Spain and Portugal

Experience Spain’s capital with a licensed guide. Visit the Royal Palace, Europe’s largest, to see lavish halls and frescoes. Stroll Calle Mayor and lively Gran Vía with its theaters, shops, and cafés. Admire the Cibeles Fountain depicting the earth goddess Cybele. See the Neoclassical Puerta de Alcalá in Plaza de la Independencia, a ceremonial gateway to the city. Conclude at Columbus Square, a hub of monuments and museums.

Tour Toledo, long considered the spiritual capital of Spain and once home to El Greco. Visit Toledo Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece filled with treasures such as alabaster sculpture, El Greco’s paintings, and a gilded monstrance carried in Corpus Christi processions. Step into St. Mary’s Synagogue, a symbol of coexistence among three faiths, and explore Toledo’s famous sword-making tradition at a local factory.

A castle fit for a king! This stone fortification rises up imposingly from a rocky crag in the old city of Segovia. See its towering round turrets, spindly spires, luxurious throne room and fully stocked armory.

New Cathedral visit, Old Cathedral visit, University of Salamanca visit, Casa de las Conchas, Plaza Mayor

Guimaraes Castle, Old Town, Largo da Oliveira medieval square, Our Lady of the Olive Tree

Ribeira district, Sé Cathedral, Church of São Francisco

Journey through Portugal's renowned wine region on a traditional Rabelo boat, taking in breathtaking views of terraced vineyards, historic estates, and charming villages along the riverbanks.

Portugal's biggest university town, Coimbra has been a center of learning since 1290, when the country's first college was founded here. Fátima draws pilgrims rather than students. In 1917, three children saw several apparitions of the Virgin Mary in a field here, and the enormous basilica that was built in her honor attests to the continuing flood of pilgrims who visit the city each year.

University Library visit, Chapel visit, Royal Palace visit

Monument to the Discoveries, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos visit, Belém Tower, Mirador de Santa Justa

Learn the traditional art of painting and glazing ceramic tiles, a craft deeply rooted in Portuguese culture. These workshops often involve hands-on activities, allowing attendees to design and create their own unique tiles while exploring the rich history and techniques of Azulejos.

Portugal's version of the Blues, Fado means "fate" or "destiny," and its songs generally tell the tale of lost love or glory. Head to a Fado house in the Bairro Alto and see the singers swathed in black, accompanied by 12-stringed guitars, crooning their hearts out.