Treasures of Spain, Portugal and Morocco - 17 Days

A kaleidoscopic adventure that takes you from some of the most cosmopolitan cities of Europe, to an exotic and vivid land of medinas and minarets.

Included Premium Highlights

    * Visit the city of Toledo to admire the Cathedral, & visit the chapel of Santo Tomé to see The Burial of Count Orgaz by El Greco
    * Visit the tomb of Christopher Columbus in Seville's Gothic Cathedral, built in the 15th century
    * Visit the Rock of Gibraltar, St. Michael's Cave & see the Barbary Apes!
    * Enjoy a guided tour of the fabulous Alhambra Palace & exotic water gardens of the Generalife
    * Experience the monumental Grandeur of the state apartments in Madrid's Royal Palace

Included Personal Insights

    * Enjoy a short tutorial on the wines from the Meseta regions

Included Other Excursions & Sights

    * See the Plaza Mayor, Cathedrals & University buildings in Salamanca
    * Visit the Basilica in Fatima, one of the most important Catholic centres of faith
    * View the modern Monument to the Discoveries & ancient Belem Tower in Lisbon
    * View the Alcazar, Giralda Tower, & fashionable Santa Cruz quarter in Seville
    * See the Medina & Casbah of Tangier
    * Visit the Medina & shop for Moroccan carpets in Fes
    * Visit the Saadi Tombs & see the Koutobia Minaret in Marrakesh
    * View the Royal Palace & Hassan Tower in Rabat
    * Pass through the famous wine centre of Valdepentildeas
    * See Madrid's Cibeles Fountain & drive the Gran Via & Puerta del Sol
    * See Don Quixote at the Cervantes Monument in the Plaza de España, Madrid
    * Scenic Drives – Atlas Mountains, Costa del Sol, Sierra Nevada

Included First Class Services

    * Escorted by a professional Tour Director
    * Headsets for all guided visits & walking tours
    * Luxury air-conditioned 40 seat coach with extended leg room & on-board restroom
    * Insight Hotels include all service charges, taxes & porterage
    * Insight Traveller document wallet, map book journal & information pack
    * Airport arrival & departure transfers at scheduled times on Day 1 & Day 17
    * Should your flights not coincide with these arrival & departure transfers, please make your own way to/from the airport

Included Quality Dining

    * Dine Around evening at a selection of restaurants in Granada. (DA).
    * Highlight Dinner featuring Flamenco in Seville (HD)
    * Highlight Dinner, folklore show & belly dancing in Fes (HD)
    * 16 Buffet Breakfasts (BB), 5 three-course table d'hôte Dinners, or Buffets, plus tea or coffee (D)
 

Day 1 - MADRID AT LEISURE

Welcome to Madrid - Europe's highest capital! On arrival at Madrid Airport, your airport transfers leave for the tour hotel at 09:00, 11:00, 13:30 & 16:00. As evening falls, get to know your fellow passengers over a Welcome Drink.

Hotel: NH Nacional/Melia Galgos.

Day 2 - MADRID SIGHTSEEING

Take a guided tour down the wide avenues. See the Puerta del Sol, Gran Via, Paseo de la Castellana, Cibeles Fountain & Cervantes Monument in the Plaza de España before visiting the state apartments of the Royal Palace. In the afternoon, you are at leisure. (BB)

Day 3 - MADRID - TOLEDO - SALAMANCA

Walk through Toledo's maze of cobbled streets to see the Cathedraland admire El Greco's masterpiece in the chapel of Santo Tomé. Continue on past the walls of Avila en route to Salamanca. See the Plaza Mayor, the New & Old Cathedrals & the university buildings in the Plaza de Anaya.

Hotel: Alameda Palace. (BB,D)

Day 4 - SALAMANCA - FATIMA - LISBON

From Salamanca, drive across the Portuguese frontier to Fatima to visit the great white Basilica before continuing to the capital, Lisbon.

Hotel: Marriott Lisbon. (BB)

Day 5 - LISBON SIGHTSEEING

Sightseeing with your local guide, shows you Sao Jorge Castle, the Monument to the Discoveries & the Belem Tower, starting point for Portugal's great navigators & explorers, & the famous Jeronimo's Monastery. This afternoon is at leisure. (BB)

Day 6 - LISBON - SEVILLE

Leave Lisbon via the modern Tagus Bridge & cross the border to reach Seville. A tour with a local guide includes the immense Cathedral, burial place of Christopher Columbus, & the slender Giralda Tower. Tour the Santa Cruz Quarter with its flower-decked wrought iron balconies & see the Alcazar. Tonight settle back for a Highlight Dinner & entertainment featuring a fiery Flamenco show.

Hotel: Melia Lebreros/Melia Sevilla (BB,HD)

Day 7 - SEVILLE AT LEISURE

The day is free to take in more sights of your choice. Perhaps take an optional excursion to Cordoba, or enjoy a Sevilliano dinner at a local restaurant? (BB)

Day 8 - SEVILLE - GIBRALTAR - TANGIER

Cross into Gibraltar, a British territory since 1704. Visit the Rock of Gibraltar, St. Michael's Cave & see the Barbary Apes! Then set sail to exotic Morocco.

Hotel: Andalucia Golf. (BB,D)

Day 9 - TANGIER – FES

On a sightseeing tour of Tangier, see the famous Medina & the Casbah before continuing to Fes, the most ancient of Morocco's cities. Enjoy a superb Moroccan Dinner & a Folklore Show with drums & belly dancing.

Hotel: Atlas Hospitality Fes/Ramada. (BB,HD)

Day 10 - FES SIGHTSEEING

During a guided tour visit the Medina & the walled city of hidden courtyards, mosques & tiny workshops, the ancient bazaar & a carpet co-operative. Afterwards, you are at leisure. (BB,D)

Day 11 - FES - MARRAKESH

Travel via the Atlas Mountains, past mud-walled villages to Marrakesh.

Hotel: Le Meridien N'Fis/Atlas Medina & Spa. (BB,D)

Day 12 - MARRAKESH SIGHTSEEING

On a guided tour, see the Koutobia Minaret, visit the Saadi Tombs, & explore the Medina with its many souks. The tour ends in Jemaa el Fna Square where acrobats, dancers & fortune tellers entertain you. Perhaps try a traditional Tajine dish tonight? (BB)

Day 13 - MARRAKESH - RABAT

Did Humphrey Bogart really say 'Play it again Sam'? Find out on an orientation tour of Casablanca. Continue to Rabat to see the Royal Palace & Hassan Tower.

Hotel: Golden Tulip/Hotel Rabat. (BB,D)

Day 14 - RABAT - COSTA DEL SOL

Sail back across the Straits of Gibraltar to Spain & travel along the sun drenched Costa del Sol, past exclusive resorts to your hotel.

Hotel: Melia Costa Del Sol. (BB)

Day 15 - COSTA DEL SOL - GRANADA

Drive past olive groves to hilltop Granada. Tour the fabulous Alhambra Palace with a local guide & visit the exotic water gardens of the Generalife. This evening choose from a selection of restaurants for your dining pleasure.

Hotel: Saray/Macia Condor. (BB,DA)

Day 16 - GRANADA - MADRID

Travel through La Mancha, via the wine centre of Valdepeñas, its roads lined with 'bodegas' & hear an informative tutorial about the wines that make this region so famous. Upon reaching Madrid, why not dine out in the Plaza Mayor tonight?

Hotel: NH Nacional/Melia Galgos. (BB)

Day 17 - MADRID

Your tour draws to a close today. Departure transfers arrive at Madrid Aiport at 07:00, 09:00 & 11:00 hours. (BB)

Your Insight tour already includes a host of bonus highlights and comprehensive sightseeing. However, there is an exciting array of optional excursions which will turn an already amazing experience into the trip of a lifetime! These are entirely optional and can be booked through your Tour Director/Local Representative at the commencement of your tour. All prices are quoted in local currency. Payment can be made in cash or by Visa, Mastercard or American Express. To help your pre-tour budgeting we suggest you allow approximately EURO 45 per person per day for optional excursions.

LIS05 - LISBON BY NIGHT
We drive first to the Barrio Alto, the old quarter of Lisbon, to admire the views over the city. We then take a short funicular ride to the Baixa, the heart of the downtown area where after a short walk you will have time to have a leisurely dinner in one of the many restaurants in this area. Later back to the hotel passing the sights of the city by night. EURO 18

LIS02 - FADO EVENING
Savour dinner in a typical Portuguese nightspot, specialising in beautiful and haunting Fado melodies. Wine included.
EURO 59

LIS01 - SINTRA, CASCAIS & ESTORIL EXCURSION
We leave the city of Lisbon for the slopes of the Sierra de Sintra. After visiting an impressive palace, we see the fashionable casino resort of Estoril before returning to Lisbon by way of the quaint fishing village of Cascais. EURO 41

LIS07 - SEAFOOD DINNER BY THE TAGUS RIVER
Take the ferry across the mighty Tagus River and enjoy typical Portuguese seafood and fish specialities. After dinner cross the impressive suspension bridge for sweeping views over the Portuguese capital. EURO 46

SVL01 - CORDOBA & THE MESQUITA
A morning excursion to historic Cordoba, the most perfectly preserved Moorish city, where our guided walking tour shows us this fascinating city including the magnificent 'Mesquita', an 8th century mosque which is considered to be one of the finest monuments built by the Moors during their occupation of Spain. EURO 41

SVL09 - ANDALUSIAN TAPAS & THE ATMOSPHERE OF OLD SEVILLE
Enjoy a delicious selection of tapas specialities in a local restaurant with wine included. Then later we conclude the evening by taking an atmospheric walk through the old quarter of Seville which has a special magicin the evening. EURO 47

FEZ02 - MEKNES EXCURSION
We drive to Meknes, once of Morocco's imperial cities. We visit the famous Mosque, the former stables and granaries and take in views of the impressive city walls. EURO 27

MRR01 - OURIKA VALLEY
A scenic drive south of Marrakesh brings us to the beautiful and fertile Ourika Valley named after the River Ourika. You will enjoy spectacular views of the towering High Atlas Mountains which are snow capped nine months of the year. You will also have the opportunity to bargain for local handcrafted jewellery. EURO 27

MRR03 - MARRAKESH BY NIGHT & DINNER
We take a horse and buggy ride to the magical Jemaa el Fna Square to enjoy the sights and sounds of this special city by night. We then have dinner in a typical Moroccan restaurant with local specialities to enjoy.EURO 53

MAD08 - EXCURSION TO SEGOVIA
We drive to Segovia, originally founded by the Romans, where, with a local guide, we enjoy a walking tour of the medieval streets from the ancient aqueduct to the magnificent Alcazar. Our guided tour of this 14th century palace shows us the splendour of the art and armoury of the Spanish medieval era. Then we take a panoramic drive to admire the stunning views over the Eresma valley, the 28 m (92 ft) high Roman aqueduct and the many picturesque and ancient buildings of this medieval jewel. EURO 43

MAD07 - MADRILENO DINNER & PLAZA MAYOR
First it's off to Plaza Mayor, once the Main Square dating back to 1617 and dominated by the spectacular facade of the 'Casa de la Pandaria'. After time for photos we drive to our traditional 'Meson' to try many of the dishes that Madrid is renowned for. Drinks such as regional wine, beer and soft drinks are included but we suggest sampling some of Spain's famous 'Sangria'. All this will be accompanied by a local 'Tuna de Madrid' playing all your favourite Spanish songs on traditional instruments. EURO 57