Easy Pace Spain & Portugal

This is a relaxed, leisurely paced tour with three-night stays in the major cities of Lisbon, Seville, Madrid and Barcelona. This allows you to get acquainted with each destination on included city sightseeing tours, which leaves time to revisit any places of interest on your own.

This tour appeals to both the first-time traveller who wishes to discover Iberia at a relaxed pace, and also to the experienced traveller who wishes to return to the major cities with time to explore in depth and to have the chance to relax as well.

Highlights are many: the peaceful cloisters of Lisbon’s Jeronimos Monastery; the fiery Flamenco evening in Seville; the magnificent Mezquita in Cordoba; the works of Goya and Velázquez in the Prado; and the final Catalan celebration dinner in Barcelona.

The four hotels on this tour are all modern and well-equipped, and conveniently located, as you would expect. They range from the Lisbon Marriott with its outdoor swimming pool and pretty gardens, to the Catalonia Barcelona Plaza Hotel, in the Plaza España.

DURATION: 13 DAYS
PRICED FROM: AUD $3075
TOUR CODE: E702

PRICES AND DATES:

ITINERARY:

13 DAYS ~ SPAIN ~ PORTUGAL

DAY 1 – SAT – LISBON AT LEISURE.
Welcome to Portugal! On arrival at Lisbon Airport, your airport shuttle service leaves for the tour hotel at 09:30, 12:30 & 15:30. Take time to relax or explore before joining your fellow travellers for a Welcome Drink.
Hotel: Marriott. (D)

DAY 2 – SUN – LISBON SIGHTSEEING.
A guided tour takes you along the avenues of the Lower Town and across the tree-shaded squares. Pass beneath hilltop Bairro Alto to the Terreiro do Paco, the finest square in the city. Visit Jeronimos Monastery with its superbly ornate cloister. Nearby, see the modern ‘Monument to the Discoveries’ and ancient Belem Tower. The afternoon is at leisure. Why not consider spending the evening enjoying dinner to the haunting sound of ‘Fado’ music? (BB)

DAY 3 – MON – LISBON AT LEISURE.
Today is entirely free for you to explore the Portuguese capital at your own pace. Take the funicular up to the steep alleyways of the Old Town, explore the terraces of the Alfama district or perhaps join an optional tour to Fatima and Obidos. (BB)

DAY 4 – TUE – LISBON – SEVILLE.
Travel over the modern Tagus Bridge and cross the wide Alentejo plateau to the Spanish border. Continue through the green slopes of the Sierra Morena to Seville, the exquisite capital of Andalusia and the setting for the opera Carmen. This evening, enjoy a Highlight Dinner and entertainment featuring a fiery Flamenco show.
Hotel: Melia Lebreros. (BB,HD)

DAY 5 – WED – SEVILLE SIGHTSEEING.
A sightseeing tour introduces the immense 15th century cathedral, burial place of Christopher Columbus, the Alcazar and the slender Giralda Tower. Tour the Santa Cruz Quarter, with its flower-decked wrought iron balconies, before taking time to relax or explore on your own. Consider visiting Maria Luisa park with its archeological museum. (BB)

DAY 6 – THU – SEVILLE AT LEISURE.
The day is reserved for relaxing, shopping or enjoying an optional day trip to the sandy beaches of Portugal’s Algarve region. (BB)

DAY 7 – FRI – SEVILLE – MADRID.
Drive along the Guadalquivir valley to the perfectly preserved Moorish city of Cordoba. See the famous 2000-year-old bridge before a guided visit to the magnificent Mezquita, an 8th century mosque with a Christian church built inside it. Cross the Sierra Morena mountains and the plains of La Mancha to Madrid.Tonight, you and your fellow travellers are offered a choice of restaurants for your dining pleasure.
Hotel: NH Alcala. (BB,DA)

DAY 8 – SAT – MADRID SIGHTSEEING.
A guided tour takes you along the leafy avenues of the city, seeing the Plaza España with its Cervantes Monument, the grandiose Cibeles Fountain and Puerta del Sol. See also the Parliament and Royal Palace before a Highlight visit to the magnificent Prado museum, one of the great art galleries of Europe. This afternoon is yours to enjoy at leisure. (BB)

DAY 9 – SUN – MADRID AT LEISURE.
Explore the city at your own pace. Maybe browse the shops or if you want to continue sightseeing, there is an optional excursion into the Guadarrama Mountains to visit the austere Escorial Palace and the amazing Valley of the Fallen. (BB)

DAY 10 – MON – MADRID – BARCELONA.
Travel through Castille, where the legendary Don Quixote ‘tilted at windmills’ to reach the Ebro River at historic Zaragosa. Enter Catalonia, a land that retains its own distinctive language, culture and traditions. Home for the next three nights is the vibrant Mediterranean port of Barcelona.
Hotel: Catalonia Barcelona Plaza. (BB)

DAY 11 – TUE – BARCELONA SIGHTSEEING.
A local guide introduces you to the Gothic Quarter where, among the narrow streets, you visit the ancient Cathedral. In complete contrast, drive out to the Eixample District to see some of Gaudi’s extraordinary architecture, including the unfinished Sagrada Familia Cathedral. In the afternoon, stroll along the leafy Ramblas with its market stalls and buskers, or take an optional excursion to the ancient Monastery of Montserrat, dedicated to the ‘Black Madonna’. (BB)

DAY 12 – WED – BARCELONA AT LEISURE.
Today is set aside for you to explore this amazing city at your leisure: shop, stroll the streets of the Spanish Village or visit the Bullfighters’ museum. Catalonia is famous for its cuisine so tonight enjoy a Highlight Dinner at a local restuarant. During the evening, enjoy a short informative presentation on the regional wines that compliment your meal. (BB,HD)

DAY 13 – THU – BARCELONA.
Departure transfers arrive at Barcelona Airport at 08:30 & 11:00. (BB)