During this tour of three of Iberia’s liveliest cities, you’ll encounter historic monuments, intricate architecture and fascinating culture. In addition to its vibrant culture, relaxing is a crucial part of Iberian culture, and we've designed this tour with plenty of free time to make your own explorations.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 - Lisbon

Your trip begins with a regularly scheduled overnight flight to Lisbon aboard an internationally recognized airline.

Day 2 - Lisbon

Welcome to Lisbon! A Go Ahead representative greets you at the airport after you clear customs and then escorts you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to relax or begin acquainting yourself with Lisbon. At an included dinner this evening, meet your fellow travelers.
Included meals: breakfast (in flight), dinner

Day 3 - Lisbon

This morning, a local guide leads your comprehensive tour of Lisbon. You’ll see Padro dos Descobrimentos and the Torre de Belém. It was from here that many navigators set sail during the Age of Discovery—including Bartolomeu Dias, who sailed around the southern tip of Africa. Then experience an old-world atmosphere as you journey through the labyrinthine streets of the age-old Moorish Alfama district and past the Castelo de São Jorge. Visit the Ajuda Palace, once a royal residence, and Claustro de Los Jeronimos, a converted 16th century monastery. Tonight, opt for a dinner excursion that will feature a live performance of fado, a beloved Portuguese musical style.
Included meals: breakfast
Included entrances: Ajuda Palace, Claustro de Los Jeronimos

$99 USD

Fado Dinner & Show Spend the evening at a traditional Portuguese tavern listening to the music known as fado. Played on a special “fado guitar,” the music is similar to the American blues movement, although historically it dates more accurately to African slave songs. Dinner is included during this memorable musical evening. Please note: This optional excursion requires advanced booking.

Day 4 - Lisbon

Today is free for you to experience the charms of Lisbon at your leisure. You might choose to tour the Museum of Decorative Arts, housed in an elegant 18th-century mansion, or stroll along the tree-lined Avenida da Liberdade with its many inviting cafés. Alternatively, join an optional excursion to nearby Sintra, once the playground of Portuguese royalty.
Included meals: breakfast

$99 USD

Sintra Travel westward to the area known as the Portuguese Riviera. Your destination is Sintra, a resort considered one of Portugal’s most beautiful areas. Along the way, take in marvelous views of the coastline and Roca Cabo, which frequently served as the departure point for 15th-century navigators.

Day 5 - Seville

Travel through the unspoiled countryside of Portugal en route to Spain. Before crossing the border, stop in Evora with a visit to St. Francis Church and Gardens. Arrive later in Seville, a city brimming with traditional Spanish charm. Dinner is included tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrances: St. Francis Church and Gardens

Day 6 - Seville

This morning, enjoy a guided sightseeing tour of beautiful Seville, capital of Spain’s Andalusian region. Behold the intricately tiled pavilion of the Plaza de España before entering the opulent Alcazar, once home to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Also visit Seville’s impressive gothic cathedral, one of the world’s largest cathedrals as well as the burial place of Columbus. Enjoy a free afternoon in Seville.
Included meals: breakfast
Included entrances: Alcazar, Seville cathedral

$75 USD

Flamenco Show & Carriage Ride Experience the drama of flamenco dancing, one of Spain’s most celebrated traditions. Flamenco is a unique and colorful Andalusian art form, combining guitar playing, singing, clapping and dancing. Also included in this excursion is a carriage ride.

Day 7 - Seville

Enjoy a free day in Seville to spend however you wish. You might choose to climb the 230-foot-high Giralda Tower or stroll through the gardens of Maria Luisa Park. Or pay a visit to the majestic 18thcentury bullring. Tonight, opt to enjoy a Flamenco show, preceded by a carriage ride.
Included meals: breakfast

Day 8 - Madrid

En route to Madrid, stop in the ancient Moorish town of Córdoba. An expert local guide introduces you to the Mezquita. Once the seat of the Caliphs, the Mezquita was built in the 8th century as a mosque and then converted into a cathedral during the Christian Conquest of 1236. At one time, the city of Córdoba was home to 700 mosques, 900 public baths and 70 libraries. Your tour also includes a walk through the city’s ancient Jewish Quarter. Continue on to Madrid, Spain’s capital city. Dinner is included tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrances: Mezquita

Day 9 - Madrid

A professional local guide leads today’s tour through Madrid to the Prado, an extensive art museum that began as the private collection of the Spanish monarchy. Masterpieces you’ll see here include Velázquez’s Las Meninas and Goya’s Naked Maja. Next stop is the Palacio Real (Royal Palace), built by Bourbon King Philip V. Once the seat of the most powerful court in the world, it was here that Spain officially joined the European Union in 1986. This castle boasts more than 2,500 extravagant rooms. This evening, join our optional Traditional Spanish Evening for succulent Castillian cuisine at
one of Madrid’s most legendary restaurants.
Included meals: breakfast
Included entrances: Prado, Royal Palace

$99 USD

Traditional Spanish Evening Enjoy conversation and camaraderie—true to the Castilian culture—while dining in a restaurant situated in the historical Plaza Mayor. Revel in the traditional atmosphere while you indulge in an evening of succulent Castilian cuisine.

Day 10 - Madrid

You might choose to enjoy the day at your leisure by visiting more of Madrid’s museums, exploring its churches and parks or sipping a cerveza at a sunny café in the Plaza Mayor. Alternatively, opt for an excursion to Toledo. This optional guided sightseeing tour through Spain’s first capital centers on the gothic cathedral, prime seat of the Catholic Church in Spain and home to an exceptional collection of ecclesiastical treasures.
Included meals: breakfast

$89 USD

Toledo Your guided tour begins at the massive Gothic cathedral, which houses 750 medieval stained-glass windows and a treasury rich in vessels made from the gold that Columbus brought back from the New World. Gaze at the sacristy, containing masterpieces by the likes of van Dyck, El Greco, Rubens and Titian. Please note: This tour involves some difficult walking over uneven terrain. Also, depending on the day of the week, the sites visited are subject to change. Sundays when the Synagoga of Transito is closed, you’ll visit the Synagogue St. Maria la Blanca.

Day 11 - Madrid

If you are not continuing on the extension in Madrid, a Go Ahead representative escorts you to the airport for your return flight home.
Included meals: breakfast
(In the case of early morning departures, breakfast may not be provided.)

Protect your investment with affordable travel protection

Basic Trip Cancellation/Interruption Coverage
Protect yourself in the event you need to cancel your trip or leave your tour unexpectedly due to an emergency. Or choose one of the comprehensive packages below, and receive a discounted rate!

TravelSafe Plus — For one low price, you’ll receive:

• Trip cancellation & interruption protection
• Medical & accident protection
• Baggage & property protection

TravelSafe Gold with Flight Cancellation Protection
Take advantage of the best possible deal for your investment dollar. For $60 USD more, you’ll get all of the above plus additional coverage (up to $1,000 USD) if the flight to your tour is cancelled due to reasons beyond your control.

Purchase your travel protection package early and receive an added benefit!
Purchase one of the above TravelSafe packages within 14 days of reserving your tour, and you’ll automatically receive AnyTime Travel Protection at no additional charge. This means you can cancel for any reason up to 72 hours prior to the departure of your initial flight and still protect your investment. You will be provided with a credit voucher towards your next Go Ahead tour.

What’s unique about these protection plans?

• Most primary travel protection companies don’t cover international travel.
• Under the AnyTime Travel Protection Plan, you can cancel for any reason and your investment is protected in the form of a credit voucher.
• Efekta travel protection covers lost or stolen cash while on tour.
• Efekta travel protection covers the cost towards replacement of valuable documents—such as passports, airline tickets and visas while on tour.
• In the event that your roommate cancels for a reason covered under the policy, you will be reimbursed for the single supplement fee, should you still choose to travel.
• The following policies are also available to be purchased separately:
  • Medical & Accident: $70 USD
  • Baggage & Property: $60 USD

Extended Protection Plan
The Extended Protection Plan allows you to purchase extended coverage for any travel you do before or after meeting up with your Go Ahead Tours tour group (with flights arranged by Go Ahead Tours).

For more detailed descriptions of the benefits available under Efekta Insurance International LTD's Travel Protection Plans please call 1-800-597-0350 or download a PDF copy of the Efekta Travel Protection booklet here.

Passport & Visa

In order to enter Portugal and Spain, U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport. The expiration date must extend at least six months beyond
the date of your return home. No visa is required for U.S. or Canadian citizens. If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you must contact each country’s consulate for your specific entry requirements.

Health

There are no major health risks when traveling to Spain and Portugal. During the summer months, travelers should take extra care for sun exposure. It is always advisable to check with your doctor or health-care provider for the latest updates and overseas travel requirements.

Transportation / Walking on tour

Round-trip flights arrive in Lisbon and depart from Madrid. Included transportation on “Lisbon, Seville & Madrid” is by private motorcoach. In your free time, you may wish to explore the major cities by public transportation.

Lisbon is a very walkable city (although sometimes hilly), but you may want to break up your walking with rides on trams, metro and buses. All-inclusive travel passes are available.

Seville’s city center is best accessed on foot, while local buses service outlying areas.

Madrid’s main center is compact and walkable, but you’ll want to take advantage of the fast and efficient metro system for most attractions. Buses and taxis (which are inexpensive compared to most European cities) are also readily available and well-regulated.

Clothing & Packing Tips

Light, loose-fitting clothing that provides comfort when exploring the sights is essential for your tour. A sun hat, sunglasses and a sturdy pair of walking shoes or sneakers are recommended for sightseeing. It’s always a good idea to be prepared for any eventuality—a lightweight sports jacket and emergency rainwear are advised.

If you plan to visit an especially elegant restaurant or attend the opera or theater, you will probably feel more comfortable with something more formal to wear. Also, remember that it is preferable not to visit churches or other religious sites with bare legs and shoulders (and entrance may be denied on this basis).


Be sure to visit www.travelsmith.com, official outfitters for Go Ahead Tours. Please enter JY9220 in the field for Catalog Key Code when creating your account!”

Currency

The euro is the currency you will be using on your tour. Better rates of exchange are usually available in Spain and Portugal rather than in the United States, although it is worth ordering some currency from your local bank to use when you first arrive.

We strongly advise that you take debit/bank cards and credit cards, which can be exchanged for cash at local banks, as needed. You can use most debit/credit cards at ATMs on the international networks Cirrus and Plus, but make sure to check with your home bank about withdrawal fees. We also suggest that you inform your bank and credit card company of your travel plans, so that they won’t confuse your international purchases for fraudulent charges.

Please note: With the conversion to the euro, it has been increasingly difficult to exchange traveler’s checks outside of Europe’s major cities—both at banks and shops—and they often attract higher fees.

Tipping

At the conclusion of your tour, it is customary to offer your Go Ahead Tour Director and driver a gratuity. We recommend tipping in your tour country’s currency, the equivalent of $3USD/CAD per person per day for your driver and $6USD/CAD to $9USD/CAD per person per day for your Tour Director. If applicable, we also recommend the equivalent of $2USD/CAD per local guide.

Tips can only be paid in cash.

Please keep current local currency exchange rates in mind when tipping.