Compare Spain and Portugal by Tauck vs Andalucia & Toledo from Madrid (C660) by VPT Tours

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.

1st. Day (Saturday) MADRID-CACERES-SEVILLA (560 kms)

Departure from our bus terminal at 8:00 a.m. towards the region of Extremadura and arrival at Caceres. Time at leisure to know its Plaza Mayor and to walk through the old city and its famous medieval quarter, very well preserved and considered a World Heritage place. Lunch on your own. Continuation southwards to Andalucia and arrival to Sevilla. Dinner and accommodations.

2nd. Day (Sunday) SEVILLA

Half board. Morning city sightseeing tour, including María Luisa Park, Plaza de España, the exterior of the city’s stunning Cathedral and its bell tower, called Giralda, and the typical neighborhood of Santa Cruz with its streets, squares, and narrow alleys. If you wish, you can optionally navigate the Guadalquivir River, during which you will enjoy a panoramic view of the Gold Tower and Expo 92, or visit the Maestranza bullring. In the evening, also as an optional activity, you can attend a flamenco show.

3rd. Day (Monday) SEVILLA-CORDOBA (145 kms)

Breakfast. Departure to Cordoba, at our arrival we start our walking tour starting at Almodovar Gate through the Jewish Quarter and continue for visiting the famous Mosque/Cathedral. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner and accommodations.

4th. Day (Tuesday) CORDOBA-RONDA-COSTA DEL SOL (322 kms)

Breakfast. Then depart to the Route of the White Villages and Ronda. Free time. Continuation to Costa del Sol. Dinner and accommodations.

5th. Day (Wednesday) COSTA DEL SOL-GRANADA* (180 kms)

Breakfast. Departure to Granada. Visit the spectacular group of monuments of the Alhambra and Generalife, former residences of the Moorish kings, with their magnificent fountains, gardens, and arches. Dinner and accommodations. Optional visit to the caves of Sacromonte and attend a typical show of gypsy flamenco.

6th. Day (Thursday) GRANADA-TOLEDO-MADRID (446 kms)

Breakfast and departure towards the Imperial City of Toledo, full of history and monuments. Lunch and a panoramic view from Mirador del Valle and a walk through its old town. Continuation back to Madrid. Arrival and end of our services.