Summary
This amazing Galicia and Portugal Travel Itinerary will offer you the opportunity to discover 2 countries during the same trip. You will discover the Northeast region of Spain and especially the Autonomous Community of Galicia and Portugal. You will visit cities such as Leon, Oviedo, A Coruña, Santiago de Compostela, Vigo and Cáceres in Spain, and Viana do Castelo, Braga, Porto, Coimbra, Fátima and Lisbon in Portugal. This Spain and Portugal Trip Itinerary (10 days) from Madrid will offer you the possibility to discover incredible places and UNESCO sites and enjoy a visit and tasting of Port wine at a local wine cellar in Porto. The name of Galicia derives from the Latin toponym Callaecia, later Gallaecia, related to the name of an ancient tribe that resided north of the Douro river, the Gallaeci or Callaeci in Latin. You should definitely visit both Spain and Portugal, 2 countries that are similar, but at the same time very different from each other. If you are a solo traveller willing to join a group, this tour also suits you as you can be accommodated in a single room (Single Room Supplement: 390 €). Departures are organized from Madrid every Tuesday from March 26, 2024 to October 22, 2024.
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Maria
Local travel expert in Spain
I speak English and Spanish. I studied tourism in Madrid, and I have more than 7 years’ work experience in travel agencies. My passion for travelling around Spain and Europe, made me discover new places and offer different routes around my country and some of its neighbours.
Itinerary
In the morning, you will depart from Madrid at 8:00 a.m. towards Leon. You will make a short stop in the city and will have some time at leisure for visiting the most representative buildings such as Leon Cathedral, a masterpiece of the Gothic style of the mid-13th century with its beautiful stained glass windows. You will also see San Isidoro Church and/or the facade of San Marcos Hostal of Plateresque style.
You will continue your trip to Oviedo.
Dinner and accommodation in Oviedo.
The day will begin with the departure to the region of Autonomous Community of Galicia, the name of which derives from the Latin toponym Callaecia, later Gallaecia, related to the name of an ancient tribe that resided north of the Douro river, the Gallaeci or Callaeci in Latin. You will reach the city of A Coruña where you will enjoy a short panoramic tour. The city is known for the Tower of Hercules that is a tower and lighthouse located on a hill on A Coruña peninsula, in Galicia and has the privilege of being the oldest Roman lighthouse currently in use. It is the third-tallest lighthouse in Spain and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
In the afternoon, an optional excursion could be organized to the Rías Altas through the typical villages of Pontedeume, Betanzos, etc.
Dinner and accommodation in A Coruña.
In the morning, you will travel to Santiago de Compostela. You will enjoy a guided tour of Santiago de Compostela, an important pilgrimage centre with its Plaza del Obradoiro, Cathedral, etc. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of St. James, a leading Catholic pilgrimage route since the 9th century. The Old Town of the city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Free afternoon.
Dinner and accommodation in Santiago de Compostela.
The day will begin with the departure to the Spanish Fiords (Rias Bajas), through splendid and spectacular landscapes with a brief stop on La Toja island. You will make a stop at O Grove in order to take an optional tour on a catamaran and see an oyster and mussel farm.
Optional excursion to Santa Tecla.
You will continue your trip to Vigo where you will have some free time.
Dinner and accommodation in Vigo.
After breakfast at the hotel, you will cross the border of Spain with Portugal, one of the oldest borders in the world also referred to as “The Stripe” (La Raya in Spanish), and you will reach Viana do Castelo, a town located between the mouth of the Miño river and Porto. The Miño river delineates a section of the Spanish-Portuguese border and flows southwest across Galicia in Spain before meeting the Atlantic Ocean in Portugal. You will have some free time in Viana do Castelo to visit the old town with cobbled streets and emblazoned buildings.
Next, you will travel to Braga, known as the city of the archbishops and the third most populated city in Portugal.
Free time.
Accommodation in Porto.
The day will begin with a Guided tour of Porto, a city declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. You will enjoy a guided tour of the city of Porto with the Cathedral, the Stock Exchange Palace and St. Clara Church, a temple of Gothic origin, the construction of which dates back to the first half of the 15th century. The tour will end at a local winery where you will taste the world-famous “Port wine”.
Free time.
In the morning, you will travel to Coimbra, city of one of the oldest universities in Europe and birthplace of the Fado de Coimbra, a highly stylized genre of Fado, music of Portugal. In addition, Coimbra has a contemporary music, boasting several live music venues, and some of the most popular clubs and music festivals in Portugal.
Lunch at a local restaurant.
Free time.
Accommodation in Coimbra.
The day will begin with the departure to Fátima, important pilgrimage centre. You will have free time for visiting the Shrine and afterwards you will continue your trip to Lisbon, the capital of Portugal located on the northern banks of the River Tagus (Rio Tejo).
Accommodation in Lisbon. This Spain and Portugal Trip Itinerary (10 days) from Madrid offers you the possibility to enjoy an optional night tour on this day to attend a show of Fado, typical Portuguese music.
In the morning, you will enjoy a guided tour of Lisbon visiting the old Alfama Quarter, one of the oldest quarters of Lisbon. It is a delightful maze of narrow cobbled streets and ancient houses, which lead up the steep hill from the Tagus Estuary to the castle. You will also see Belem Tower and Monastery of Los Jeronimos declared as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
Afternoon at leisure.
Optional tour to Sintra, Cascais and Estoril.
After breakfast, you will depart towards the border of Portugal with Spain and arrive in Caceres where you will have free time to discover its Plaza Mayor and to walk through the Old Town of Caceres and its famous medieval quarter, very well preserved and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
In the afternoon, you will enjoy lunch on your own.
After lunch, you will travel to Madrid.
Arrival in Madrid and end of services.
Prices
Every Tuesday (from March 26, 2024 to October 22, 2024)
2 Pers.
6 Pers.
18 Pers.
1285€
1285€
1285€
1350€
1350€
1350€
| Travel dates | Accommodation | Price per person in € | ||
| 2 Pers. | 6 Pers. | 18 Pers. | ||
|
Every Tuesday (from March 26, 2024 to October 22, 2024) |
4* Hotels (March - June) | 1285€ | 1285€ | 1285€ |
| 4* Hotels (July - October) | 1350€ | 1350€ | 1350€ | |
What's Included
- 9 nights accommodation in a double (DBL) or twin (TWN) room at 4-star hotels;
- Breakfast at the hotel;
- Lunch on day 7 of the itinerary;
- Dinner on day 1, 2, 3, 4 of the itinerary;
- Excursions on the entire itinerary;
- Transportation according to the entire itinerary (bus with free WI-FI onboard);
- Sightseeing tour with local guide in Santiago de Compostela, Porto and Lisbon;
- Visit and tasting of Port wine at a local wine cellar;
- Multilingual tour leader;
- Travel insurance;
- Municipal taxes in Porto and Lisbon.