Ultimate Spain & Portugal

Depart for Madrid

Your trip to Spain begins with an overnight transatlantic flight to Madrid.

Arrive in Madrid

Welcome to Madrid, where your trip of a lifetime begins! If you purchased airline tickets through YMT Vacations, a friendly representative will welcome you at the airport and transport you to the hotel. The evening is yours to enjoy until guests are invited to sit down for a delicious dinner at the hotel. Get acquainted with your traveling companions and learn about the exciting days ahead. (D)

Madrid

Wake up in Madrid, the capital city of Spain. Today we will take you on a panoramic tour including photo stops at some of Madrid’s most historic and iconic sights. See Plaza de España, Plaza de Colon, Plaza de la Independencia, Plaza Mayor, the Old City Center, Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, Retiro Park, and the upscale Salamanca neighborhood. Enjoy a walking tour of Toledo Old Town including admission to the stunning Toledo Cathedral; Toledo Cathedral is considered by many to be the greatest example of Gothic architecture in the world, and is just one of three 13th-century High Gothic cathedrals in all of Spain. The evening will be at your leisure to enjoy a delicious meal and the many museums, cafes, and pristine parks of this cultural hotspot. (B)

Madrid, Córdoba & Seville

One the way from Madrid to Seville, travel to Córdoba in the history-rich region of Andalusia. Enjoy a walking tour of Córdoba’s Jewish quarter, Calleja de las Flores, or fl ower street, and La Mezquita, an 8th century Mosque turned gorgeous Catholic Cathedral. Tour the breathtaking Mosque Cathedral, known as one of Europe’s greatest works of Islamic architecture. You will be entranced by the detailed Moorish archways that line the prayer hall made of rich jasper, onyx, and marble. Continue to Seville for a relaxing evening on your own. (B)

Seville

Spend the day in stunning Seville on a panoramic tour of Andalusia’s capital where Gothic architecture, medieval history, and Arabian culture combine to create a truly unique setting. From the comfort of your coach, see Plaza de España, the Gothic Seville Cathedral, and the medieval Alcázar de Segovia castle complex. Take a short walking tour of Santa Cruz, Seville’s medieval Jewish quarter. Spend the evening at your leisure or join us on one of our unforgettable optional tours (B)

Seville, Granada & Costa del Sol

Take a scenic drive down to Costa del Sol, Spain’s phenomenal “Sun Coast,” with a detour in Granada to explore this Moorish haven at the feet of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Your walking tour includes Granada’s Royal Chapel, old silk market, Corral de Carbón, and the picturesque Plaza Bib-Rambla—a gorgeous city square that buzzes with energy. If you wish to reserve tickets to visit the famous Alhambra complex of Granada, you will have plenty of free time in the afternoon to visit. In the evening, enjoy a delicious meal at your hotel in Granada. (B, D)

Alicante & Valencia

Take a scenic journey to Valencia, with a lovely stop in Alicante for lunch on your own. Alicante is a perfect little beach town, and its fresh seafood is not to be missed. Look up to Mount Benacantil to see the sand-colored remains of Santa Bárbara Castle, the imposing fortress that protected Alicante dating back to the 9th century. Spend the evening in Valencia, where you can relax or find an outdoor cafe that serves Paella right here in the town where the famous dish was created! (B, D)

Valencia to Barcelona

Start your day with breakfast and a tour of Valencia; this former Roman colony is one of the most popular vacation destinations in Spain due to its appealing combination of culture and history. Your panoramic tour includes Plaza de Toros, Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, L’Oceanogràfic Museum, port, and marina. Take a walking tour of Old Town, and of the towering Cathedral of Valencia. Continue to Barcelona, your home for the next two nights. (B)

Barcelona and Montserrat

Barcelona’s over 7,000 years of history functions as a unique backdrop for this thoroughly modern city. The city of Barcelona boasts 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, not to mention a long, sandy coastline, fabulous food, and terrific shopping. Take a city tour where you will see Montjuic, Sagrada Familia, Passeig De Gracia with Gaudí buildings, Port Olympic, and the Arc de Triomf. Finally take an included funicular ride up to the site of the Sanctuary of Montserrat Mountain, an 11th century Benedictine monastery hidden in the towering Montserrat range high above Catalonia. Your night ends with an included dinner. (B, D)

Arrive in Lisbon

After an included inter-tour flight, arrive in Lisbon, the largest city and capital of Portugal. The evening is yours to enjoy until guests are invited to sit down for a delicious dinner at the hotel. Get acquainted with your traveling companions and learn about the exciting days ahead. (D)

Lisbon to Leiria

After an included breakfast, set off for Sintra. Enjoy a guided city tour of this charming town, located in the foothills of the Sintra Mountains, and famous for its pastel buildings and lush terrain. Next, continue to Óbidos for a short walking tour, where guests can explore Óbidos Castle on their own. You’ll have some free time for lunch and photos before we head to Fátima for a self-guided tour of the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima, the location of a 1917 miracle and an important Catholic pilgrimage site. After a memorable day of sightseeing, transfer to your hotel in Leiria for an evening at leisure. (B)

Leiria and Coimbra

Start your morning in Leiria, watched over for centuries by the magnificent Leiria Castle. Enjoy a self-guided tour of the UNESCO-listed Monastery of Batalha, commissioned in the 14th century by King John I and among Portugal’s most beloved historic monuments. Continue to Coimbra, one of Portugal’s loveliest college towns. Enjoy lunch on your own and perhaps visit the library and grounds of Universidad de Coimbra, originally founded in 1290. The university is dazzling, and you can visit many of its most impressive sites, including the Great Hall, Baroque Library, and Natural History Collection. (B)

Porto with Wine Tasting

Porto is one of Portugal’s oldest cities, and is a spectacular place to spend the day. First settled around 300 BC, it has since been captured by the Romans, the Moors, and even Napoleon; its historic center is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy a city tour with included admission to the 19th century Stock Exchange Palace and an included port wine tasting at Sandeman Cellars. After free time and lunch on your own, take a self-guided tour of Guimarães, whose medieval city center is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spend the evening relaxing in Porto. (B)

Viseu, Belmonte, and Evora

Start your active day in Viseu, where during free time you will have the opportunity to walk around the birthplace of Alfonso I The Conqueror, Portugal’s first king. Next, enjoy lunch on your own in Belmonte, plus an included olive oil tasting and admission to the Belmonte Jewish Museum. Dinner is included at your hotel in Evora. (B, D)

Evora

After breakfast, take a guided tour of the Cortiçarte cork factory, a fascinating facility where cork is produced using traditional methods that haven’t changed for hundreds of years. See everything from the trees whose bark is sustainably harvested every nine years, to the boiling vats where the cork is sterilized, to the gift shop selling a wide variety of gorgeous products. Next, travel to Evora, whose medieval town is one of Europe’s finest. For even older history, just look for the easy-to-spot 14 surviving columns of the Roman Temple of Diana, built around the 1st century A.D. Enjoy free time for lunch and shopping, then taste local wines on an included winery tour. (B)

Evora to Lisbon

Start the day with a terrifically enjoyable tour of the Leiveira-Azulejos de Azeitão ceramic factory. Portugal’s Azulejo tiles –tiny, often remarkably detailed pieces of art glazed in a striking blue –are one of the country’s most beloved cultural signatures. Dating back to the 13th century, Azulejos are the result of all of Portugal’s influences: the Moorish invasion, the Roman Catholic church, the Age of Discovery, all the way up to the bustling country’s modern needs and trends. After a stunning photo stop at Serra de Arrabida, enjoy free time on your own and a leisurely afternoon in Lisbon to relax on your own or sign up for one of our fabulous optional tours. (B)

Lisbon

Spend the final day of your tour in Lisbon, Portugal’s hilly coastal capital watched over by 7 picturesque hills. The peaks’ view of Lisbon’s historic cobblestoned streets and stately ruins, mixed seamlessly with the modern world that grew up around them, is one of Europe’s prettiest. Take a guided tour of the city’s highlights, including admission to the Jerónimos Monastery, a dazzling monument built in the 1500s as a potent symbol of Portugal’s immense wealth and power at the peak of their global navigation period. Enjoy lunch on your own and an afternoon at your leisure before ending your tour with a delicious farewell feast. (B, D)

Depart for Home (B)

Depart for Madrid

Your trip to Spain begins with an overnight transatlantic flight to Madrid.

Arrive in Madrid

Welcome to Madrid, where your trip of a lifetime begins! If you purchased airline tickets through YMT Vacations, a friendly representative will welcome you at the airport and transport you to the hotel. The evening is yours to enjoy until guests are invited to sit down for a delicious dinner at the hotel. Get acquainted with your traveling companions and learn about the exciting days ahead. (D)

Madrid

Wake up in Madrid, the capital city of Spain. Today we will take you on a panoramic tour including photo stops at some of Madrid’s most historic and iconic sights. See Plaza de España, Plaza de Colon, Plaza de la Independencia, Plaza Mayor, the Old City Center, Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, Retiro Park, and the upscale Salamanca neighborhood. Enjoy a walking tour of Toledo Old Town including admission to the stunning Toledo Cathedral; Toledo Cathedral is considered by many to be the greatest example of Gothic architecture in the world, and is just one of three 13th-century High Gothic cathedrals in all of Spain. The evening will be at your leisure to enjoy a delicious meal and the many museums, cafes, and pristine parks of this cultural hotspot. (B)

Madrid to Cordoba

On the way from Madrid to Seville, travel to Córdoba in the history-rich region of Andalusia. Enjoy a walking tour of Córdoba’s Jewish quarter, Calleja de las Flores, or flower street, and La Mezquita, an 8th century Mosque turned gorgeous Catholic Cathedral. Tour the breathtaking Mosque Cathedral, known as one of Europe’s greatest works of Islamic architecture. You will be entranced by the detailed Moorish archways that line the prayer hall made of rich jasper, onyx, and marble. (B)

Cordoba to Sevilla

Enjoy a leisurely departure from your hotel in Cordoba (Palma de Rio) in the morning after a delicious breakfast to meet your guide in the charming city of Seville! Spend the day in stunning Seville on a panoramic tour of Andalusia’s capital where Gothic architecture, medieval history, and Arabian culture combine to create a truly unique setting. From the comfort of your coach, see Plaza de España, the Gothic Seville Cathedral, and the medieval Alcázar de Segovia castle complex. Take a short walking tour of Santa Cruz, Seville’s medieval Jewish quarter. Spend the evening at your leisure or join us on one of our unforgettable optional tours. (B)

Seville day at leisure

Enjoy a day off from driving to explore this fantastic and vibrant city at your leisure, or consider joining one of our optional tours! (B)

Seville & Granada

Take a scenic drive from Seville to Granada this morning and enjoy a tour in Granada. Your walking tour includes Granada’s Royal Chapel, old silk market, Corral de Carbón, and the picturesque Plaza Bib-Rambla—a gorgeous city square that buzzes with energy. If you wish to reserve tickets to visit the famous Alhambra complex of Granada, you will have plenty of free time in the afternoon to visit. In the evening, enjoy a delicious meal at your hotel in Granada. (B, D)

Alicante & Valencia

ake a scenic journey to Valencia, with a lovely stop in Alicante for lunch on your own. Alicante is a perfect little beach town, and its fresh seafood is not to be missed. Look up to Mount Benacantil to see the sand-colored remains of Santa Bárbara Castle, the imposing fortress that protected Alicante dating back to the 9th century. Spend the evening in Valencia, where you can relax or find an outdoor cafe that serves Paella right here in the town where the famous dish was created! (B, D)

Valencia to Barcelona

Start your day with breakfast and a tour of Valencia; this former Roman colony is one of the most popular vacation destinations in Spain due to its appealing combination of culture and history. Your panoramic tour includes Plaza de Toros, Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, L’Oceanogràfic Museum, port, and marina. Take a walking tour of Old Town, and of the towering Cathedral of Valencia. Continue to Barcelona, your home for the next two nights. (B)

Barcelona and Montserrat

Barcelona’s over 7,000 years of history functions as a unique backdrop for this thoroughly modern city. The city of Barcelona boasts 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, not to mention a long, sandy coastline, fabulous food, and terrific shopping. Take a city tour where you will see Montjuic, Sagrada Familia, Passeig De Gracia with Gaudí buildings, Port Olympic, and the Arc de Triomf. Finally take an included funicular ride up to the site of the Sanctuary of Montserrat Mountain, an 11th century Benedictine monastery hidden in the towering Montserrat range high above Catalonia. Your night ends with an included dinner. (B, D)

Arrive in Lisbon

After an included inter-tour flight, arrive in Lisbon, the largest city and capital of Portugal. The evening is yours to enjoy until guests are invited to sit down for a delicious dinner at the hotel. Get acquainted with your traveling companions and learn about the exciting days ahead. (D)

Lisbon to Leiria

After an included breakfast, set off for Sintra. Enjoy a guided city tour of this charming town, located in the foothills of the Sintra Mountains, and famous for its pastel buildings and lush terrain. Next, continue to Óbidos for a short walking tour, where guests can explore Óbidos Castle on their own. You’ll have some free time for lunch and photos before we head to Fátima for a self-guided tour of the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima, the location of a 1917 miracle and an important Catholic pilgrimage site. After a memorable day of sightseeing, transfer to your hotel in Leiria for an evening at leisure. (B)

Leiria and Coimbra

Start your morning in Leiria, watched over for centuries by the magnificent Leiria Castle. Enjoy a self-guided tour of the UNESCO-listed Monastery of Batalha, commissioned in the 14th century by King John I and among Portugal’s most beloved historic monuments. Continue to Coimbra, one of Portugal’s loveliest college towns. Enjoy lunch on your own and perhaps visit the library and grounds of Universidad de Coimbra, originally founded in 1290. The university is dazzling, and you can visit many of its most impressive sites, including the Great Hall, Baroque Library, and Natural History Collection. (B)

Porto with Wine Tasting

Porto is one of Portugal’s oldest cities, and is a spectacular place to spend the day. First settled around 300 BC, it has since been captured by the Romans, the Moors, and even Napoleon; its historic center is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy a city tour with included admission to the 19th century Stock Exchange Palace and an included port wine tasting at Sandeman Cellars. After free time and lunch on your own, take a self-guided tour of Guimarães, whose medieval city center is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spend the evening relaxing in Porto. (B)

Viseu, Belmonte, and Evora

Start your active day in Viseu, where during free time you will have the opportunity to walk around the birthplace of Alfonso I The Conqueror, Portugal’s first king. Next, enjoy lunch on your own in Belmonte, plus an included olive oil tasting and admission to the Belmonte Jewish Museum. Dinner is included at your hotel in Evora. (B, D)

Evora

After breakfast, take a guided tour of the Cortiçarte cork factory, a fascinating facility where cork is produced using traditional methods that haven’t changed for hundreds of years. See everything from the trees whose bark is sustainably harvested every nine years, to the boiling vats where the cork is sterilized, to the gift shop selling a wide variety of gorgeous products. Next, travel to Evora, whose medieval town is one of Europe’s finest. For even older history, just look for the easy-to-spot 14 surviving columns of the Roman Temple of Diana, built around the 1st century A.D. Enjoy free time for lunch and shopping, then taste local wines on an included winery tour. (B)

Evora to Lisbon

Start the day with a terrifically enjoyable tour of the Leiveira-Azulejos de Azeitão ceramic factory. Portugal’s Azulejo tiles –tiny, often remarkably detailed pieces of art glazed in a striking blue –are one of the country’s most beloved cultural signatures. Dating back to the 13th century, Azulejos are the result of all of Portugal’s influences: the Moorish invasion, the Roman Catholic church, the Age of Discovery, all the way up to the bustling country’s modern needs and trends. After a stunning photo stop at Serra de Arrabida, enjoy free time on your own and a leisurely afternoon in Lisbon to relax on your own or sign up for one of our fabulous optional tours. (B)

Lisbon

Spend the final day of your tour in Lisbon, Portugal’s hilly coastal capital watched over by 7 picturesque hills. The peaks’ view of Lisbon’s historic cobblestoned streets and stately ruins, mixed seamlessly with the modern world that grew up around them, is one of Europe’s prettiest. Take a guided tour of the city’s highlights, including admission to the Jerónimos Monastery, a dazzling monument built in the 1500s as a potent symbol of Portugal’s immense wealth and power at the peak of their global navigation period. Enjoy lunch on your own and an afternoon at your leisure before ending your tour with a delicious farewell feast. (B, D)

Depart for Home (B)