Madrid and Portugal

After breakfast at the hotel, discover the beauties of the city with a guided city tour. During the tour today you will see the Barrio de la Morería, the Hapsburgs District, Plaza Mayor and Plaza de la Villa; the Madrid of the Bourbons and the complex town planning schemes of Charles III, the Royal Palace, Cibeles and Neptuno Fountains and the Puerta de Alcalá. Discover contemporary Madrid with areas such as Gran Vía, Castellana, the district of Salamanca, as well as the commercial and financial areas of Modern Madrid, and the Santiago Bernabéu Football Stadium. During your tour there will be an opportunity to taste the typical chocolate with churros, the most Madrid-style snack. The afternoon is at leisure for you to continue exploring the wonders that the city has to offer. Overnight Madrid.

This morning you are bound for Portugal. Drive towards Salamanca where you will have some free time in this University City and World Heritage Site of great architectural and artistic wealth. Continue to the Portuguese border to reach Porto. Located along the Douro River estuary in northern Portugal, Porto is one of the oldest European towns and proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. Overnight Porto.

This morning you will discover Porto with a guided sightseeing tour. Admire the Cathedral, the Stock Exchange building and the Santa Clara church. Afterwards, experience a different perspective of the city aboard a Douro River Cruise and discover famous Port Wine Cellars with a wine tasting included. Remainder of the day is at leisure. Tonight, you will experience a typical fado show with dinner with your fellow travellers. Overnight Porto.

Leave Porto this morning and head for Aveiro, known for its picturesque canals, which have earned it the nickname “The Venice of Portugal”. Here you will get to ride on a moliceiro, a traditional colourful boat used for navigating the canals of Aveiro, before heading to Coimbra located on the banks of the river Mondego. Meet with the local guide for a tour of Coimbra, an historic city known for its prestigious university (one of the oldest in Europe), charming medieval streets and beautiful riverfront. Overnight Coimbra.

Breakfast at the hotel, then depart to the Batalha Monastery, a masterpiece of Gothic and Manueline style considered a World Heritage place by UNESCO. Continue to the picturesque fishing town of Nazaré. Free time to explore then continue to Lisbon for a two-night stay. This evening you will cross the Tagus River to Cacihas and experience dinner at a local restaurant featuring seafood. Overnight Lisbon.

This morning, join a city sightseeing tour of the ancient Olissipo (Lisbon). Drive through the main squares and avenues. See the Belem Tower, Jeronimos Monastery, Monument to the Discoverers, Marquis of Pombal Square and Liberty Avenue. The afternoon will be at leisure for you to catch the nostalgic corners of Alfama Quarter, the old city gathered next to its Castle, with old buildings nested in narrow twisting “Ruas” full of colour and housing the genuine “tabernas”. Remainder of the day at leisure to explore his magnificent city. Overnight Lisbon.

This morning you will head back to Spain and visit Merida, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its well-preserved Roman ruins, including the Roman Theatre and Amphitheatre. Explore its rich historical heritage before continuing to Madrid for an overnight stay. This evening join your fellow travellers for a farewell dinner.

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

• First class accommodation as specified (or similar)
• Private transfers to/from airport as per itinerary
• Transportation as per itinerary in air conditioned deluxe motor-coach
• English speaking Tour Director throughout the journey
• Sightseeing as per itinerary: Guided visits in Madrid, Porto Coimbra and Lisbon. Douro River Cruise and Port Wine tasting; Cruise along the Aveiro estuary in a typical moliceiro
• Daily breakfast
• Welcome Tapas Experience dinner in Madrid
• Chocolate & Churro tasting in Madrid
• Fado show and dinner in Porto
• Dinner in a local restaurant in Lisbon (Seafood)
• Farewell dinner in Madrid
• 24/7 local operator support on tour
• Spain and Portugal Travel Notes – issued by Innovative Travel

• International airfares
• Optional tours and excursions
• Lisbon, Coimbra and Porto local city tax are not included, to be paid directly at the hotels
• Porterage
• Tipping/Gratuities (please refer to tour notes for a recommended guideline)
• Personal Expenses
• Departure taxes
• Hotel charges for minibar or any extra charges
• Visas (unless specified)
• Travel Insurance
• Any other services not clearly mentioned in the inclusions above

• In the event that the guided tour of Madrid is not operated for technical reasons it will be replaced by the Madrid Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus instead.
• Due to limited coach capacity only one piece of luggage per person is allowed. The single bag should not weigh more than 25kg and have a maximum dimension of 157cm (the dimensional measurement of a suitcase is the sum of the length, width and height). Oversized suitcases will only be accepted if shared by two passengers.