Lisbon, Seville & Madrid

9 or 11 days

Lisbon, Seville, Madrid, extension to Barcelona

In Portugal and Spain, every step is a history lesson of its own—from Lisbon’s Moorish labyrinth of narrow streets to Seville’s impeccably preserved mosaics. The trail of breathtaking views and architectural wonders continues in Madrid, a city whose youthful crowds mix with a regional history of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian influences.

🔹 Curated experiences: Every program is intentionally designed to feature guided learning, cultural engagement, and independent exploration experiences to drive global competency development, denoted on each itinerary with a blue diamond. Learn more about these experiences.

Image displaying map describing the itinerary of the Lisbon, Seville & Madrid tour

Day 1: Fly overnight to Portugal

Day 2: Lisbon

Meet your Field Director at the airport

Take a walking tour of the age-old Islamic Alfama district of Lisbon, which includes includes 16th century aristocratic palaces and churches

Enjoy dinner in Lisbon

Day 3: Lisbon

🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of Lisbon

With your expert local guide you will see:

Tower of Belém
Monument to the Discoveries

Visit the Jerónimos Monastery, a monastery built by King Manuel to honor the country’s great voyagers

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Sintra and Cascais

Enjoy a half-day excursion to the hillside town of Sintra, referred to by Lord Byron as “glorious Eden”. Here, you’ll visit the National Palace of Sintra, whose two conical chimneys reign as the town’s most recognizable landmarks. Continue to the charming beach town of Cascais. Due to Portugal’s neutrality in World War II, Cascais became home to many of the exiled royal families of Europe, including those of Spain, Italy and Bulgaria.

Day 4: Lisbon • Seville

Travel via Évora, a Roman town lined with whitewashed houses and colorful azulejos, on your way to Seville

🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of Évora, a walled town that is home to the Praca de Giraldo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Visit the Chapel of Bones, a 16th century place of worship decorated with bones and skulls

Take a walking tour of Seville

With your Field Director you will see:

Giralda Tower, part of the Great Mosque of Seville and transformed with Renaissance stylings by the Catholic Church
Torre de Oro, an Islamic watchtower
Plaza de Toros de Maestranza, Seville's famous bullring

Enjoy dinner in Seville

Day 5: Seville

Visit Seville Cathedral, the third-largest church in the world that took more than a century to build

Visit the Seville Alcázar, an architectural wonder originally founded as a fort for the governors of Seville in 913

Take a tour of Seville

With an expert local guide you will see:

Barrio de Santa Cruz's narrow, twisting alleys
Maria Luisa Park, and its mosaics and fountains of Plaza de España
Plaza de Toros to learn about the tradition of Spanish bullfighting

🔹 Independent exploration: Spend a half day exploring Seville on your own

Day 6: Seville • Madrid

Travel by the high speed, energy efficient AVE train to Madrid

With your Field Director, take a walking tour of Madrid, Spain’s capital and largest city

Visit the Prado, Madrid's famed art museum where you can behold Velázquez’s Las Meninas and Goya’s paired canvases

Day 7: Madrid

🔹 Independent exploration: Spend a half day exploring Madrid on your own

Take a guided tour of Madrid

With your expert local guide you will see:

Puerta del Sol, one of the city’s busiest squares
Plaza Mayor, the center of old Madrid where you’ll learn about the grand square’s history of bullfights, royal weddings, and public executions
Plaza de Oriente, the Royal Palace square, located across from the Royal Palace

Visit the Royal Palace and get a glimpse of regal Madrid, where you’ll wander the fabulous palace interior

Day 8: Madrid

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Toledo

This half-day excursion will take you to the former Spanish capital of Toledo. Known as the “city of the three cultures,” this was a place of peaceful coexistence of Jews, Christians and Muslims. Toledo preserves an artistic and cultural legacy in the form of churches, palaces, fortresses, mosques and synagogues. Enjoy a panoramic drive around the city and visit the cathedral that dominates Toledo’s skyline. Then continue on to the Church of Santo Tomé where you’ll view The Burial of Count Orgaz, one of El Greco’s most famous works. Step inside one of Toledo's synagogues and finish off your excursion with a stop at a local sword-making workshop.

Enjoy a tapas dinner in Madrid, consisting of many small plates of local culinary favorites

Day 9: Depart for home

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Day 9: Madrid • Barcelona

Travel by AVE train to Barcelona

With your Field Director, take walking tour of Las Ramblas, a pedestrian mall where you’ll find endless entertainment, restaurants, markets, monuments and shopping

Enjoy dinner in Barcelona

Day 10: Barcelona

Take a guided tour of Barcelona

With your expert local guide you will see:

La Sagrada Família, Gaudí’s masterpiece cathedral that is over 130 years in the making
From the top of Montjuïc, enjoy panoramic views of the harbor below
Gothic Quarter, a memory of the Roman Empire, now lined with shops and restaurants
Barcelona Cathedral, a Gothic Revival church known for its gargoyles and other mythical animals

Visit Park Güell, a vast public park designed by Antoni Gaudí that features colorful mosaics and remarkable architecture

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Barcelona by bike

Feel the warm Mediterranean air breeze by as you explore Barcelona on a guided bicycle tour. This bicycle-friendly city has more than 75 miles of lanes for cyclists, providing a safe, fun and fast way to gain a deeper understanding of Barcelona’s richly diverse streets and neighborhoods. Stop along the way to learn historical details about the city’s famous sites before pedaling on to your next destination.

Day 11: Depart for home