Lisbon & Barcelona small group tour

We make our own way to our accommodation in Lisbon, where the group will meet with the Odyssey Program Leader. This evening the group will enjoy a welcome dinner at a nearby restaurant. (D)

On our first full day in Lisbon, we will go on a guided tour of the neighbourhoods of Alfama and Graca, two of the oldest districts in the city.

We will stroll through the cobbled streets of Alfama and enjoy spectacular views of the city from several viewpoints. Many of the areas can be reached on foot, but as there are several steep streets we can take the tram in certain sections of the tour. This historical tour will include

• entrance to the 12th-century Lisbon Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in the city
• Museum of Aljube, which used to be a prison and is now a museum dedicated to the memory of the struggle against the dictatorship which governed Portugal from 1926 to 1974
• Museum of Roman Theatre, unearthed ruins of the ancient Roman theatre of the city of Olisipo, Lisbon’s origins
• Church of Sao Vicente de Fora, known for having the world’s largest collection of baroque tile art
• Museum of Fado, dedicated to Fado (“fate”), a type of Portuguese expressive and melancholic musical performance traditionally associated with pubs and cafes. The Lisbon style of Fado dates back to the 1830s, and we will experience this performance on Day 3

We will end the day’s tour in the area of the São Jorge Castle (no internal visit) to view the Moorish castle overlooking Lisbon and the Tagus River.

Dinner is at own expense. (B)

Today we will go on a morning guided tour of Fronteira Palace, built in the 17th century and considered one of the most beautiful residences in Lisbon with its spectacular decorative tiles, frescoed panels, and works of art. This private residence of the Marquesses of Fronteira was built in 1671 as a hunting pavilion of the 1st Marquis of Fronteira, Dom João de Mascarenhas.

In the afternoon, we will take a guided tour of the historic Mouraria neighbourhood at the foot of São Jorge (St. George) Castle, birthplace of Lisbon Fado and a vibrant art scene. Mouraria or “Moorish Quarter” was named as such as this became the sanctuary for Muslims after Afonso I reclaimed the city and banished Muslims living inside the castle walls. It continued to become a sanctuary for immigrants through the years, and today it is Lisbon’s most culturally diverse districts. Among the many sights we will see on our tour include the Escadinhas de São Cristovão which has walls of murals dedicated to Fado, and the home of singer Maria Severa Onofriana whose performances brought fame to Fado and lifted her to near-mythical status in Mouraria. She died from tuberculosis at the age of 26 in 1846, and today her old apartment is a fado venue.

In the evening we will have dinner and experience a performance of Fado at a local Fado house (possibly in the cosy Mesa de Frades, which used to be a chapel). (B, D)

Today we will focus on the Portuguese Age of Discovery. We will spend the full day in the Belem neighbourhood, a village located at the mouth of the Tagus River, where Portuguese fleets departed to reach the Atlantic and sail around the globe.

Many of the city’s iconic monuments are located here. We will have a special visit to the Fabrica dos Pasteis de Belem, which has been baking the Portuguese custard tart since 1837. We will have chance to taste this creamy pastry–its secret recipe guarded since the 19th century–and stroll inside the beautiful café-factory.

We will move on to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites–the Jeronimos Monastery, a former monastery of the order of St. Jerome that has since been secularised; and the Tower of Belem, built around 1514 on the banks of the river to defend the port of Lisbon.

We will also explore the Berardo Museum, a museum of modern and contemporary art, and Coaches Museum, which houses a valuable collection of horse-drawn carriages.

Dinner tonight is at own expense. (B)

Today we will enjoy a full day tour of Chiado, Principe Real and Estrela, newer neighbourhoods that offer upscale shops and glimpses into Lisbon’s past. Among the monuments we will visit are the ruins of the Carmo Convent, a Catholic convent destroyed during the Lisbon earthquake of 1755 and which now remains as a reminder of the tragedy. It now houses the Carmo Archaeological Museum, which is dedicated to Portuguese history.

While Carmo Convent was destroyed, Igreja de Sao Roque survived the massive earthquake, and we will visit this as well. Sao Roque was the first Jesuit church constructed in Portugal.

There will also be time to visit Lisbon’s landmark basilica, Basilica da Estrela, have food and perhaps go shopping in Campo de Ourique, and explore the National Museum of Ancient Art, Portugal’s national art museum. (B)

Today is a free day to spend at our leisure. Use this time to relax or see more of the city. (B)

From Lisbon, we travel to the city of Sintra, a UNESCO heritage town famous for its 19th century Romantic architecture. Its historic centre is listed as a World Heritage Site. It has many royal palaces and gardens, and early today, to avoid the crowds, we will explore the colourful Pena Palace, located at the top of the hill in the Sintra Mountains. It has a mix of styles running the architectural gamut from neo-Gothic to neo-Renaissance, and is celebrated as the grandest example of Romantic architecture.

We will stop for lunch, possibly at Lawrence’s Hotel restaurant. Lawrence’s Hotel is the oldest hotel on the Iberian Peninsula, and known for lodging several important personalities such as Lord Byron and Portuguese writer Eca de Queiroz.

Still in Sintra, we will visit the magical Quinta da Regaleira, a palace and a chapel set on a hillside, which also showcases an eclectic mix of architectural styles. The property also has fountains, grottoes, statues, caves, and ponds connected above-ground through pathways and below-ground through tunnels lit with fairy lights. We will see the romantic Monserrate Gardens and Palace, which blends Moorish Revival and neo-Gothic architectural styles, before driving back to Lisbon.

(B, L)

Today we will drive to Obidos, where we will enjoy a sightseeing tour. Obidos grew from a Roman settlement and a Moorish fortification, until it was extensively remodelled under Dinis I. Dinis I offered the town to his wife, Isabel, in the 13th century, and its architecture was enriched in the following centuries.

We then continue to the fishing town of Nazare. In Nazare, we will have a guided tour to learn more about the town’s fishing traditions and view the beach famous among surfers the world over for its giant waves. It is not unusual to see fisher women here still wearing traditional clothing: skirt with seven colourful layers (said to represent the days of the week), wooden clogs, and black headscarf.

Before heading back to Lisbon, we will stop at Batalha to visit its impressive monastery built in the Gothic and Manueline (Portuguese Gothic) styles. The Monastery of Batalha was built to commemorate the Portuguese victory over the Castilians at the 1385 Battle of Aljubarrota, ending the Castilian plan to capture the Portuguese throne. (B)

Today we will go on an excursion to Mafra on the west coast, famous for its UNESCO-listed Palace-Convent, an imposing structure conceived by King João V in 1711. The Italian Baroque edifice, built from wealth generated by the gold from the Portuguese colony of Brazil, houses the king’s and queen’s palaces, the royal chapel, a Franciscan monastery, and a huge library containing 36,000 volumes, surrounded by a garden and royal hunting park.

From Mafra we will continue to Ericeira, a beautiful seaside town perched on a cliff overlooking beaches. After some free time exploring the town, the tour will go through the charming village of Azenhas do Mar with its whitewashed houses, and we will stop for a bit to enjoy the stunning views.

We will then transfer to Cape Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe. Here, we will enjoy a panoramic view of the Atlantic before transferring back to Lisbon. (B)

This is another free day we can spend at our leisure. Use this time to pack or do some last-minute Lisbon sightseeing as we will be heading to Barcelona tomorrow! (B)

We will be taken by coach to the airport to fly to Barcelona.

Upon arrival at Barcelona, we will be transferred to our hotel, where we will also have our group dinner to begin the second leg of our twin city excursions. (B, D)

Today will be spent exploring the vibrant city of Barcelona, particularly the Gothic Quarter and the Born neighbourhood, taking advantage of Barcelona’s public transport. A local guide will then take us on a tour of the city. We will visit its central square, Plaça de Catalunya and walk down tree-lined Las Ramblas. Among the places we will explore in the medieval-era streets of the Gothic Quarter are:

• the Jewish Quarter, which has Spain’s oldest synagogue
• the 15th-century Basilica of Santa Maria del Pi
• Barcelona Cathedral, seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona
• Museum of the History of Barcelona
• Basilica Santa Maria Del Mar, an outstanding example of Catalan Gothic

Today we will be focusing on the Spanish Civil War. A local guide will take us through a series of sights relating to the war, explaining their relevance and the enormous impact of the conflict on Barcelona itself. The Spanish Civil War began in 1936 and continued until 1939, when the fascist leader Francisco Franco defeated the Republican forces and declared victory. Barcelona was one of the final cities to fall to Franco’s rule, after his invasion of Catalonia. The half-day tour will end with a visit to Castell de Montjuïc, an old hilltop military fortress dating back to the 17th century, and which was used as a prison during the Civil War.

In the afternoon, we will have a tour of Montjuïc, including entrance to the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya.

Our evening can be spent at leisure. We suggest staying to watch the music and light show at the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc before heading back to the hotel. (B)

We will go on a market tour of La Boqueria Market, which dates back to the 13th century and a showcase of Barcelona’s gastronomic delights. This will be followed by a cooking class, where we will learn how to prepare traditional cuisine. Lunch will be the sumptuous dishes we will prepare in the cooking class.

We will have some free time until we meet again in the evening for dinner and a flamenco show. (B, L, D)

The focus of today’s tour is Barcelona’s most famous resident, Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926). Barcelona is an architecturally wondrous city and perhaps the greatest influence on the city’s style was architect Antoni Gaudi. Gaudi’s style is distinctive and striking. One of his most famous works is the Casa Batlló, a strange skeletal house that is extraordinarily beautiful both inside and out. The Batlló family, who commissioned the house, put no limitations on the architect. It is now open to the public. We will also see the famous Sagrada Familia and the colourful Park Guell. We will also see the unusual Casa Mila also known as La Pedrera or “the stone quarry” due to its rough-hewn appearance. This was the last private residence Gaudi designed. (B)

This is a free day to relax or to go exploring the city on your own. (B)

This morning we will take a guided tour of the Palau de la Musica Catalana, a concert hall with striking modernist architecture. In the afternoon, we will visit the Picasso Museum, which houses one of the most extensive collections of Pablo Picasso’s artwork, and Palau Guell, a mansion designed by Gaudí for the industrial tycoon Eusebi Güell and another great example of Gaudi’s unique architectural imagination.

(B, D)

Today is a full-day excursion to Montserrat. The city is located at the foot of the striking multi-peaked mountain range of the same name (Montserrat in Catalan means “saw mountain”). We will be visiting the Santa Maria de Montserrat on the mountain to view the Virgin of Montserrat, one of the Black Madonnas of Europe. To reach the Benedictine abbey and basilica, we will be taking a cable car ride that will also give us a panoramic view of the city.

This will be followed by a guided tour and tasting at a cava winery in Sant Sadurni d’Anoia before returning to our hotel. (B)

Today is a free day to relax before our final full day of sightseeing in the city. (B)

Today we will venture out of Barcelona to the ancient Catalan city of Girona to explore the town. Its Museum of Jewish History documents a long history of Judaism in the city, which flourished in the 12th century. It also tells a fascinating story of the city’s history. The Arab Baths are a 12th-century construction inspired by Roman baths and which are still largely intact. We will also see the beautiful Girona Cathedral with its 91 stone steps. Fans of the show Game of Thrones may recognise the Arab Baths and the cathedral steps as some scenes were filmed here.

On the way back to Barcelona we will stop at Besalu, a magnificent example of a charming medieval town.

In the evening we will sit down as a group at a local restaurant for our farewell dinner. (B, D)

The end of breakfast also marks the end of the tour and our services. (B)