Explore Portugal & Southern Spain - 10 Days

Highlights

• Eat your way through Porto on a culinary tour
• Ride a tuk-tuk around Lisbon, and experience fado music
• Visit Sintra and sail from Cascais to Lisbon
• Join a tapas and wine tour through Seville
• Explore the incredible Alhambra with a guide in Granada

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Porto (Portugal), Foodie Experience in Porto

Welcome to Portugal! On arrival at Porto's airport, a driver will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel in the city center. Take time to rest before you start exploring Portugal's second-largest city.

Day 2: Porto by E-bike, Free Time

Those who know Porto's hilly landscape and narrow cobbled lanes may think that a bike tour around the city is something worthy of an Olympic feat... But today, you'll take to the streets in the form of electric bikes. E-bikes make it surprisingly easy to ride and explore the historic center. Your private ride will take in some of the most iconic places and highlight the best historic architecture in town over three hours.

This afternoon is yours to explore at your own pace—and on two legs. Start in the Ribeira neighborhood, which sits right along the Douro River. Famed for its narrow and colorful dockside houses and its views of the iconic double-decked Dom Luís I Bridge, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is simply a must-see. Sit on a café terrace with wine and people-watch, or even venture to the river's south bank for a port wine tasting at one of Gaia's famous cellars.

Day 3: Private Transfer to Lisbon via Coimbra

Today, after breakfast and checkout, you'll be transferred to Lisbon. About halfway through the trip, your driver will stop in Coimbra, where you'll have free time to explore and eat lunch. Coimbra is the medieval capital of Portugal and the site of the country's greatest university: the University of Coimbra, established in 1290. The city wears its weighty importance in Portuguese history with dignity and pride, witnessed by its multicolored collage of buildings that span nearly a millennium. The historic core cascades down toward the east bank of the Rio Mondego.

After your exploration in Coimbra, you'll continue to Lisbon. Check in to your hotel and spend the rest of the day relaxing and exploring the Portuguese capital on your own.

Day 4: Guided Tuk-Tuk Tour & Evening of Fado

Explore the "City of Seven Hills" in style today by electric tuk-tuk. Led by a knowledgeable guide, you'll zip through the charming capital's modern and historic districts, from the neoclassical avenues of Baixa to the cobblestone alleys of bohemian Bairro Alto. Discover the city's fascinating history and hidden corners, and stop at stunning panoramic viewpoints such as São Pedro de Alcântara, Parque Eduardo VII, Senhora do Monte, and Santa Luzia.

Use the rest of the day to explore at your own pace. Lisbon's markets give insight into the city's day-to-day rhythms. Each Tuesday and Saturday, the Feira da Ladra flea market offers everything from vintage clothing to quirky antiques. For produce markets, try the city's most prominent traditional market, the daily Mercado da Ribeira, and then visit the buzzing Time Out Market food hall next door. This evening, head into Bairro Alto for a special night at one of the city's best fado restaurants, where good food and the melancholic tones of fado come together for an authentic night in Lisbon.

Day 5: Day Trip to Sintra & Sailing Experience From Cascais to Lisbon

UNESCO World Heritage-listed Sintra and its hills, dotted with fairy-tale palaces and extravagant villas, have enchanted visitors for centuries. Your guide will whisk you from downtown Lisbon to romantic Sintra, starting with Pena Palace, one of the best expressions of 19th-century Romanticism in Europe, where King Fernando II intentionally mixed architectural styles. From here, enjoy views of the Moorish Castle. It's a testimony of the Islamic presence in the Iberian Peninsula, which was built in the eighth century and conquered during the formation of the Portugal Kingdom.

Wander the picturesque village of Sintra and stop to taste the town's famous travesseiros and queijadas de Sintra before continuing to Cascais. This fisherman village was once the summer destination of the royal family. Explore the Cascais Citadel, a set of 500-year-old fortifications built to protect Lisbon from pirates and corsairs, then visit a unique natural chasm in the seaside cliffs called Hell's Mouth. End the day by sailing back to Belém in Lisbon, passing historic mansions in Estoril and many golden sandy beaches along the way.

Day 6: Transfer to Seville (Spain) via Aracena

Today you'll travel from Lisbon to Seville with a private driver, making a special stop en route. Iberian or "ibérico” ham is well known as the best ham in the world, especially if it is the top-tier jamón made from acorn-fed black pigs. Visit a family-run farm in the mountainous area of Sierra of Aracenal to see how the pigs are reared. Then visit a production site to see thousands of hams slowly curing. Many people consider Iberian ham the jewel in the crown of Spanish gastronomy, and you'll have the opportunity to taste it with a glass of the best fino or manzanilla.

Afterward, venture to Aracena for a seasonal gourmet lunch at a local restaurant. With your guide, all you need to do is sit down, and the friendly hosts will bring a parade of plates—maybe asparagus, artichokes, wild mushrooms, cheese, acorn-fed Iberian pork, and more, depending on the season. Take a short walk up to the castle after lunch before continuing to Seville.

Day 7: Self-Guided Tour of Seville, Gourmet Tapas & Wine Tour

Today is yours to indulge in a self-guided walking tour of Seville. Start at the stunning Plaza de España, admire the Moorish architecture of the Real Alcázar, and visit the majestic Seville Cathedral—three key historic sites in Seville. Walk above the city on the Metropol Parasol, an impressive wooden structure that looks like a mushroom and offers panoramic views across Seville. Then cross over the Guadalquivir River to explore the lively Triana district and visit the local market hall.

This evening you'll get to know Seville's rich gastronomic heritage with a gourmet tapas tour of the city paired with local Andalusian wines. Visit a handful of local bodegas for an aperitif (tapas with drinks), and explore Sevillian customs as you try popular traditional and modern dishes. After a couple of tapas stops, sit down for an authentic dinner with food and wines selected by local experts. You'll leave the dinner understanding why Seville is one of the great cities of Europe. It's a historic place that delights with its culture, architecture, and, of course, with its culinary traditions.

Day 8: Private Transfer to Granada, Hike the Caminito del Rey

Today you'll embark on a road trip through some of Andalusia's most enchanting locales. Take in the views as your driver passes olive groves, rolling meadows, cork forests, and rocky mountains. Your final destination is Granada, located about two hours from Seville. But there's an adrenaline-pumping adventure worth making a pit stop for.

Day 9: Tour the Alhambra, Flamenco Show in a Sacromonte Cave

Granada was once the last bastion of Al-Andalus (Muslim Spain) when the Moors ruled it, and today you'll see striking examples of this ancient history. Dramatically topping a hill overlooking Granada, the imposing Alhambra was a Moorish palace until the Christian reconquest in 1492. It's now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and today you'll explore the building's history and the beautiful Generalife park and gardens. Alhambra receives more than two million visitors annually, but your small group tour will offer unique insights with a knowledgeable guide.

Day 10: Train to Madrid, Depart

It's your final day in Spain. Make your way to Granada's train station to board the fast train to Madrid. Upon arrival in the Spanish capital, a private driver will transfer you to the airport for your departure home. Safe travels!

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