Authentic Dining
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.
Seville: Tables are reserved for dinner, drinks and a fiery evening of Spanish dance and music! Get ready for throbbing guitars, lamenting solos, colourful dancers and the rhythmic stomp of flamenco.
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.
Torremolinos: Hear the stories of local life as you are invited into the home of a local family to join them 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.
Sant Sadurni d'Anoia: Join a wine expert when you visit Cava Dorada. Enjoy a tasting at the great Cava vineyards during your delicious Highlight Lunch.
Barcelona: With fantastic sea views, be seated for an exceptional Catalan Celebration Dinner incorporating classic cooking with only the freshest produce.
Dining Summary: 14 Buffet Breakfasts (BB), 2 Lunches with Wine (LW) and 6 Dinners with Wine (DW) all with wine tea or coffee. Festive Highlight Dinners: 20 Dec Christmas Day in Lisbon & New Year’s Eve in Valencia. 27 Dec New Year’s Eve in Lisbon.
Insight Experiences
Madrid: Witness the world’s finest collection of Spanish paintings plus an impressive foreign collection as you tour the Prado Museum with an expert art historian.
Granada: Best interpreted with the help of a Local Expert, the Alhambra Palace is the ultimate in Muslim architecture, an arabesque fantasy in stone, complemented by the gardens of the Generalife.
Stay in Style
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.
Top Rated Highlights
Madrid: With your Local Expert, travel along the Paseo de la Castellana and see the Cibeles Fountain, the Royal Palace and the monument to Cervantes in the Plaza de España and cross the Puerta del Sol.
Segovia: Walk the medieval streets of this fortified city with your Local Expert and see the 14th century Alcazar Palace.
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.
Obidos: Lead by your Travel Director, walk through the picturesque narrow streets up to the main square of this ancient walled town.
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 ancient Belém Tower.
Lisbon: Visit the Jerónimos Monastery with its beautiful Manueline architecture, reflecting Portugal’s trade over the centuries and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Seville: From the Moorish Patio de los Naranjos, guided by your Local Expert step inside the cathedral and pass the altarpiece dripping with gold, to the Tomb of Columbus, held aloft by four kings.
Seville: Alongside your Local Expert you will visit the Giralda Tower and lead you through the streets of the Santa Cruz Quarter to the Alcazar.
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: A Local Expert will show you the narrow lanes and old squares of the Barri Gotic, the Gothic Quarter. View the lively Las Ramblas, see the wrought-iron street lamps and Modernist buildings as you travel along Passeig de Gràcia.
Barcelona: A Local Expert will take you inside Gaudi’s extraordinary masterpiece, the Sagrada Família, to admire the beautiful architecture.
Scenic Drives: Enjoy the scenery as you travel along the River Douro, Costa del Sol, through the Provence of Malaga, across the Sierra Nevada and along the Costa Dorada.