Overview
Itinerary
Welcome to Lisbon!
At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)
Lovely Lisbon
LISBON: Guided sightseeing includes Jeronimos Monastery and cloister, a photo stop at Belem Tower and the Monument to the Discoveries. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT - HISTORIC SPOTS: The stunning capital city of Portugal is a treasure trove of historic and architectural masterpieces. Lisbon is home to the 16th-century Monastery of Jeronimos, with its 100-foot facade featuring images of St. Michael the Archangel and Our Lady of Belem. See the 16th-century Belem Tower, which served as a fortress but also as an embarkation point for sailors and was their last sight of land before the start of their journey. Lisbon's Monument to the Discoveries pays homage to great Portuguese explorers with a spectacular carved prow of an ancient ship.
Panoramas & Port Wine
FATIMA: Visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.
PORTO: Sightseeing with a Local Guide includes a panoramic drive to the mouth of the Douro River. See the Church of Sao Francisco and visit the Arabian Hall in the Stock Exchange. Enjoy a Port wine tasting at the famous Sandeman & Co Port Wine Cellar. (B) 217 mi / 350 km
LOCAL FAVOURITE - LOCAL TASTES: You're invited to the home of the most internationally recognised Porto wines at the magnificent Sandeman Wine Cellars. Here, taste centuries of tradition in a glass of Port wine in the city that bears its name. Saude!
Spectacular Spain
Scenic drive along the coastline en route to Vigo.
VIGO: Take a walking tour of the historic district.
LA TOJA ISLAND: See the church that is completely covered with seashells.
SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA: Dinner at a local restaurant. (B/D) 199 mi / 320 km
LOCAL FAVOURITE - CULTURAL GEMS: Marvel at the unusual church completely covered with seashells on La Toja island, famous for its spring waters. Once used for cattle grazing, it soon became a popular thermal retreat.
History & Mystery
SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA: Guided sightseeing includes the cathedral with the relics of St. James the Apostle. Afterwards enjoy a coffee break. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT - LEGENDARY LIVES: Santiago de Compostela is one of the world's most revered pilgrimage destinations since the Middle Ages. Today, faithful pilgrims embark on the Way of St. James with a walk on the Camino de Santiago each year, ending at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Here, the tomb of St. James the Apostle is housed within the cathedral's extraordinary Romanesque architecture.
Cider House Rules
LUARCA: Enjoy free time to browse.
OVIEDO: Guided sightseeing includes a panoramic drive and a walking tour of the Old Town. Enjoy a cider tasting at a traditional Sidreria (cider house). (B) 217 mi / 350 km
LOCAL FAVOURITE - LOCAL TASTES: Oviedo is home to a number of cider houses, serving the traditional drink that is a sign of eating well in this fruitful region. The art of pouring cider releases its aromas. Be aware! Once the cider is poured, the glass must be emptied in one go to fully appreciate the flavours. Bottoms up!
Artists & Ambassadors
SANTANDER: Enjoy free time for lunch.
BILBAO: Take a guided visit to the Guggenheim Museum en route to San Sebastian. (B/D) 249 mi / 400 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT - ART & ARCHITECTURE: Guggenheim Museum Bilbao was founded in 1997. It was designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry and hailed as one of the most important buildings of its time because of its spectacular structure of titanium, glass, and limestone. The museum features extraordinary exhibitions administered by the Guggenheim Foundation, as well as selections from the permanent collections of the Guggenheim museums in New York, Venice, and Abu Dhabi.
Basque Country
SAN SEBASTIAN: Guided walking tour of the Parte Viejo Old Quarter. Free time this afternoon and evening. (B)
FREE TIME TIPS - EXPLORE MORE: Framed by golden beaches and lush hillsides San Sebastian has undeniable allure. From its elegant and modern promenade to the charming cobblestone streets of the Old Town, there are a myriad of opportunities to enjoy your time in the "Pearl of the Cantabrian Sea."
Walk, Don't Run
PAMPLONA Take an orientation walk through the Calle Estafeta, followed by lunch with traditional tapas and Rioja wine at Basaburua restaurant.
SARAGOSSA: Orientation walk includes Plaza of Our Lady of the Pillar. (B/L) 162 mi / 260 km
LOCAL FAVOURITE - LOCAL TASTES: Best known as the narrow cobblestone gauntlet where the running of the bulls takes place in Pamplona, Calle Estafeta is a haven for food lovers where tapas and wine are always on the menu at Restaurante Basaburua in the heart of the city.
Barcelona Boulevards
BARCELONA: Guided walking tour this afternoon includes the Old Town with its Barri Gotic and a stroll down La Rambla. Later, enjoy a fresh fruit juice. (B) 193 mi / 310 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT - CULTURAL GEMS: Stroll in the footsteps of Picasso through the historic heart of the old city of Barcelona. Indulge in the tradition and tastes of 2,000 years in the Gothic Quarter. Take in the charm and captivating history with a walk down the tree-lined avenue of La Rambla amid the terraces and street performers on Barcelona's famous thoroughfare.
Legendary Landmarks
BARCELONA: Take a guided sightseeing tour of Barcelona this afternoon. Join a farewell dinner this evening at a local restaurant. (B/D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT - CITY SIGHTS: Follow your Local Guide for a fascinating look at Barcelona's landmarks and legendary sites. See Columbus Monument, Plaza de Cataluna; stop at the Sagrada Familia Basilica, and take in a panoramic view of the city and harbour from Montjuic Hill.
Safe travels until we meet again!
Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Trip Inclusions
- 11 Breakfasts
- 1 Lunches
- 4 Dinners
- Lisbon Smy Lisboa (First-Class)
- Porto Holiday Inn Porto Gaia (First-Class)
- Santiago De Compostela Santiago Plaza by Melia (First-Class)
- Oviedo AC Oviedo Forum (Superior First-Class)
- San Sebastian Silken Amara Plaza (First-Class)
- Saragossa Silken Reino De Aragon (First-Class)
- Barcelona NH Sants Barcelona (First-Class)
- Airport transfers at your arrival and departure destination are not included in the price of the tour.
- Itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
- Price is for land, cruise and specified internal flights. International flights not included.
Don't waste your precious time qeuing up, skip the lines with special VIP access at the must-see sites. Read more
Travel with expert Tour Directors and Local Guides who share their vast knowledge of the destination. Read more
Globus has the recipe for a great holiday. Savour the flavours of Europe through its regional cuisine. Read more
Globus picks hotels picked on their centralised location, so you'll stay right in the heart of the destination. Read more
Globus' coaches offer one of the most comfortable, stress-free and eco-friendly ways to travel. Read more
Do as the locals do and enjoy unique experiences that you wouldn't find touring on your own. Read more
Trip Reviews (5) Most Recent 'Lisbon & Northern Spain' Reviews
The hotels varied from very good to one being mediocre (Santiago de Compostela). The biggest criticism of most of the hotels is that they were not all that close to the main part of the towns we were visiting which meant a taxi ride or a reasonable walk after a long day of touring. The breakfasts at each hotel were absolutely delicious with a huge selection to choose from. The tour included 4 dinners and 1 lunch and these varied from being satisfactory to being very good but, in each of these, we were lucky to experience the local cuisine of the region.
The optional tours were great, in particular the half day tour to Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz in France from San Sebastian, Cascais from Lisbon and Montserrat from Barcelona. This tour seemed to attract people who had travelled quite widely; this was largely due, I believe that, apart from Lisbon and Barcelona, it included lesser known areas of Spain and Portugal. These areas are stunning though and well worth the trip. We were very pleased that we did a tour of Lisbon, Porto and Northern Spain rather than attempting to do it ourselves as we saw so many different and interesting sights with Kaye and local tour guides who were very good.
There was not a HUGE amount of walking so it did cater for older as well as younger people and we had both on this tour of 37 travellers - 6 Australians, 2 English and 31 Americans. We all agreed that we could never have managed to fit in anywhere near as much by attempting to do it by ourselves. Also, the local people in northern Spain do not understand English well so it was good to always have Kaye to communicate our needs. We believe that we had excellent value for money with hotels, all breakfasts, 5 lunches/dinners, an informative tour director and great local tour guides at every stop and our main luggage being transported from our room to the coach and vice versa seamlessly at each stop. We paid for transfers to and from the airports and these, although a little on the expensive side, took the stress out of having to organise these ourselves. We travelled in taxis both ways to and from the airports.
We would thoroughly recommend the tour for anyone who is looking at a lesser known region which is known for its beauty and its food. This is the 5th booking we have made with Hannah at Global Journeys and, as always, Hannah was professional, organised, approachable and thoroughly reliable with great attention to detail. We would not hesitate to book with Hannah at Global Journeys again. Thanks Hannah for everything in making this another fabulous trip for us!
This covered a lot of religious themes regarding Camino trails, but not ...read more being overly religious myself, I still found this tour interesting. Compared to the rest of Europe, Spain and Portugal are very good value for money when buying retail and food and beverage. I will do more of these types of tours from now on.
Availability
A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you enquire. Additional savings may apply. We guarantee the lowest price in Australia. T&C’s apply.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Globus. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from Globus. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
