Compare Spain and Portugal by Tauck vs Spain: Andalusia, Córdoba & Granada by VBT

Day 1: Your Spain & Portugal tour begins in Lisbon

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon

Tour begins: 2:00 pm, Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon, Portugal. A transfer is included from Lisboa Airport to your hotel, the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon. The afternoon's guided sightseeing tour in Lisbon provides an introduction to this intriguing city and its most famous landmarks. Visit the famous monastery Mosteiro dos Jerónimos and the National Coach Museum, and view the nearby Tower of Belém, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites from the mid-16th century; and see the Discoveries Monument commemorating Portugal's "Age of Exploration" of the 15th and 16th centuries. Meet your traveling companions this evening at a welcome reception and dinner.

Day 2: Along the Portuguese Riviera to Sintra & Cascais

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon

An excursion from Lisbon today takes you to Sintra – once a favored summer retreat for Portugal's monarchs and a UNESCO World Heritage Site – for a visit to the 14th-century Royal Palace of Sintra, a highlight of every Portugal tour, and time to explore on your own. Continue to the fishing village of Cascais, its bay dotted with brightly colored boats, before returning to Lisbon to spend the rest of the day and evening as you please.

Day 3: A mix of Roman, Moorish & church architecture in medieval Evora

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Convento do Espinheiro

Cross Europe's longest suspension bridge – the Vasco da Gama Bridge over the Tagus River – en route to the medieval, walled city of Evora, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A city tour with your local guide reveals how Evora's Roman ruins, Moorish arcades, and a score of churches and monasteries create a fascinating cultural tapestry; see the Capela dos Ossos in the 15th-century Church of São Francisco, and the Cathedral of St. Mary. Spend this night of your Portugal tour at a 15th-century convent-turned-luxury hotel and spa in a picturesque location in Evora.

Day 4: On to storied Andalucía & Seville in Spain

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Alfonso XIII

As your Portugal tour concludes, your exploration of Spain heats up! Spain's famous southern province of Andalucía is as famous for gypsies and flamenco dancing as it is for its seaside resorts and small, whitewashed villages; see the Roman ruins of Mérida, some of the best-preserved in Europe, on a guided visit. The provincial capital of Seville blends the vibrant Spain of today with centuries of history and old-world charm. Spend the next two nights in the heart of the city at one of Europe's most luxurious hotels, commissioned by the king of Spain for the famous Exposition of 1929.

Day 5: A carriage ride, a historic cathedral & more in Seville

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel Alfonso XIII

After taking in many of Seville's historic and cultural attractions on a sightseeing tour with your local guide, ride a horse-drawn carriage through the city's historic heart. Visit Seville's impressive Gothic cathedral, one of the world's most beautiful; see its renowned Giralda bell tower (once the minaret of a mosque during Seville's Moorish days), and the tomb of explorer Christopher Columbus. Enjoy a walking tour of fascinating Barrio de Santa Cruz, the city's Jewish Quarter, prior to exploring Seville as you wish for the remainder of the day, with lunch and dinner on your own.

Day 6: Jerez de la Frontera, Gibraltar & coastal Marbella

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Gran Meliá Don Pepe

Depart Seville for Jerez de la Frontera, known for its fine horses, sweet wines, and sherry (whose name is derived from the town's). Visit the palatial Real Escuela Andaluza de Arte Ecuestre (Royal Andalucían School of Equestrian Art) – where you may watch the famous Andalucían horses that are bred here in a training session – and its renowned Carriage Museum (subject to availability due to holidays or other closures; alternative sightseeing may include a visit to the Royal Alcázar of Seville). Enjoy a true taste of the region during a tapas lunch at a sherry bodega; then it's on to Gibraltar, where you'll view the fabled Rock (weather permitting) and see the famed Barbary Macaques in the Apes' Den. Your final destination today is the glamorous coastal resort town of Marbella on the Costa del Sol, for a two-night stay.

Day 7: A day by the beautiful sea in Marbella

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Gran Meliá Don Pepe

The entire day is yours to enjoy the pleasures of your elegant resort hotel, Grand Meliá Don Pepe, a paradise for the senses in the heart of the Costa del Sol. On one side is the famous Port of Marbella; on the other, gleaming white boats anchored at the exclusive Puerto Banús. And on the horizon, you can see Gibraltar and the North African coast, majestic in the distance, against the magnificent backdrop of the mountain peak La Concha de Marbella. Long a favorite of celebrities in Marbella's privileged enclave of Sierra Blanca, the resort's guest list has included Sean Connery, Julio Iglesias, Prince, Maximillian Schell, Arthur Rubinstein, Begun Aga Khan, Alain Delon, H.R.M. Prince Edward, Bob Hope and many more... and you, spending a perfect day as you please.

Day 8: Moorish influences in Ronda & flamenco in Granada

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Alhambra Palace

As your Spain and Portugal tour continues, journey from the Spanish coast into the mountains to visit scenic Ronda, perched on a cliff overlooking the spectacular El Tajo gorge. Ronda is synonymous with the evolution of the art of bullfighting; along with revealing the town's Moorish heritage and remains, a guided walking tour includes a visit to one of Spain's oldest bullrings, the Plaza de Toros. Continue on to Granada, situated in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada range. The city boasts extraordinary architecture from over 250 years as the capital of a Moorish kingdom; your hotel is steps away from Granada's celebrated Moorish palace, the Alhambra. Enjoy a private flamenco show tonight, followed by dinner at your hotel.

Day 9: Discovering the treasures of the Alhambra in Granada

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Alhambra Palace

A highlight of your Spain and Portugal tour is today's guided visit to Granada's famed Moorish palace, the Alhambra, constructed to be a "paradise on Earth" by caliphs who ruled here in the 13th century. Tour the palace itself, considered to be one of the world's most beautiful, and stroll through the Generalife, the grounds of the summer palace of former sultans. Enjoy free time to explore on your own and join us for an à la carte dinner at a popular local restaurant this evening.

Day 10: Córdoba, home to La Mezquita & more

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Hesperia Córdoba

Travel from Granada to Córdoba today for an overnight stay that begins with a guided walking tour through the cobblestone streets of the Judería, Córdoba's former Jewish Quarter; from its alleyways, you can see the walls and decorative details of the candy-striped La Mezquita (Spanish for "mosque.") Your visit to this masterpiece of architecture and art reveals its nearly 1,200-year history as an early Christian church, a Moorish mosque, and, since the 16th century, a Roman Catholic cathedral. Dine family-style tonight for a taste of local life.

Day 11: AVE train to Madrid, Spain's capital city

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: The Westin Palace, Madrid

Board the AVE train in Preferente class for a rail journey to Spain's amazing capital city. Arrive in Madrid for three nights at The Westin Palace, Madrid – a Belle Époque landmark in the heart of the city, a short walk from the tapas bars that American novelist Ernest Hemingway made famous. Join a local guide for an orientation tour of landmark sights that includes a walking tour of the city's vast Plaza Mayor and the Mercado San Miguel; after lunch, enjoy a guided visit to the Royal Palace. Dinner is on your own in Madrid tonight.

Day 12: The Prado & more museums of Madrid

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: The Westin Palace, Madrid

View the art treasures of the celebrated Museo del Prado, one of the best-known museums on Earth, with a local expert. The rest of the day is free to spend as you please in one of the world's most popular cities. Tauck includes admission to the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum; view works by Titian, Goya and Picasso at your leisure.

Day 13: A day trip to Toledo and a special farewell evening in Madrid

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: The Westin Palace, Madrid

A full-day excursion from Madrid to Toledo today features guided sightseeing of this monument-filled city. Join your local guide for a walking tour that includes the 12th-century Synagogue Santa Maria La Blanca, the Church of Santo Tome and a visit inside the 13th-century High Gothic-style Cathedral of St. Mary of Toledo. After lunch in Toledo, return to Madrid, where a farewell evening featuring dinner and Castilian entertainment awaits!

Day 14: Journey home

Meals: Breakfast

Tauck's Spain and Portugal tour ends: Madrid, Spain. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from The Westin Palace, Madrid to Madrid Barajas Airport or Madrid Atocha train station. Allow a minimum of 3 hours for flight check-in at the airport.

DAY 1: Warm-up ride / Welcome reception

After an included breakfast, meet your VBT trip leaders at the Palma del Rio hotel at 10:00 a.m. Please ask for the exact location of the meeting at the hotel reception desk.

This morning, your trip leaders will host an informative tour overview, as well as a safety and bike-fitting session, followed by a warm-up ride around Palma del Rio. You will be riding on the fertile lowland of the Guadalquivir River. Please be dressed for riding since your warm-up ride begins immediately follows the safety talk and bike-fitting.

After the warm-up ride, you will have time for lunch on your own at the hotel or at one of Palma del Rio’s restaurants. Spend the remainder of the afternoon relaxing by the quiet swimming pool, strolling through the extensive grounds and vegetable gardens, or exploring the town’s sites. Ambitious riders may opt for an afternoon ride toward the foothills of the Sierra Morena.

Tonight, gather with your trip leaders and travel mates for a welcome reception, including tapas and sangria, two of Andalusia’s regional specialties. You’ll learn about the history of Spain and Andalusia before dinner is served.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning: Warm-up Loop — 13 km (8 miles)

Afternoon: Sierra Morena Loop — 27 km (17 miles)

What to Expect:

Your ride in Andalusia starts with an easy warm-up loop. You will cross the Genil River as you exit town. From there, you will see the fertile plain of the Guadalquivir River and pass a typical Andalusian farm called a cortijo. If you choose to ride after lunch on your own, you can cycle out of town toward the foothills of Sierra Morena, looping back down to the Guadalquivir River valley.

Cumulative Distance Range: 13 — 40 km (8 — 25 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 2: Home-hosted picnic lunch with local family

En route to Córdoba, you’ll ride up to the foothills of the Sierra Morena Mountain Range and the Parque Natural de Horanchuelos. Following the Guadalquivir River, you will make your way into the Campiña Cordobesa-Córdoban countryside. Along the way, you’ll stop at a typical Andalusian cortijo, where you’ll meet a local family and enjoy a picnic lunch.

Later in the afternoon, you’ll arrive at your beautiful and centrally located four-star Córdoba hotel. In the 11th century, Cordoba was the largest and most cosmopolitan city in Europe with a well-developed system for running water and streetlights, along with vast libraries where Arabic, Latin, and Greek manuscripts were translated. Jews, Muslims, and Christians all coexisted in this cultural crossroads. Exceptional monuments like the Mezquita of Córdoba are a good representation of the blend of these different cultures. Famous sons of Córdoba include the philosophers Seneca (Roman), Averroes (Arab), and Maimonides (Jewish). Córdoba has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1984.

Your hotel is a few steps from the Mezquita in the Judería—the charming Jewish district and the heart of Córdoba. It consists of ancient, private homes from the 17th and 18th centuries with lovely patios and fountains. The property was carefully restored in 2009.

Spend the rest of the evening at your leisure, enjoying all the amenities of your hotel or venturing out to explore Córdoba’s historic sites. Dinner is on your own.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning: Palma to Posadas (short option) — 33 km (20 miles)

Afternoon: Posadas to Lunch (medium option) — 15 km (9 miles) | Posadas to Lunch and Córdoba (long option) — 33 km (20 miles)

What to Expect:

Today’s ride starts through Palma del Río and continues gently uphill toward Hornachuelos. You’ll leave the Guadalquivir River plain behind as you bike along the border of the Sierra. The ride is mostly easy, but there will be some uphill cycling no longer than 1 kilometer (0.6 mile). By noon, you will approach the quiet town of Posadas for a break. If you are taking the short option, you can take our shuttle to our lunch location. If you continue cycling from the town of Posadas after your break, you’ll cross the Rio Guadalquivir for an easy ride to the Cortijo el Temple for lunch. After lunch, you will shuttle to Córdoba or continue cycling on longer option that includes a series of hills to the outskirts of Córdoba. From there, you will be shuttled to the hotel.

Cumulative Distance Range: 33 – 66 km (20 – 40 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 3: Explore Córdoba

After breakfast, meet your local guide and set out on foot. Start by visiting a nearby synagogue and then continue to the Mezquita.

Originally built as a temple, lighthouse, and warehouse, the Mezquita was once the second-largest mosque in the world and later consecrated as a Christian church after Córdoba was captured by the Spanish in the 12th century. Today, it is considered one of the world’s greatest examples of Moorish architecture. From the Mezquita, you’ll see the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos, and the Archiepiscopal Palais, the Roman Bridge with 16 arches spanning the Guadalquivir River, as well as the synagogue built in 1315 in La Judería. Córdoba is also an excellent place to shop for pottery, silverwork, abanicos (fans), cotton and leather goods, embroidered mantillas (scarves), shawls, and wooden crafts. A Bullfighting Museum pays homage to the controversial sport.

Take time on your own this afternoon to explore the many sites and shops of Córdoba. You might want to enjoy an ancient local tradition: an Arab bath in one of the nearby hammams. Immerse yourself in its warm waters, followed by a relaxing massage with essential oils.

Tonight, choose a restaurant for dinner on your own in Córdoba. You might visit a flamenco house in front of the Mezquita or one of the restaurants in La Judería, the Jewish district, where you can also taste local specialties like caldereta de cordero, ragout of lamb, or sausages such as morcilla, caña de lomo, and salchichón de Pozo Blanco. Salmorejo and flamenquines are the most famous Cordovan dishes. Arab influences can be found in the sweet alfajores and pestiños with almonds and honey.

Included Meals: Breakfast

DAY 4: Ruta del Vino / La Via Verde / Jaen

After breakfast, you will leave Córdoba and shuttle to the Cordillera Subbética and the Ruta del Vino wine road. As the name suggests, this hilly region is full of olive trees and vineyards, producing and exporting excellent white wines and olive oils. One of the most renowned wines produced in this area is the Pedro Ximénez sweet wine, particularly recommended to complement local postres desserts. For brunch, you will stop at a beautiful bodega and taste locally produced wines with your meal.

From there you will ride toward the Subbética mountain range, where you have the option of cycling on the Via Verde rails-to-trails path. Avid cyclists looking for some hills can opt for a more challenging route.

On your way to the perched village of Zuheros, keep your eyes open for a variety of birds, including two of the many protected species of this area: the peregrine falcon, symbol of the Natural Park of La Sierra Subbética, and the griffon vulture.

Near Luque, you’ll stop at a cortijo for a late picnic lunch, with ingredients sourced almost entirely from the garden of your host, Balbino, who also proudly serves the farm’s prize-winning, organic olive oil.

After lunch, hop on a shuttle to your next hotel. The 18th-century Parador de Jaen, one of Andalusia’s most beautiful castles, sits high above the city of Jaen, atop Santa Catalina Hill, on the site of the former Santa Catalina Castle, an 8th-century Moorish fortress. This evening, you may enjoy an included dinner at your leisure at the hotel.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning: Wine Road to La Primilla — 20 km (13 miles)

Afternoon: La Primilla to Cortijillo on bike path — 41 km (25 miles) | La Primilla to Cortijillo on road PLUS — 45 km (27 miles)

What to Expect:

You will take a bus from Córdoba to the Montilla-Moriles hills, one of the famous wine regions of Andalusia, and start riding from Espejo, passing several lagares, farms where grapes are grown and pressed. You will stay on rolling terrain in the morning with just a few hills, arriving at Lagar La Primilla for brunch and a wine tasting. Afterward, you can shuttle to your starting point on the Vía Verde rails-to-trails path, where you can expect a beautiful easy ride all the way to Cortijillo. Other riders may opt for some hills on the longer moderate ride.

Cumulative Distance Range: 20 – 65 km (13 – 40 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 5: Explore Jaen, land of castles and olive groves / Andalusian

Today, your loop ride follows the road to Gardia, the ancient Roman and Visigoth city of Mentesa Bastia, guarded by its 12th-century castle built on a rocky promontory. You’ll also visit the Puente de la Sierra, the so-called entrance to the Sierra de Jaen, the small group of mountains on the old road to Granada. After you pause for lunch on your own in Puente de la Sierra, you may choose to challenge yourself with a ride to the Otiñar Castle, surrounded by stunning mountains and deep limestone canyons. Or return to the Parador and perhaps visit the Santa Catalina castle on your own, just steps from your hotel.

Enjoy time to relax before you meet up with the rest of your group to learn how to make a popular Andalusian dish this evening. Dinner will be served in the Parador’s beautiful dining room with its combination of Moorish and Spanish décor.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning: Jaen to Puente de la Sierra — 35 km (21 miles)

Afternoon: Otiñar Canyon PLUS — 15 km (9 miles)

What to Expect:

Start your ride with a descent and mainly flat road before you begin a long but gradual climb to Guardia, with its castle above. From here, you will continue on a gentle and undulating road with views of the mountains of Jaen, all the way to the main entrance of the Sierra de Jaen mountains. Here you stop for lunch on your own, or if you are looking for more mileage, you may opt for a challenging ride to the castle of Otiñar, rewarding you with probably the most stunning views of the entire trip. Today may offer an additional independent ride for experienced cyclists. Ask your trip leader for details or opt for shuttle back to Parador.

Cumulative Distance Range: 35 – 65 km (21 – 39 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 6: Travel to Granada

After breakfast, you will start your morning ride in the small town of Benalúa de las Villas. Begin with a gradual descent through a valley with the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the distance, and head toward the enchanting city of Granada. You will pedal through towns that were heavily fortified in the Middle Ages prior to the final conquest of Granada in 1492, including Colomera with its castle and towering church. As you continue on the Ruta de las Fortalezas, you will find traces of Roman influence, including a 2,000-year-old bridge. Leaving the mountains and small villages behind, you will enter La Vega Granada’s main valley and finish your ride with lunch and a celebratory toast under the shade of pine trees with a cool breeze coming from the Cubillas Reservoir.

This evening, join your trip leaders for a festive farewell dinner and sample some regional culinary delights.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning: Ruta de las Fortalezas to Olivares — 25 km (15 miles)

Afternoon: Olivares to Campus Nautico — 21 km (13 miles) | Olivares to Campus Nautico PLUS — 32 km (19 miles)

What to Expect:

Your final ride takes you from the mountains north of Granada down to the Genil River lowlands. Begin by leaving Benalúa de las Villas and heading down a mountain valley with the impressive Sierra Nevada mountain range as the backdrop. You will pass a 2,000-year-old Roman bridge and the towns of Colomera and Moclín with their Arab fortresses and Christian churches. The ride is a gently rolling route with a continuous descent into the valley and along the Genil riverbank. More adventurous riders have the option of a slightly longer, more challenging ride with a few more hills.

Cumulative Distance Range: 25 – 57 km (15 – 34 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 7: Alhambra Palace / VBT Bicycling Vacation ends

After breakfast, you will meet your local guide and walk to the Alhambra Palace for an included visit to the Palace and Generalife Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

After your visit to the Alhambra Palace, the rest of the day is yours to explore. VBT provides you with city information that includes recommendations on what to see and do in Granada during your stay.

Included Meals: Breakfast