15hrs - Fatima . We will first go to ALJUSTREL, the village where the three little shepherds were born. We will have a chance to visit Casa de Lucia. Afterwards, visit to SANTUARIO DE FATIMA where you may watch the Procissão das Velas (Candlelight Procession, not celebrated in winter). Dinner included.
Scenery: Nice, green hills.
08:30 hrs. - Fatima - departure.
11:00 hrs - Porto - arrival. Sightseeing tour of this city on the bank of Duero river and its historic centre included. The center of the city has been declared a World Heritage site, We also include a visit to the old cellars. Free time.
Note: From November to April, the visit of Porto can be made in the afternoon.
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.
Countryside: Very beautiful scenery: mountains, views of the sea, little villages scattered along the way.
08:30 hrs Oviedo -departure from the capital of Asturias.
09:45 hrs.-Covadonga. - Time to see the sanctuary pinned between mountains, the place where the Reconquista of Spain began.
10:45 hrs.- Covadonga -departure. The green mountains blend with the sea. Beautiful scenery along the way.
12:30 hrs.- Santillana. -Arrival. Time in this beautiful mediaeval village, its stone streets, its blazoned houses, the Collegiate. Time to have a stroll and for lunch. In the vicinity we will see (tickets included) the Museum of the Caves of Altamira , a reproduction of the fantastic rock paintings preserved here.
16.00 hrs.- Santillana/Altamira-departure.
16:30 hrs.- Santander – Arrival in the regional capital, a maritime city with impressive views between mountains and beaches. We include a panoramic tour of a little over 2 hours with a local guide to discover this elegant coastal city and its beautiful bay. During the tour, we will stroll around the Pereda Gardens, we will climb to the Centro Botín and reached the Cathedral Square. Then, in the bus, we will continue to the Magdalena Peninsular, the Sardinero Beaches, the Grand Casino, Piquío Gardens and climb to the Cabo Mayor Lighthouse for the beautiful views of the city and its spectacular cliffs.
Arrival at a hotel at around 18:45 hrs
NOTE: On some high difficulty dates (especially in summer from May to mid September), some groups can be accommodated in Bilbao.
Countryside: Great sea views, beautiful mountains and green scenery.
09.00 hrs.- Santander -departure. Magnificent scenery. We will travel to the Basque Country.
10:30 hrs.- Bilbao. -Arrival in the Basque Country´s largest city. We will go on a tour of the city with a local guide, visiting places such as : the Guggenheim area, the Old Quarter, the Cathedral, etc. At the end of the tour there will be some free time to sample the famous “pintxos” and have lunch.
14:15 hrs – Bilbao. Departure-. We will then travel to la Rioja, a region famous for its excellent wine.
15:45 hrs - Wine Culture Winery Museum. - Located in the small town of Briones we will visit this fantastic museum/winery where we can discover the rich historic legacy and craft of winemaking, from vine-growing to the manufacture of the wine itself. Visit and a wine tasting included.
17.00 hrs - Wine Museum - Departure -
17:30 hrs - Santo Domingo de la Calzada. This picturesque historic town is situated on the famous "Way of St James". Curiously, a hen lives in the cathedral, which is a tradition born from an ancient legend.
18:30 hrs- Santo Domingo de la Calzada -Departure- We will then travel to Aragon.
21.00 hrs - Zaragoza - Arrival - Accommodation.
Countryside: Semi desert land in Aragon. Pleasant scenery in Catalonia.
After breakfast, we make a tour of Zaragoza with a local guide , lasting around two hours. On our visit, we will see the Pilar Basilica, the Cathedral; we will talk about the painter Goya and see some of his works and will also visit a Roman theatre, Renaissance palace and strolled past the Arab palace of the Aljafería. After this, free time to stroll and have lunch.
14.00 hrs -Zaragoza. - Departure.
16:30 hs - Monastery of Poblet. - Entrance included to this monastery surrounded by its walls, in a very beautiful site. This is one of the best preserved mediaeval monasteries in the world.
17:30 hrs -Monastery of Poblet. - Departure. - We cross rich agricultural regions of central Catalonia. We go to the beautiful area where the Benedictine Abbey stands. We climb to the summit in a small rack train to admire the fantastic views.
18:45 hrs -Monastery of Montserrat. - Arrival. - Time to admire the views and visit the sanctuary where we find the Virgin of Montserrat, patron saint of Catalonia (entrance not included).
19:45 hrs -Montserrat. - Departure (by road).
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. From November to March, due to the shorter duration of the days, we will neither be ascending nor stopping in Montserrat.
09:00h.- Tour of the city with a local guide (note: if the group has fewer than fifteen people, explanations can be given by our guide) who will tell us about this exciting city on the shores of the Mediterranean. We will visit the city’s historic central area with its Gothic neighborhood dating back to the Middle Ages. We will visit the area where the Olympic Games took place. It will be possible to see and photograph La Sagrada Familia basilica; the masterpiece designed by the architect Gaudí.
Subsequently, we include the entry ticket to “Poble Espanyol” ( meaning, Spanish Village), an open-air museum that combines the art, traditions, architecture, arts and crafts and folklore of each of the Spanish regions. Time for lunch. Free afternoon.
18:30h.- In the evening, we include transportation and will 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.
Scenery: We follow the Mediterranean coast. Landscapes on the sea.
08:00 hrs -Barcelona -Departure. We travel to the Valencian Community.
10:45 hrs -Peñíscola. - Arrival. Dominating the sea with its powerful walls, its historic center with steep streets, white houses and medieval castle. History tells us about popes and pirates. Peñíscola is one of the most beautiful villages of the Spanish Mediterranean. Time to walk.
12:30 hrs -Peñíscola.- Departure.
14:30 hrs -Valencia.- Arrival. Free time in the center for lunch. Why not trying an authentic Paella Valenciana?. We suggest visiting the Lonja and the Cathedral.
16:30 hrs -Valencia.- Departure. After passing through the avant-garde city of Arts and Sciences, we continue through Castilla-La Mancha to Madrid.
21:00 hrs -Madrid.- Transfer to the Plaza Mayor - There may be small variations in the departure time according to the hotel where you stay. Our guide will accompany you to the area so that you know where the main inns are located.
Note: Some times, the transfer to the Plaza Mayor can be given the next day after the city tour.
Note: If the number of travellers from Valencia to Madrid is very small, the trip may be done by train or regular transport.
Note: Remember that check-out time is usually at 10.00 hrs. In most cases, you can leave your luggage at the hotel reception at check-out time so you can enjoy the city and pick it up at the time you require that same day. If you need more time to use your room, please consider booking an additional night at the end of your tour.