Portugal | Gardens of Spain & Portugal
Explore ancient castles and moorish gardens. Absorb the fabulous Gaudi architecture and learn about Spanish cuisine in Barcelona. Highlights include a Spanish cooking demonstration, a walking tour of Toledo and a visit to the Alhambra Palace.
| Duration: | 10 Days |
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| Tour Code: | ITW579 |
| Trip Style: | Superior - 4 star |
| Departure Dates: | 12 May 2011, 10 May 2012 |
| Price: | From $5,850 |
| Places you'll visit: |
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| Highlights: |
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Ideal for Solo Travellers
If you enjoy visiting gardens and getting off the beaten track when you travel, then you will enjoy this tour, designed for the gardening enthusiast who loves to travel beyond the garden gate into stately homes and manicured gardens as well as visiting iconic destinational attractions. The small group size and personalised boutique experiences mean you have the opportunity to travel with people who have a similar interest to you. It's a chance to share ideas, engage in stimulating conversation and make new friends.
If you're a solo traveller and are happy to share a room, we'll find you a traveller of the same gender to share with. If we can't, we'll give you a single room at no extra charge, or if you prefer we can organise a guaranteed single room for you at an additional cost.
Trip Details
GROUP SIZE: 20
Day 1 - Barcelona
Join your tour at your hotel at 9.00 am. commencing with a tour of Barcelona. See the Christopher Columbus Statue at La Rambla and enjoy the Gaudi architecture, including the facade of Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia Cathedral.
Visit Güell Park and Garden with its mosaic ceramic tiled seats overlooking the city and the Barcelona Botanic Gardens. Enjoy a Welcome Dinner with Spanish wine tonight. D
Two Night Stay: Barcelona, Confortel Barcelona or similar
Day 2 - Spanish Cooking Demonstration
Today you can take part in a Spanish Cooking Demonstration or spend a free day exploring - the choice is yours. If you choose the introduction to Spanish cuisine, head off to the markets and learn how to select the produce needed for your Spanish meal. In the kitchen, join in the cooking and enjoy a glass of wine with your traditional Spanish meal. Explore some of Barcelona's famous Tapas bars tonight. B L
Day 3 - Barcelona, Madrid
Travel the Spanish countryside, passing olive groves, farming land, spring wildflowers, and the cork oak trees from which wine corks are made. B D
Two Night Stay: Madrid, Emperador Hotel or similar
Day 4 - Madrid
Join a sightseeing tour of Madrid, including a visit to the lavish Palacio Real, the royal palace built by Spain's Bourbon Kings, and its gardens, as well as a stroll through The Parque del Retiro. Enjoy a free afternoon to explore Madrid at leisure. B
Day 5 - Toledo, Granada
Travel to World Heritage-listed Toledo, famous for the painter El Greco, its Middle Ages cathedral and its steel production. After a walking tour of this famous city, continue to Granada in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Granada is Spanish for pomegranate, an abundant local fruit seen in the city's coat of arms and symbolised in its art and architecture. B D
Two Night Stay: Granada, Alhamar Hotel or similar
Day 6 - Generalife Gardens, Alhambra Palace
Visit the Generalife Gardens, set high above the village of Granada. This Islamic paradise garden is divided into four parts by intersecting water channels with a pavilion in the centre.
Then visit the famous 14th century Alhambra Palace. For those who wish to relive the romantic tale of Alhambra, look out for the book ‘Tales of Alhambra' by Washington Irving about the time he stayed at Alhambra Palace. Spend a free afternoon relaxing or exploring the romantic city of Granada. B
Day 7 - Granada, Cordoba, Seville
Visit the World Heritage-listed medieval city of Cordoba, once the largest and most civilised city in the western world. See the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos gardens with their water terraces and fountains, then continue to Seville. B D
Two Night Stay: Seville, Melia Sevilla or similar
Day 8 - Seville
Tour Seville, including the Plaza de Espana and the Gardens of the Real Alcazar. This afternoon is free for you to explore the medieval streets of Santa Cruz. B
Day 9 - Seville, Lisbon
Travel via the World Heritage-listed town of Evora, dating back to Roman times. Enjoy a Farewell Dinner tonight. B D
Stay: Lisbon, Golden Tulip Altis Hotel or similar
Day 10 - Lisbon
Visit the palace and gardens of the Fronteira, with its formal box parterre and Great Tank with its ceramic blue and white tile wall. In the afternoon, drive along the coast and visit the townships of Estoril, Cascias and Sintra. Your tour ends on arrival in Lisbon around 5.00 pm.
Inclusions
- Accommodation
- Meals as indicated
- Entrance to gardens
What's Not Included
- Airport transfers
- Tips
Terms & Conditions
Click here for our Terms & Conditions
For more information, availability and pricing and options, please contact our expert travel specialists at Inspired Travel Worldwide on (02) 9449 8598 or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.
