Paris Lourdes and Best of Spain and Portugal

Welcome to Paris! Upon arrival at Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. 




Overnight in Paris

After breakfast, we will leave for Versailles, home to the immense palace of the Kings of France (entrance is not included). Upon return to Paris at midday, you will be transferred to Montmartre where you will ascend by funicular for spectacular views of Paris from the top of the stairs of Sacre Coeur. This neighborhood is known for its painters, artists, and its cabarets. Afterwards enjoy a guided panoramic tour of Paris, discover the history, main boulevards, and breathtaking monuments. During the tour you will be able to see the Arc de Triomphe, Champs Élysées, Place de la Concorde, the Opera House, the Louvre, Tower St. Jacques, Ile de la Cite home to Notre Dame Cathedral, the Latin Quarter, the Pantheon, the Sorbonne, Luxembourg Gardens, Invalides, Military School, Champ de Mars-Eiffel Tower, the banks of the Seine. We will make brief stops near Invalides and the Champ de Mars. At the end of the city tour, we will return to the hotel, making a stop in the city center, so that anyone wishing to stay in the city centre may do so. 




Overnight in Paris

This morning we will visit the Eiffel Tower. You will be able to ascend to the second floor of this remarkable metal monument. Then, enjoy a cruise on the River Seine, which divides the north of Paris from the south. Enjoy a free afternoon to explore as you choose. You will have some free time before we depart at 17:30pm for the Loire Valley. We will arrive in Tours, the regional capital of the Loire, in the early evening. We recommend you use your time here to take a stroll and dine in the beautiful historic downtown.




Overnight in Tours



Note: Sometimes queues to climb the Eiffel Tower are long. If this is the case, it may be necessary to adjust todays timetable.

Today we will travel to the south of France passing fragrant vineyards. We arrive in Bordeaux whose town centre has been declared a World Heritage Site. Here you will have time to have lunch and explore. We suggest a visit to the Port of the Moon and St Andrews Cathedral. We will then continue our trip heading towards the Pyrenees, arriving in Lourdes in the late afternoon. We suggest attending the evening candlelight procession (which takes place at 21:00pm from late March until the end of October).



Dinner and an overnight in Lourdes

After breakfast we will continue heading south to Carcassonne, famous for its medieval walls, its impressive castle and the picturesque historic neighborhood “la cité”. This afternoon we continue through the Pyrenees for a brief stop in the medieval city of Foix dominated by its impressive Castle of the Counts of Foix.  We continue towards the high mountains of the Pyrenees, with many of their peaks covered in snow all year round. We continue to Andorra, a small independent country in the Pyrenees between Spain and France, whose official language is Catalan. En route we will make a short stop next to Sant Joan de Caselles, a small Romanesque church from the 12th century.



Dinner and an overnight in Andorra

Enjoy your morning at leisure in Andorra. Early this afternoon we depart for Catalonia and the impressive Montserrat Monastery, where you will travel up the mountain on a rack train to enjoy the fantastic views and time to explore. After an incredible afternoon, we will continue to Barcelona, arriving in the early evening.




Overnight in Barcelona

We include a morning tour of Barcelona, famous for Gaudí and its modernist architecture. You will see the Columbus monument, Plaza de Cataluña, Paseo de Gracia, Diagonal, Sagrada Familia, Montjuich with the Olympic facilities and Plaza de España. We finish at the Ramblas area where you will have free time to walk around the historic Gothic quarter. After the city tour your guide will offer you an optional visit to Gaudí´s masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure. This evening you will be transferred to Maremagnum, a modern leisure center with restaurants facing the sea, next to Plaza Colón, where you can stroll through this lively area and dine.




Overnight in Barcelona

This morning, we depart for a journey south along the Mediterranean, making a special stop in Peniscola, a small walled town on the shores of the sea. After a short introduction by our guide, you can make your own way through town, discovering its fishing port, the castle, and the beach at your leisure. We will then travel to Valencia, in time for a midafternoon lunch. A local guide will take you on a tour of the city. Valencia is the third largest city in Spain where modern blends with the historical. On the tour, we will learn about its historic city center, the fish market, the cathedral, and the avant-garde City of Arts and Sciences.




Overnight in Valencia

Today we will continue our tour heading for Alicante where you will have free time for a walk in this charming, coastal city.  Early this afternoon depart for Murcia, where we will visit Caravaca De La Cruz, a town considered by the Roman Catholic Church as one of the five holy cities. Its church holds a relic of Christs Cross. We will also take a tourist train ride up to its historic area. Afterwards we will depart for Granada.




Overnight in Granada

This morning visit the immense Alhambra Palace and its beautiful Generalife Gardens, that have inspired several authors with its sound and sights, such as the “Tales of the Alhambra” by W. Irving. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure. We recommend a walk through the Albaicín neighborhood or visit the cathedral that houses the tomb of the Catholic Monarchs.




Overnight in Granada



*IMPORTANT NOTE: For us to purchase your Alhambra ticket – we require a copy of your passport photo page. Without this, we are unable to procure your entrance ticket.

After breakfast, depart Granada heading to Malaga on the Costa del Sol where you will have a bit of free time to explore the historic city center. From there, we will continue along the coastal motorway, with beautiful views of the Mediterranean. Enjoy a stop in Puerto Banus, Marbella, a beautiful resort town known as the playground of Europes rich and famous. This afternoon, we will continue through the hills until we reach Ronda, a very beautiful “white town” with its large gorge that divides the city in two. We then continue our journey to Seville.




Overnight in Seville

Todays visit to Seville will be very special, part by bus and part on foot along with a boat ride along the Guadalquivir River that will allow one to appreciate the best views of the monuments and sites that this city offers. A local guide will explain the history and culture of the capital of Andalusia and its most beautiful corners. We pass by the Cathedral-Giralda, Santa Cruz neighborhood, the banks of the Guadalquivir River, Torre del Oro, Maestranza Bull ring, and Cartuja Island, where the Expo took place and currently houses the \"Isla Mágica\" amusement park, María Luisa Park with the beautiful Plaza de España.  Enjoy your afternoon at leisure.




Overnight in Seville

Traveling through breathtaking hills and olive trees, we will enter Extremadura with an en-route stop in Merida, the capital, to visit the archaeological complex of the Roman Theater and Amphitheater, the largest on the Iberian Peninsula and a World Heritage Site. This afternoon we depart for Evora, Portugal, declared a World Heritage Site with its white streets, Renaissance palaces, and beautiful cathedral. You will have free time to enjoy this beautiful town. Early this evening depart Evora for Portugals capital, Lisbon.




Overnight in Lisbon

After breakfast, you will embark on a panoramic sightseeing tour with a local guide. You will see Eduardo VII Park, Baixa Pombalina (Marqués de Pombal Square, Rossío Square with views of the San Jorge Castle & the, Alfama), Estrela neighborhood, Estrela Basilica, Monument to the Discoveries, Belém Tower, and Jerónimos Monastery. The visit will finish in the city center. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure. We suggest taking the Elevator da Gloria to visit Bairro Alto and the viewpoint São Pedro. This evening the coach will transfer everyone back from Restauradores Square, an area with numerous restaurants and cafes.




Overnight in Lisbon

Early this morning we depart cross the beautiful region of Alentejo to Estremoz a charming town with a medieval castle, cobblestone streets, beautiful architecture and peaceful atmosphere that reflect Portuguese authenticity. We cross Extremadura for Cáceres, Spain where you will have time for a walk through its historic center, one of the best-preserved medieval and Renaissance urban complexes in the world.  We will continue our journey to Madrid, Spains capital, where we will arrive towards the end of the day with a transfer to Plaza Mayor full of restaurants where you can enjoy free time.




Overnight in Madrid

The morning starts with a tour through the center of Madrid through the centre of Madrid, including Paseo del Prado, Cibeles, Neptuno, the Gate of Alcalá, Plaza de Colón and Plaza Mayor. We will visit Retiro Park, an oasis in the city centre, where we will see the lake and the Glass Palace. Visit Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Real Madrids home stadium. Learn about the areas reserved for the players as well as the public areas and the small team museum. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure. At the end of the evening, we will return to the hotel.




Overnight in Madrid

Today make your own way to Madrid Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas International Airport to check in for your flight home.