14-Nights Best of Spain & Portugal - End Madrid, Classic Group from $4,325

Insight Vacations

OFFER ID 1497417

Best Of Spain & Portugal - End Madrid, Classic Group, Winter
See the masterpieces of Spain and Portugal on this 15-day guided tour. In Madrid, an art historian will walk you through the Prado Museum, where Spain's most impressive paintings hang. Navigate Segovia’s medieval streets alongside a Local Expert. Journeying to Granada, visit the region’s oldest olive grove, before dining in the home of a local family, sampling local produce and wine. At the Alhambra, explore the palace's lace-like stone walls and wander its manicured gardens. In Seville, stomp to the sounds of an acoustic guitar during a private flamenco dance lesson. In Porto, sip port during a wine tasting, and in Lisbon, see an architectural masterpiece - the Gothic-style Jerónimos Monastery.


Dining Summary

  • 5 Dinner with Wine (DW)
  • 14 Breakfast (B)
  • 2 Lunch with Wine (LW)
Choice Highlights
  • Choose between two carefully selected activities
  • Seville: Stroll through Barrio de Santa Cruz with a Local Expert and hear how the Jewish community has shaped the city's history.
  • Seville: See the city's top sights on a panoramic tour with your Local Expert.
Additional Included Highlights
  • 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.
  • From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
  • 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.
Authentic Dining
  • Madrid: Join your Travel Director at 18:00 for a Welcome Dinner in a local restaurant and get to know your fellow travelers over a beautiful evening of delicious food and wine.
  • Vila Nova de Gaia: Sample a selection of world renowned Port wines during a tour and tasting in the city's historic wine cellars.
  • Lisbon: Delight in a taste of the famous Portuguese custard tart, Pastéis de Belém, made in a 19th century bakery with the original secret recipe.
  • 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: Join a local family for a Dine-at-Home lunch featuring traditional recipes. Learn about regional customs and culture through your hosts' warm hospitality and lively conversation.
  • Valencia: Learn the authentic recipe of paella when you join a local chef for a Cooking Demonstration. Savor the flavors of this classic dish for dinner, washed down with a glass of Sangria, during dinner.
  • Barcelona: 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, savor a delicious Celebration Dinner that incorporates classic cooking with the freshest produce.
Insight Choice
  • Seville: Stroll through Barrio de Santa Cruz with a Local Expert and hear how the Jewish community has shaped the city's history.
  • Seville: See the city's top sights on a panoramic tour with your Local Expert.
Insight Experiences
  • 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.
Make Travel Matter
  • 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.
Top Rated Highlights
  • 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.
  • Segovia: Visit the medieval streets of this fortified city to see the 14th-century Alcazar Palace and extensive Roman aqueduct.
  • Salamanca: See the handsome arcaded Plaza Mayor, the honey-colored 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.
  • Obidos: Lead by your Travel Director, walk through the picturesque narrow streets up to


14 nights from $4,325 per person

Special Promotion: The Big Tour Sale | Guests Save Up To $2,000 Per Couple on Select 2025 Departures

Valid for new bookings deposited December 9, 2024 – February 20, 2025 for select 2025 travel

*Promotion may not be combinable with any other offers, promotions, or discounts, and is subject to availability. Other restrictions may apply. 
 

Itinerary

Insight Vacations: Best of Spain & Portugal - End Madrid, Classic Group, Winter

Day 1 - Welcome to Madrid
Join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for dinner in a local restaurant and enjoy an evening of delicious food and wine.
Accommodations: Barceló Torre de Madrid, Barceló Emperatriz, Madrid
Meals: Dinner with Wine

Day 2 - Madrid of the Bourbons
Guided by your Local Expert, visit the Spanish capital’s most historic neighborhoods. Your drive continues through the Old Quarter, discovering the origins of the city. Enjoy a special visit to the renowned Prado Museum with an art historian who will guide you through the collective works of Velázquez, Goya, Titian, Rubens and more.
Accommodations: Barceló Torre de Madrid, Barceló Emperatriz, Madrid
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 - Segovia and Golden Salamanca
Travel to the fortified city of Segovia. Walk through the medieval streets with a Local Expert and see the magnificent Alcazar fortress, before continuing onto the historic aqueduct. Journey west, overlooking the ancient walls of Ávila, en route to Salamanca. During your guided sightseeing tour, admire the golden stone buildings the city is famous for, including the arcaded Plaza Mayor, the honey-colored cathedral and the 16th century university buildings.
Accommodations: Alameda Palace, Salamanca
Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 - Porto, Grande Dame on the Douro
Cross the Portuguese border to reach Porto. Situated on the River Douro, the city is celebrated internationally as the capital of Port wine. Visit the Vila Nova de Gaia wine stores and walk along corridors of casks. Get to know your tawnys and vintages during a tasting. Continue your exploration of the city, admiring the multi-colored houses, churches adorned with glazed tiles and iconic bridges.
Accommodations: NH Collection Porto Batalha
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Day 5 - Holy Fátima, Ancient Óbidos and Lisbon Relaxed Start
Continue to Fátima, Portugal’s most renowned place of pilgrimage. Journey to the fortified town of Óbidos and walk within its walls, exploring the narrow, medieval streets where houses are covered with flowers. Your travels continue to the Portuguese capital, Lisbon.
Accommodations: Dom Pedro Lisboa, Lisbon, Corinthia, Lisbon
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 - Lisbon and the Age of the Great Discoveries
Sightseeing with a Local Expert takes you along the spacious avenues of the Lower Town and beneath the hilltop Bairro Alto to the Terreiro do Paco, the finest square in the city. Visit the Belém Quarter, from where sailing ships once set forth to discover faraway lands. Enjoy a taste of the famous Pastéis de Belém from a traditional patisserie that has managed to hold on to the secret recipe of Portugal's finest pastry for almost 200 years. View the modern Monument to the Discoveries and the historic Belém Tower. This fortress was originally set in the middle of the river, but is now left high and dry on the riverbank. Visit the National Coach Museum, featuring one of the most prominent horse-drawn carriage collections in the world. With the afternoon at your leisure, perhaps join an Optional Experience to the Portuguese Riviera, frequented by surfers, royalty and, on occasion, James Bond.
Accommodations: Dom Pedro Lisboa, Lisbon, Corinthia, Lisbon
Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 - Seville, the City of Carmen
Leave Lisbon via the modern Tagus Bridge and cross the border to reach Seville. Visit the Seville Cathedral, the burial place of Christopher Columbus.Explore Seville with Insight Choice. Choose to embark on a walk through the old Jewish quarter. Alternatively, join a scenic drive around the city and enjoy panoramic views.
Accommodations: NH Collection Sevilla, Seville
Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 - Free Time and Flamenco in Seville Relaxed Start
Enjoy a relaxed start and a morning to unwind, shop or continue exploring this fascinating city at your own pace. Our suggestion is to join an Optional Experience to the ancient city of Córdoba, where you will visit the magnificent Mezquita, see the old Jewish Quarter, and enjoy some free time to shop or explore as you wish. Later this afternoon, join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you visit the Cristina Heeren Foundation, a flamenco dance school and beneficiary of a TreadRight Foundation grant. Their mission is to promote the teaching and conservation of flamenco. Feel the passion behind the choreography as you put your rhythm to the test during a dance lesson.
Accommodations: NH Collection Sevilla, Seville
Meals: Breakfast

Day 9 - Head for Gibraltar and the Costa del Sol
Head south to Gibraltar, part of mainland Spain yet an overseas territory under British control since 1704. With your Local Expert, visit the Rock of Gibraltar and St. Michael’s Cave. Relax as you travel the scenic route along the Costa del Sol through high end resorts where the rich and famous holiday. Your journey continues through the green hills to the white-washed village of Mijas. Stroll through the old streets and gardens, taking in the views of the coast.
Accommodations: Meliá Costa del Sol, Torremolinos
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Day 10 - At Leisure on the Costa del Sol Relaxed Start
Enjoy the day at leisure on the sun-drenched Costa del Sol. Relax by the blue Mediterranean waters, stroll along the promenade, savor the specialties in the local restaurants or consider exploring Málaga, the birth city of Picasso.
Accommodations: Meliá Costa del Sol, Torremolinos
Meals: Breakfast

Day 11 - Dining with Locals and the Alhambra Relaxed Start
Continue to Alfarnatejo, a quiet whitewashed village, with a population of less than 500 people, surrounded by stunning mountainous landscape. Walk the town center to see the 18th century Iglesia del Santo Cristo de Cabrilla. Travel to the oldest olive grove in the region and stop at the rural mill-factory to taste a selection of different oils, paired with locally made farmer bread. In small groups, you are invited into the home of a local family to join them for a delicious lunch made of fresh, local produce with flavors typical of the region. Continue to Granada to visit the magnificent Alhambra Palace with your Local Expert. Built as a citadel by the Moors in the 13th century, it is a wonder of beautiful gardens, fountains and stone cut like lace.
Accommodations: Vincci Albayzín, Granada
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch with Wine

Day 12 - On to Valencia
Journey to Valencia. Pass through the Old City to see its ancient gates, and the City of Arts and Sciences. In your free time perhaps take a stroll to the Cathedral and El Miguelete? Alternatively sit back with a drink and watch the Valencians go about their day. Valencia is home to one of the world's greatest dishes, paella. Meet the chef of a local family-run restaurant in the heart of the Old City and learn how to make this local specialty during a Cooking Demonstration. Later, indulge in the delicious flavors of this classic dish at dinner.
Accommodations: Barceló Valencia
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Day 13 - Along the Coast to Peñíscola and on to Barcelona
Follow the coast to Peñíscola to view the sea-lapped castle used in the film 'El Cid'. Continue along the Costa Dorada to the Cava Bodegas at Sant Sadurni d'Anoia. During a delicious light lunch, enjoy a tasting as you learn the sparkling secrets of Spanish bubbly. Continue along the coast to reach Barcelona.
Accommodations: Meliá Barcelona Sarri, Barcelona
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch with Wine

Day 14 - Barcelona Sightseeing Relaxed Start
A Local Expert joins you for a drive along the Passeig de Grcia, adorned with elegant wrought-iron street lamps and some of the most flamboyant Modernist buildings. Continue through the Eixample district to visit Gaudi’s extraordinary masterpiece, the Sagrada Família. See the central nave with its giant, tree-like pillars, spectacular vaulting and the beautiful rainbows flooding in through the intricate stained-glass windows. At a local restaurant, join your fellow travelers to toast to newfound friends and a wonderful journey, enjoying a Celebration Dinner with wine.
Accommodations: Meliá Barcelona Sarri, Barcelona
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Day 15 - Depart for Madrid
Today, bid farewell to your journey across Spain and Portugal as you transfer from Barcelona to Madrid.
Meals: Breakfast

Featured Destinations
Salamanca
Barcelona
Valencia
Granada
Torremolinos
Seville
Lisbon
Porto (Oporto)
Madrid

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges
03/01/2025 - 03/15/2025
from $4,325 per person *
03/08/2025 - 03/22/2025
from $4,395 per person *
03/15/2025 - 03/29/2025
from $4,795 per person *
03/22/2025 - 04/05/2025
from $4,875 per person *
03/29/2025 - 04/12/2025
from $5,295 per person *


* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
Prices Start At
from $4,325 per person
Length
14 Nights
Air City
Call for airfares from your city.
Vacation Rating
Deluxe
Fine dining, on-site bars or lounges and room service with extended hours are characteristic of deluxe establishments. Guest services usually include valet parking, concierge services, baggage assistance and laundry services. Other on-site facilities often include shops and boutiques, full service spas, full fitness facilities with pools and tennis courts. Business amenities may include available up-to-date technology and support staffs available for services. Attention to detail is apparent in the guestrooms which typically have stylish furnishings, quality bedding and bath products and often provide an evening turn down service.
Remarks
Trip prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy and reflect applicable discounts. Trip prices and discounts are subject to change. Airfare is additional. Tour prices, dates and itineraries are correct at the time of the website going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking. Other restrictions may apply.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID
1497417

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