Southern Spain and Portugal

The adventure begins: we take off from Miami bound for charming Valencia. Prefer to leave from another city? Ask us for the fare. We recommend getting to the airport at least 4 hours before your flight so the trip starts stress-free.

Welcome to Valencia! When you arrive in this vibrant Mediterranean city, a representative meets you and takes you to the hotel. The rest of the day is yours to soak up its energy and its lively cafés.

A free day to discover Valencia at your own pace. We suggest starting in the old town, with the Cathedral, the Plaza de la Virgen and the Central Market, then heading to the striking City of Arts and Sciences and the Turia gardens. In the afternoon, relax on Malvarrosa Beach or escape to the Albufera Natural Park, and end the day with an authentic Valencian paella in the Barrio del Carmen.

We travel through the Valencia region to Alicante, on the Mediterranean, with golden beaches, a charming old town and the imposing Santa Bárbara Castle; there's time for a stroll. We cross the arid landscapes of Murcia, stopping for lunch along the way, and once in Andalusia we stop in Guadix, famous for its lived-in cave houses, Renaissance cathedral and views of the Sierra Nevada. We reach Granada in the late afternoon, with dinner included.

A full day in Granada, a city of lovely corners crowned by the Alhambra. With a local guide we visit the vast palace and the Generalife gardens, built in the Moorish era (entry included). The afternoon is free: we recommend a walk through the Albaicín or a visit to the cathedral, resting place of the Catholic Monarchs.

We leave the Sierra Nevada behind and follow the Mediterranean along the Costa Tropical, whose mild year-round climate grows guavas, mangoes and avocados, and which was once sugarcane country. We stop in Nerja, with its striking cliffs, and in Málaga, capital of the Costa del Sol, with time for lunch and a stroll through its historic center. In the afternoon we cross the mountains to Ronda, the white village split by its deep gorge, and reach Seville in the late afternoon, with dinner included at the hotel.

In the morning, an included panoramic tour of Seville by daylight: the Giralda, Triana and the echoes of its vibrant history. Then an included boat ride on the Guadalquivir. In the evening you can catch a popular flamenco tablao if you like.

We leave Seville through gentle hills and wide oak pastures toward Extremadura. In Mérida we enter the archaeological site of the Roman Theater and Amphitheater (entry included), beautifully preserved and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and have lunch in its lively pedestrian old town. Over the border in Portugal we stop in Évora, also a World Heritage Site, with its whitewashed streets, Renaissance palaces and cathedral, and reach Lisbon in the late afternoon.

In the morning, a panoramic tour of Lisbon, the city of seven hills, narrow lanes, azulejo tiles, saudade and Atlantic light, with a stop in Belém, where Portugal's great 15th-century navigators set sail. The afternoon is free to head up to the Bairro Alto and its viewpoint or, if you like, take the optional excursion to Sintra, Cascais and Estoril. In the evening we bring you back to the hotel from lively Restauradores Square, full of bars and cafés.

At the scheduled time, transfer to the airport for your flight home. We return with suitcases full of sunshine, history and two countries in our hearts.