Exploring Iberia: Southern Spain to Coastal Portugal

What's Included

• Private Tram Rides

  Enjoy private tram rides in Lisbon for a unique city tour experience.

• Comfortable Coach Transfers

  Travel through the Iberian Peninsula with ease, enjoying comfortable coach transfers between cities.

• Accommodation

  Stay at the NH Hotel in Málaga, the H10 Palacio Colomera, and the H10 Casa de la Plata in Cordoba, and the Vila Gale Collection Palácio Dos Arcos in the Portuguese Riviera.

• Guided Tours

  Discover Málaga with a local guide, including a visit to the Alcazaba or the Picasso Museum.

• Walking Tour of La Mezquita

  In Cordoba, take a walking tour of La Mezquita, a religious marvel.

• Tour of the Alhambra

  Tour the Alhambra palace, a Wonder of the Muslim World in Granada.

• Home-Hosted Meal

  Enjoy a home-hosted meal in Ronda.

• Flamenco Lesson

  Participate in a flamenco lesson at Fundacion Cristina Heeren de Arte Flamenco.

• Farewell Dinner

  Toast to a wonderful trip with a farewell dinner featuring savory Portuguese favorites.

What's Not Included

• Meals Not Specified

  Meals not specified in the itinerary are not included.
  
  

• Optional Experiences

  Optional experiences such as the Fado music performance in Lisbon are not included.
  
  

• Personal Expenses

  Personal expenses such as souvenirs and additional activities are not included.
  
  

• Travel Insurance

  Travel insurance is not included and is recommended to be purchased separately.
  
  

Experiences

• View Lisbon in a new way through the windows of your private tram.
• Experience Ronda, one of Spain's loveliest and most historic towns.
• Explore Sintra, the summer residence of Portuguese kings for centuries.

Options

Lisbon: A Night of Fado

Fado: the perfect blend of voice and guitar. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Patrimony, it is a celebrated form of world music that captures what it is to be Portuguese. The word Fado comes from the Latin word "fatum", which means fate or destiny. It is a style of music that is about deep feelings: the disappointments of love, the ups and downs of life. No one knows quite how Fado first came into being, but to this day, Portugal's traditional music remains at the very heart of the country's culture. In one of Lisbon’s most popular Fado restaurants, professional performers entertain you while you enjoy a typical Portuguese three-course dinner with wine included. Duration approximately 4 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 10 passenger(s) is required to operate this option.

Culinaries

• Sample Málaga’s tapas during a tour of the city.
• Enjoy a home-hosted meal in Ronda.
• Savor the flavors of a family-owned olive oil producer for lunch.

Must See

• Step back in time as you take in the sights of the picturesque White Villages of Andalusia.
• In Cordoba, take a walking tour of La Mezquita, a religious marvel.
• Tour the Alhambra palace, a Wonder of the Muslim World in Granada.

Choice Highlights

Málaga

The birthplace of Picasso, Málaga is a vibrant port city radiating with energy, passion and culture. The city has gone through somewhat of a transformation, and now this little metropolis is thriving with new art galleries, Michelin-star restaurants and high fashion boutiques. And, when you explore the compact streets, you’ll see how architecture blends old and new as you venture from the Pompidou Centre to a Moorish fortress.

While in Málaga, you will have the choice between two activities. First, you can choose to do a difficult, but immersive walk as you venture into the Málaga Alcazaba. The fortified palace is perfectly adapted to the contours of the land, and takes maximum advantage of the elevation of a hill. For your second choice, you can decide to end your morning with entry to the Picasso Museum. You’ll see more than 200 works highlighting the different styles, materials, and techniques used by the artist who called Málaga his first home.



Málaga Alcazaba - NEO Day 2

Activity Level: 3

Led by a local guide. This option requires walking 2 miles including big, steep hills and walking on cobblestone and uneven streets.



Picasso Museum - NEO Day 2

Activity Level: 1

Travelers will have their own audio-guided visit, at their own pace.

The Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain. The first palace on the site was built in the 11th century and in the 12th and 13th century a fortress-complex palace was built. It is a vast complex, comprised of many structures. The Alhambra is part fortress, part palace, part garden and part government city. Many visitors come to Grenada specifically just to visit and see the Alhambra.

Ronda is considered to be one of the oldest kept cities in Spain dating back to the Neolithic period. Two pieces of architecture represent the history of Ronda perfectly; the New Bridge and the bullring of the Royal Cavalry Order of Ronda. The New Bridge built in the mid 1700s allowed for the development of the city as it linked the old city with the new neighborhoods, providing the capability for Ronda to sustain itself and grow, as its location a little less than 2,500 feet above sea level made this a little more difficult in previous times. The Plaza de Toros, bullfighting ring, was inaugurated in 1785 and is considered to be one of the oldest throughout Spain. Some of the greatest matadors (bullfighters) of Spain were a product of the school of bullfighting, including Pedro Romero and Antonio Ordóñez.

Córdoba is located in Andalucía, southern Spain, and is the capital of the province of Córdoba. This city has an interesting history full of many diverse cultures and was the capital of a Roman province, the capital of an Arab State and a form of an Islamic government. It has the second largest old town in Europe, featuring Roman architecture, including a Roman bridge, as well as several Islamic and Jewish mosques.

Today in Seville, you have the choice between two activities. Your first option is to join a local expert and take a walking tour of the quaint Santa Cruz Quarter with its cascading bright flowers, whitewashed buildings and winding streets. Your second option is to take a horse and carriage ride to see Plaza de España and Maria Luisa Park, one of the loveliest parks in all of Europe.



Historic Santa Cruz Walking Tour - NEO Day 8

Activity Level: 3

Travelers must be able to walk for approximately 2 hours and should be able to walk on cobblestone.



Seville Horse & Carriage Ride

Activity Level: 1

The Riviera stretches from Lisbon and Cascais. The coastline has become a place where the elite vacation between September and October, and a popular tourist destination for its chic look. Removed from the city, the Lisbon coastline is easy access to all the culture that Lisbon offers. It has become a major hotspot for major international celebrities from the world of fashion, sport, and entertainment. The Riviera is also known for is world class conditions for surfing.

Spread across steep hillsides that overlook the Rio Tejo, Lisbon offers all the delights you’d expect of Portugal’s star attraction, yet with half the fuss of other European capitals. Gothic cathedrals, majestic monasteries and quaint museums are all part of the colorful cityscape, but the real delights of discovery lie in wandering the narrow lanes of Lisbon’s lovely backstreets. The Lisbon experience encompasses so many things, from enjoying a fresh pastry and bica (espresso) on a petite leafy plaza to window-shopping in elegant Chiado. It’s mingling with Lisboêtas at a neighborhood festival or watching the sunset from the old Moorish castle.

With its rippling mountains, dewy forests thick with ferns and lichen, exotic gardens and glittering palaces, Sintra is like a page torn from a fairy tale. Its Unesco World Heritage–listed centre, Sintra-Vila, is dotted with pastel-hued manors folded into luxuriant hills that roll down to the blue Atlantic. The jewel on the crown lording ominously over the picturesque town center is the National Palace, once the summer retreat of the Portuguese monarchy.

Mode of Transport

Travel through the Iberian Peninsula with ease, enjoying private tram rides in Lisbon and comfortable coach transfers between cities. Experience the scenic beauty of Southern Spain and Coastal Portugal as you journey from Málaga to the Portuguese Riviera.

Accommodation

Stay at the NH Hotel in Málaga, the H10 Palacio Colomera, and the H10 Casa de la Plata in Cordoba, offering comfort and convenience throughout your journey. Experience the Vila Gale Collection Palácio Dos Arcos in the Portuguese Riviera, providing a luxurious stay with stunning views.