Duration
13 Days
Physical rate
Moderate
Start city
Madrid
Available
April 2025 / October 2025
Detailed day by day description
Introduction
Dear Traveler: thank you for choosing us to perform this Tour! We hope you enjoy your trip.
Here we give you a guidance on their tour with the information that we believe may be of your interest. The information is indicative, may exist variations on designated hours.
TRANSFER from the airport, if you have it included or purchasing. Our transfer will be waiting for you with a poster on behalf of Europamundo or its name to the output of the custom (after collecting your luggage)..
Remember to inform us by phone if you lost your connection flight or expected delay of their arrival, in your VOUCHER figure the phone of the transfer.
IMPORTANT: If you had additional nights upon arrival the hotel will have your reservation, but his travel guide normally will not be until the night before the start of the tour.
Scenery: Wide open pastures in Extremadura, picturesque walled towns in Portugal, and arrival in Lisbon via the breathtaking suspension bridge over the Tagus River.
Note: There´s a time change when crossing into Portugal; remember to set your watch back one hour (when it´s 12:00 p.m. in Spain, it will be 11:00 a.m. in Portugal).
07:45 a.m. – Departure from Madrid (departure time may vary slightly depending on the starting point). We´ll journey through Castile and Extremadura.
12:15 p.m. - Mérida, the capital of Extremadura. Admission included to the archaeological complex of the Roman Theater and Amphitheater, the largest in the Iberian Peninsula and a World Heritage Site. It´s renowned not only for its excellent state of preservation but also as a testament to the significance of shows and entertainment in Ancient Rome. Mérida also has a vibrant pedestrian historic center with plenty of options for lunch.
03:30 p.m. – Departing from Mérida, we´ll enjoy beautiful landscapes of vast pastures. We´ll then cross into Portugal and enter the Alentejo region.
04:30 p.m. (Portuguese time) – Évora. We’ll arrive in the capital of Alentejo, one of the most ancient cities in Portugal, declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Time to have a walk through the historic center with its white streets, cathedral, and old churches, a taste of southern Portugal.
06:30 p.m. – Departure from Évora.
08:00 p.m. – Lisbon.
Note: If there are very few passengers, the journey from Madrid to Mérida may be conducted by public transport (regular bus or train).
08:30 p.m. - We’ll return to the hotel from the lively Restauradores Square , filled with vibrant bars and cafes.
Scenery: Pleasant green landscapes, hills, historic cities.
08:00 a.m. – Departure from Lisbon.
09:45 a.m. – Fátima. We’ll have time to visit the Sanctuary, a significant pilgrimage site marking the apparitions of Our Lady to the Three Shepherd Children. The chapel was built in 1919 at the location of the 1917 apparitions in Cova de Iria, and the Sanctuary has since expanded to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims.
11:30 a.m. – Departure from Fátima.
02:00 p.m. – Porto. You’ll have some free time for lunch. In the afternoon, we’ll board a traditional Portuguese "Rabelo" boat for a 50-minute cruise along the Douro River, offering a unique view of the city´s beautiful riverside as we pass under the six bridges that span the river, including the iconic Dom Luís I Bridge, one of the city´s most famous landmarks. While enjoying the experience, we’ll also have the opportunity to taste a delicious glass of Port wine, the most famous of Portuguese wines, produced in this region and once transported on these very boats. Afterwards, you’ll have free time, and we recommend exploring the medieval Ribeira district, with its narrow, cobblestone streets lined with old merchant houses and charming cafes.
07:00 p.m. - We´ll provide a transfer to the hotel.
Scenery: Beautiful green countryside and views over the Rías Baixas.
Note: Remember to bring warm clothes for the boat trip.
08:00 a.m. - Departure from Porto.
09:00 a.m. - Arrival in Braga. We´ll visit the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus and take a trip on the world’s oldest water-operated cable car. After exploring the sanctuary, we recommend descending via its picturesque staircase.
10:15 a.m. - Departure from Bom Jesus. We´ll head to Galicia with stunning views over the Galician estuaries.
13:00 p.m. (12:00 p.m. in Portugal) - Arrival in Cambados. This historic maritime town offers a glass-bottomed boat trip along the Ría de Arousa, where we´ll learn about mussel farming. Onboard, enjoy wine and mussel tastings. Free time to explore Cambados and have lunch follows.
16:00 p.m. - Departure from Cambados.
16:45 p.m. - Arriving in Santiago de Compostela, you´ll embark on a city tour with a local guide, learning about how St. James has drawn pilgrims for centuries. Wander through the medieval streets of the center and marvel at its majestic cathedral.
Note: On certain dates, particularly during the celebration of St. James’ Day, our groups may need to be accommodated in a city near Santiago.
Scenery: Beautiful green hills, villages. Spectacular mountain scenery crossing the Cantabrian Range.
08:00 a.m. – Departure from Santiago. Following the ancient Way of St. James, amidst picturesque landscapes, we’ll travel to Lugo.
09:30 a.m. - Lugo - Free time. You can explore its walls, built over 2000 years ago by the Romans and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
10:30 a.m. – Departure from Lugo. We’ll journey to Castile, stopping in O Cebreiro, a charming Galician stone village that offers a glimpse into the region’s traditional way of life.
01:45 p.m. – León. Time for lunch and a stroll in this historic Leonese capital, located on the Way of St. James. Its Gothic cathedral is renowned for its magnificent stained-glass windows.
04:15 p.m. – Departure from León.
06:00 p.m. - Oviedo, the capital of Asturias. We´ll include a one-and-a-half-hour city tour with a local guide, either in the evening or the next morning. During the tour, we´ll visit the 9th century cathedral, the Calatrava palace, the Campoamor theater, the Rúa street and we will also learn about Asturian cider, one of the most deeply rooted traditions of this land. After the visit, we’ll enjoy a traditional Asturian dinner at a typical cider house. Are you ready to taste and try your hand at pouring cider the local way? We’ll spend the night in Oviedo, the vibrant capital of the Principality of Asturias, known for its lively atmosphere.
Scenery: Very beautiful landscapes: mountains, views of the sea, small villages line the road.
08:30 hrs Oviedo-Departure of the Asturian capital.
09:45 hrs Covadonga. - We will visit Basílica which is surrounded by beautiful scenery.
10:45 hrs Covadonga -Departure. The green mountains blend with the sea. Beautiful scenery on the way.
12:30 hrs Santillana. -Arrival to one of Spain’s most beautiful towns. We will visit its well-preserved medieval quarter with its embalzoned houses, the Collegiate church, its cobbled streets. Time to walk and have lunch.. We visit the National Museum and Research Centre of ALTAMIRA (ticket included) located in the vicinity of this town where we can find reproduction of the fantastic rupestrian paintings of the cave.
16:00 hrs Santillana / Altamira-Departure.
16:30 hrs Santander - Arrival to the region’s capital city, a coastal city with amazing vistas and beaches. We will foloow the coast of the port to arrive to the beaches of Sardinero. We include a tourist train tour of the Magdalena Palace gardens , where we will enjoy their magnificent vistas.
Free time in Santander.
NOTE: On some high difficulty dates (especially from April to mid October), some groups can be accommodated in Bilbao.
Paisajes : Grandes vistas sobre el mar, montañas, paisajes verdes de la Cornisa Cantábrica.
09:00 hrs Santander -Salida. Magníficos paisajes. Paso al país Vasco.
10:30 hrs Bilbao. Llegada a la mayor ciudad del País Vasco. Incluimos con guía local, una visita de la ciudad : donde destaca el Museo Guggenheim con su impactante arquitectura exterior y el casco viejo , antiguo núcleo medieval con sus calles llenas de vida y su catedral. Tiempo libre para pasear y almorzar. Recomendamos el Mercado de La Ribera para almorzar que ofrece puestos con la típica gastronomía vasca en una estructura parecida a un barco ubicada frente al río.
14.30 hrs- Bilbao, salida. Tras la hora del almuerzo continuamos nuestro día.
15.15 hrs- Guernica, llegada y tiempo para un paseo en esta localidad cuna del pueblo vasco pero tristemente conocida por ser el lugar donde se libró una de las peores masacres de la Guerra Civil Española recordada en la pintura de Pablo Picasso. Acá se encuentra el árbol de GuerniKa, bajo cuyas ramas se otorgó autonomía al País Vasco en la Edad Media.
16.45 hrs.- Guernica. Seguimos nuestra ruta entre montañas.
18.15 hrs-Hondarribia (Fuenterrabía), parada en uno de los pueblos más bonitos del País Vasco, con sus playas, sus murallas, su ambiente marinero y su centro histórico donde sorprende el trazado cuadriculado de sus calles angostas y adoquinadas. Tiempo para pasear en el casco histórico.
19.45 hrs- Hondarribia, salida.
20.15 hrs- San Sebastián / Donostia . llegada al final de la tarde a la elegante capital de Guipuzcoa. Sugerimos conozca la “Parte Vieja" famosa por sus animados bares de pintxos y su ambiente vibrante, destino popular para los amantes de la gastronomía. Cada establecimiento tiene su propia especialidad y estilo, lo que hace que explorar y probar diferentes pintxos sea una experiencia emocionante y deliciosa.
Scenery: Lush, wooded areas in the Basque Country transition to the vast pine forests of France´s Landes region, eventually giving way to vineyards as we approach Bordeaux.
In the morning, after soaking in the stunning views of San Sebastián Bay from Mount Igueldo, we’ll head to the Miramar Palace and its lovely gardens. You’ll then have some free time to relax on the large beach, stroll along the boulevards, and enjoy lunch in the old town, famous for its lively “pintxos” bars and vibrant atmosphere—a hotspot for food lovers, where each of the bars has its own speciality and style. We´ll include a traditional Basque cuisine pintxo experience, accompanied by a drink.
04:15 p.m. – Departure from San Sebastián. We’ll cross into France through the Basque Country, traveling through the Landes region with its pine forests and lakes. As we near Bordeaux, we’ll be welcomed by the region’s renowned vineyards.
07:15 p.m. - Bordeaux. Our guide will give a brief introduction to the city. You’ll then have free time to explore, and we suggest taking a walk through the city center.
Scenery: Picturesque vineyard landscapes.
Take time to savor the center of Bordeaux, which has been recognized as a World Heritage Site. Prepare to be captivated by the "Water Mirror" and explore the historic old town with its charming pedestrian streets and 11th-century cathedral. Later, you´ll have free time to stroll along the Garonne River banks, lined with quaint restaurants perfect for lunch, or if you wish, you can visit Cité du Vin, an impressive interactive museum that delves into the history and production of wine.
02:00 p.m. Departure from Bordeaux. We will continue our journey towards the Pyrenees.
05:30 p.m. - Arrival in Lourdes. Time to visit the Sanctuary. We recommend attending the candlelight procession, typically held at 9 p.m. from late March to late October. Dinner included.
Scenery: Beautiful mountain landscapes in the morning. Picturesque villages along the route.
07:30 a.m. – Departure from Lourdes. We’ll cross the Pyrenees, the natural border between France and Spain, with its snow-capped peaks visible for much of the year and breathtaking landscapes.
09:30 a.m. - Sallent de Gállego. Just near the French border, we’ll make a brief stop to explore this charming Aragonese Pyrenean village, known for its Gothic church and medieval stone bridge.
10:15 a.m. - Departure Sallent. We’ll continue our journey through the mountains.
11:45 a.m. - Huesca. We’ll have time for a stroll and a coffee in the historic center of this provincial capital, where highlights include the cathedral and the 12th-century Abbey of San Pedro el Viejo with its beautiful Romanesque cloister.
01:00 p.m. - Departure from Huesca.
02:00 p.m. - Zaragoza. We’ll stop in the bustling capital of Aragon for lunch, explore the historic district, and visit the impressive Plaza del Pilar, home to both the Cathedral and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
04:30 p.m. - Departure from Zaragoza.
09:00 p.m. - Madrid. Arrival at the end of the day.
Note: Please be aware that the hotel check-out time is usually 10:00 a.m. You can leave your luggage in reception upon check-out, allowing you to explore the city without carrying your bags. You can retrieve your luggage at your convenience later in the day. If you require additional time to use your room, we recommend booking an extra night at the end of your tour.