Spain & Portugal Christmas
Spain & Portugal Christmas
$1800
Spain & Portugal Christmas
9 Days Starting and ending in Hotel in Madrid
Visiting: Spain, Madrid, Granada, Toledo, Seville, Ronda, Alhambra, Portugal, Lisbon, Algarve, Porto, Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca, Avila
Tour operator:
Tour code:
ESPXMAS
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
10 - 51
Age range:
10-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
See a different side of Spain and Portugal by visiting over the festive season! Savour a Spanish Christmas in the charming city of Seville. Discover the enchanting, historic cities of Toledo, Granada, Salamanca, Avila and Ronda. Roam the streets of the capital cities Madrid and Lisbon. Tuck into Spanish tapas,pastéis de natain Portugal and authentic Port in Porto! Experience a dreamy festive season on the Iberian route and relish the blue skies and winter sun. You won't have another travel experience like this!
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Start Of Tour In Madrid
Location: Spain, Madrid
Meals Included: Dinner
Madrid welcomes you! Today marks the start of this Spain and Portugal Christmas tour. After arriving this morning, head to the hotel to meet up with your tour leader and travel companions. Once everyone is present, the exploration of Madrid and all its festive season charm kicks off with a locally guided tour of the city’s top attractions! Tonight, enjoy your first introduction to exquisite Spanish cuisine with an included welcome dinner. What better way to get to know your new travel family? The Christmas celebrations kick off in Spain today, so you're in luck! It's the day of the Spanish Christmas Lottery, ‘El Gordo’ or the ‘Fat One’ - the world's biggest lottery draw.
Explore Madrid with a local guide
Welcome dinner in Madrid
Day 2: Toledo - Granada
Location: Spain, Granada, Toledo
Meals Included: Breakfast
This morning, journey south to the UNESCO-listed city of Toledo and uncover its heritage. This city is also considered the Spanish spiritual capital, so be sure to marvel at the Gothic architecture and captivating Cathedral. Up next is the Moorish city of Granada. Join your tour leader on an informative orientation tour. Spot some top attractions and learn about the Moorish influence while admiring vistas of the Alhambra citadel across the valley. This historic palace and fortress dating back to the 8th century will leave you speechless! This evening, savour some free time or experience more of Granada on an optional local food and wine experience. Please note, this excursion must be booked prior to the start of the tour.
Visit the ancient city of Toledo
Discover the delights of Granada
Day 3: Granada - Ronda - Seville (Christmas Eve)
Location: Spain, Seville, Ronda, Alhambra
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Today, make the most of the unmissable opportunity to visit the magnificent Alhambra Palace & Gardens on an optional excursion. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this is one of Granada's top sights! Due to immense popularity, this excursion must be booked prior to the start of the tour. Then, journey through Andalusia, known for Flamenco and matadors! The first stop is Ronda, one of Spain's oldest cities, for views of the renowned ‘Puente Nuevo’ bridge and the picturesque countryside all around. Up next, travel to Seville, known as the city of siestas, tapas and fiestas! Join an expert local guide later to explore the old town before enjoying an included dinner at a local restaurant tonight.
Visit Ronda; home to the famous Puente Nuevo
See Seville on a driving tour
Enjoy a local dinner in Seville
Day 4: Seville (Christmas Day): Free Day
Location: Spain, Seville
Meals Included: Breakfast
Feliz Navidad!What better way to spend Christmas Day than with a free day to discover Seville? Spend it however you wish. Wander the streets, explore Plaza de España or admire some of the gorgeous historical buildings around the city. Try some Spanish festive treats like the Spanish Christmas bread, Roscón de Reyes. For an unforgettable Christmas Day, join today’s optional excursion which includes a visit to the stunning Casa de Pilatos, a delicious three-course lunch and an immersive experience at Las Setas, an innovative architectural complex. Please note, due to popularity, this excursion must be booked prior to the start of the tour. Tonight, choose to celebrate Christmas with a flamenco show in the birthplace of this vibrant dance.
Day 5: Algarve - Lisbon
Location: Portugal, Lisbon, Algarve
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
It's Boxing Day morning, and the tour is crossing the border into Portugal en route to the lively capital city of Lisbon! On the way, soak up the stunning scenes of southern Portugal. Make a stop along Portugal’s southern coastal region of Algarve and enjoy free time to discover the town, bask on the beach or grab some lunch. Later, arrive in Lisbon and embark on a driving tour of the city with your tour leader. Spot the Tagus River as well as some of the city's famous sights, such as the Belém Tower and the Padrão dos Descobrimentos monument. Remember, tomorrow is a free day, so take note of places you'd like to explore in more detail!
Visit the Algarve; Portugal's stunning southern coast
Enjoy a driving tour of Lisbon
Day 6: Lisbon - Free Day
Location: Portugal, Lisbon
Meals Included: Breakfast
Lisbon is yours to explore at leisure on today's free day! Choose to explore some of the city's highlights, including the Monument to the Discoveries, Belém Tower and the hilltop district of Bairro Alto. Savour the sound of Fado music emanating from open windows all around. Keen to do some souvenir shopping for your loved ones back home? Head to A Vida Portuguesa! Be sure to try somePasteis de nata, delicious Portuguese egg tarts, at one of the many bakeries around. Or, spend the whole day in Sintra on an optional trip, exploring this town known for its mountains, palaces, parks and medieval residences. Alternatively, choose to join the optional trip to the Fátima Sanctuary & Coin Caves.
Day 7: Obidos - Porto
Location: Portugal, Porto
Meals Included: Breakfast
This morning, the coach begins the journey to Porto. But first, stop in Obidos, a fortified town with narrow cobbled streets, stunning houses and an impressive castle looking down from atop a hill. Next, travel onwards to the second-largest city in Portugal, Porto! After arriving, meet up with an expert local guide and head out on a driving and walking tour of the city's top attractions, such as the Cathedral, Sao Bento train station, Clerigos Tower and the Luis I bridge. This afternoon, enjoy a uniquely Portuguese experience with a tasting of authentic Port wine - one of the top exports of Portugal. Tonight, opt to enjoy a live Fado performance followed by a delicious dinner on the unmissable optional excursion.
Visit Obidos; a medieval fortified town
Enjoy a driving and walking tour of Porto
Taste Portugal’s most famous drink - Port!
Day 8: Ciudad Rodrigo - Salamanca
Location: Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
It's time to head back to Spain today. Cross the border and stop in the 12th-century fortified cathedral city of Ciudad Rodrigo and marvel at the variety of art and architecture on display! Embark on an orientation tour followed by free time for lunch. Arrive in Salamanca this afternoon, spruce up at the hotel, and embark on an orientation tour of Spain’s “Golden City” with your tour leader. Explore more of this UNESCO-listed University city at leisure during some free time before meeting back up with the group for a farewell dinner. Celebrate the last night on tour with a three-course dinner of food unique to Salamanca!
Visit Ciudad Rodrigo, a 12th-century fortified town
Explore Salamanca at your leisure
Traditional dinner in Salamanca
Day 9: Avila - Madrid
Location: Avila, Madrid
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today is the last day of this memorable Spain & Portugal Christmas tour! It's time for the final stretch from Salamanca to Avila before ending in Madrid. Avila is a famous, UNESCO-listed ancient town known for its impeccably preserved century-old city walls. This city also boasts breathtaking Romanesque churches, monasteries and palaces. Marvel at this city's medieval architecture before continuing on to Madrid, where the tour concludes this afternoon. Bid the group and this life-enriching tour farewell, and remember to exchange contact details with your new travel friends from around the world!
Visit Avila; home to incredible Romanesque architecture
What's Included
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Accommodation
8 nights in 2, 3 & 4* hotel accommodation in twin rooms with private bathrooms
Single travellers have the option to pay a single supplement to ensure a private room (subject to availability) -
Transport
Modern air-conditioned coach with reclining seats and toilet onboard
Any public transport used as part of the tour (excludes free days) -
Meals
8 Breakfasts, 4 Dinners
*Vegetarian options available for all meals on request -
Tour Leader
Fully guided tour with experienced tour leader
Tour leader will accompany group throughout and manage all logistical details
What's Not Included
International flightsTravel to the start point and from the end point is not included. We recommend using Skyscanner to find the best deals on international flights.Travel insuranceFor a relatively small price, travel insurance provides you with peace of mind so that you can enjoy your tour without any worries.
All passengers travelling on an Expat Explore tour are required to have valid travel insurance cover and you are responsible for arranging your own insurance.
Mode of Transport
Modern air-conditioned coach with reclining seats and toilet onboard
Any public transport used as part of the tour (excludes free days)
Accommodation
8 nights in 2, 3 & 4* hotel accommodation in twin rooms with private bathrooms
Single travellers have the option to pay a single supplement to ensure a private room (subject to availability)
Traveller Comfort - *COACH* tours
We welcome all travellers on our tours but we would like to ensure that you are as comfortable as possible. In light of this, please ensure that you are happy with the below information and level of fitness required.
Expat Explore tries to be as accommodating as possible, however, our tours are unfortunately not designed for people travelling with wheelchairs or severe mobility issues.
Our tours are fast paced because they are designed for you to see the most a destination has to offer. We also want to ensure that you explore as much as possible, which may require long periods without stops on the coach as we drive to a new destination.
We offer walking tours in most cities (up to 3 hours), and a wheelchair is not always a practical option as there are often cobbled streets and stairs on these tours.
For travellers in wheelchairs, you will only be able to store your wheelchair under the coach with the other luggage. Thus, on the long drives between cities you will not necessarily have access to your wheelchair if we make a quick bathroom stop along the way. Please note that travelling with a wheelchair could prove difficult as our coaches don't have wheelchair lifts, as such you will need to be able to board and alight the coach on your own.
With regards to our accommodation, not all hotels have lifts and this means potentially having to carry bags up and down stairs.
For more information regarding traveller fitness please see our Terms and Conditions.
Experiences
Explore Madrid with a local guide
Welcome dinner in Madrid
Visit the ancient city of Toledo
Discover the delights of Granada
Visit Ronda; home to the famous Puente Nuevo
See Seville on a driving tour
Enjoy a local dinner in Seville
Visit the Algarve; Portugal's stunning southern coast
Enjoy a driving tour of Lisbon
Visit Obidos; a medieval fortified town
Enjoy a driving and walking tour of Porto
Taste Portugal’s most famous drink - Port!
Visit Ciudad Rodrigo, a 12th-century fortified town
Explore Salamanca at your leisure
Traditional dinner in Salamanca
Visit Avila; home to incredible Romanesque architecture
Check out our Q&As
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What is the fitness level required to do this tour?
All travellers are required to carry their own bags, get on and off the coach, and use public transport. Our city walking tours can last up to 3 hours and certain places involve walking up and down lots of steps. We want you to enjoy your tour, so read through the itinerary thoroughly and make your own conclusions as to whether you feel that you are fit and healthy enough.
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
No, you will need to make your own arrangements to get to the meeting point for the first day of your tour. Please see the meeting point information for details on how to reach the meeting point.
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Will I know the names and details of all the accommodation before I depart?
A full list of confirmed accommodation names and addresses for your particular departure will be emailed to you around 1 week before the tour starts.
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Is free Wi-Fi available in the accommodation used?
All of the hotels on this tour offer Wi-Fi, which is available free of charge as part of your Expat Explore tour.
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Is there a supplement for solo travellers?
There is an optional single supplement/private room upgrade available for single travellers who wish to have a private room. This can be added at the time of booking or by contacting our customer services team. Please note that the room provided may be a single room with a single bed.
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Are flights included in this tour?
No, you will need to make your own arrangements to get to the meeting destination for the first day of your tour. Make sure you keep departure times and possible delays in mind when booking flights.
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
All our tours are conducted in English.
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Is there a limit to luggage that can be brought on the tour?
Due to weight and space limitations, you are allowed to bring one main piece of luggage weighing no more than 20kg, and one small soft bag for hand luggage weighing a maximum of 7kg. On all tours, you will have to carry your own luggage (e.g. into hotels and up to your room if hotels don’t have elevators). Please bear this in mind when you are deciding what to pack
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
Our tours are not suitable for young children, so we set a minimum age limit of 10 years old.
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Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?
No, visas are each traveler’s personal responsibility, and we recommend that plenty of time is allowed for visas to be applied for. When applying for your visa, please ensure that the proper research is carried out before you apply, and that you deal directly with the embassies or certified agents with regard to acquiring correct and timely information. We cannot take responsibility for customers
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Are all entrance fees included in the price?
No, entrance fees are not included.
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What is the tipping policy?
Whilst we fully understand that some nationalities are not accustomed to tipping, this is a normal part of the culture in many of the countries we visit. Tipping has become an increasingly accepted practice in all areas of the service industry, but particularly in restaurants, bars and taxis worldwide. Expat Explore crew members
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What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?
We have searched and invested in excellent accommodation options, either located in cities or well placed with public transport connections. Clean linen, towels is always included. Toiletries (shampoo, shower gel etc) and hair dryers are not always included, so you may wish to bring these with you. Accommodation is provided in twin share en-suite rooms. We use a mix of mostly 2, 3 & 4-star hotels.
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Will passengers from another country be participating in the tour?
Our travelers come from all walks of life, with different backgrounds and interests.
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Do you require a visa for this holiday?
Certain nationalities may require a visa(s) for this tour.
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What is the maximum group size?
It depends on how many other people book! There could be up to 51 other passengers, so you will have the opportunity to make lots of friends!
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Are vaccinations required for this tour?
We are committed to curating excellent travel experiences and to do so we need all of our travelers to feel safe.
In order to ensure the peace of mind and safety of our travelers and staff on board the coach, we are still requesting that all travellers, regardless of their vaccination status, produce a negative Covid test. This test can be a PCR test -
Is the tour coach air conditioned?
Yes, Full air-conditioning
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Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?
Yes, As detailed in the itinerary
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Will there be an escort accompanying this tour?
Our tour leaders come from all walks of life, with different backgrounds and interests. They are all confident and well-travelled with an in-depth knowledge of the destinations they are working in, and a passion for helping you make the most out of your Expat Explore tour.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
If you are travelling alone there is no compulsory charge - you will share a twin room with another passenger of the same gender. There is an optional single supplement/private room upgrade available for single travellers who wish to have a private room. This can be added at the time of booking or by contacting our team.
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Children on tour?
Our tours are not suitable for young children which is why we have a minimum age limit of 10 years old. However, at the discretion of Expat Explore we may consider younger children on certain tours if they meet certain criteria and a request is received in writing via email. Minors (between 10 and 18 years of age) must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who accepts full responsibility for them. Unaccompanied minors will not be accepted on tour. Expat Explore reserves the right to decline any booking at our discretion. Any minor (between 10 and 18 years of age) is priced the same as an adult.
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
The health and safety of our travellers and employees are our top priority. Which means, when you travel with us, our enhanced hygiene protocols will ensure you do so in a safe and responsible way - ask for details of current policies.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Since 2005
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
At Expat Explore we value responsible travel and are committed to exploring the world consciously and kindly. We are proud to make responsible travel possible with a number of our sustainable travel practices!
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Am I contributing to any charity by booking the tour?
Relate is a South African based not-for-profit organisation that Expat Explore supports. The group aims to help those less fortunate create better lives for themselves through a variety of fundraising initiatives. On our South Africa tours, each passenger will receive an Expat Explore branded Relate bracelet. We donate the cost of these bracelets to our chosen Relate charity: the Nelson Mandela Sc
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Dec 22, 2024 - Dec 30, 2024Monday - Tuesday
Dec 22, 2025 - Dec 30, 2025Book with Confidence
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Free Date Changes
Expat Explore Travel allows you to make 5 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 91 days before the start of the tour.
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Low Deposit
Expat Explore Travel requires a minimum deposit of 10% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of expat explore travel charges.
Up to 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 59 days before tour starts: Forfeit 20% of booking price.
At 44 days before tour starts: Forfeit 40% of booking price.
At 29 days before tour starts: Forfeit 70% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.