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The
Passion
of
Spain
and
Portugal QueensLander Tours invites you to join us on our newest adventure: The Passion of Spain and Portugal. Experience these wild, beautiful and contradictory lands. From Roman relics and Muslim palaces to baroque cathedrals and daring modern city centers, Portugal and Spain boast a dazzling blend of civilization, culture and color. This 12-day tour is a treasure chest of cultural jewels that stretch across a wide palette. Unique Itinerary Wherever you look, Roman arches and Arab filigree meet, creating a colorful, eclectic mash of centuries. The Spanish put their heart and soul into everything they do. They may be the world’s most sociable people. Meals are celebrations. Art is passionate. The sun is hot. And the flamenco from Spain and the fado from Portugal, (the other destination on this tour) is very cool.
Spain
&
Portugal
Tour
-
Unique
Perspective
That's it ~ everything else excluding personal item purchases is included.
Lisbon Welcome
to
Lisbon! Our tour captain will meet you at the hotel or if you've opted for our Arrival Transfer you will be met at Lisbon’s Aeroporto de Lisboa. Enjoy our arrival transfer or make your way to our hotel in the Rossio District. About QueensLander's Small Group Experience Once you are settled in your room you’ll venture out with your tour captain for a city Orientation Walkabout, starting with our home for the day: the Rossio District. In 1755 an earthquake rumbled Lisbon. Half the city collapsed and fifteen thousand perished. Much of Lisbon's history fell with this earthquake. For people who like history without walking through old churches and museums, Lisbon will be a delight. Your Tour Captain will point out the major landmarks, ATM machines and other helpful sites. You will then have plenty of time for you to rest and freshen up before coming together for our included welcome Reception and Dinner.
WELCOME DINNER TONIGHT INCLUDED DELUXE
HOTEL: Hotel Britannia Arriving
a
day
early?
You
may
wish
to
visit
the
Gulbenkian
Museum,
created
by
the
Armenian
oil
millionaire,
Calouste
Gulbenkian,
who
donated
his
amazing
collections
of
art.
Works
include
early
Babylonian
pottery,
art
by
Rembrandt
and
pieces
of
Lalique
glass.
Or
explore
the
Museu
de
Arte
Antiga,
filled
with
paintings
by
medieval
and
Renaissance
artists.
Lisbon & Sintra After a restful night’s sleep, we enjoy a hearty breakfast in preparation for a busy day of sightseeing in Lisbon and Sintra. Lisbon, the center of Europe’s longest-lived overseas empire, feels tropical, and in sites and sounds, very connected to Africa. The city is highlighted with pinks, yellows, aquas and limes. While most of Lisbon was destroyed in the 18th century, it still is that cobbled city of your imagination. Our local guide will join us today and present the most important sights: Baxia
Quarter,
Pombal
Statue,
Avenida
da
Liberdade,
the
Alfama
District
with
its
"earthquake
proof"
structures
(famed
for
surviving
the
1755
earthquake),
Belem Tower
which
guards
the
mouth of the Tagus,
and
the
Monasterio de Jeronimos.
Late afternoon/early evening return to Lisbon. This
evening,
you
can
join
your
Tour
Captain
to
an
evening
stroll
to
dinner,
not
included.
Later
you
may
be
enticed
to
stop
into
a
local
Fado
bar
to
listen
to
old
Portugese-style
blues.
This
traditional
lyrical
poetry
singalong
is
truly
unique,
combining
elements
of
singing
and
narrative
poetry. DAILY
HOT
BREAKFAST
INCLUDED Walking Level: Moderate, Leisurely Pace: Volume: Moderate
Alentejo to Lagos We’ll take a little more time for breakfast today before boarding our private mini coach and make our way south through the seemingly stuck in time landscape of the Alentejo Region, characterized by miles and miles of cork trees, olive and orange trees. Known as the "bread basket" of Portugal, Alentejo provides most of the country's food. Our destination is Lagos, located in the majestic scenery of the Algarve Region of Portugal, the backdrop of your morning drive. Towering cliffs shelter pristine beaches along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean as we venture to this exotic destination. This is a day to enjoy the beautiful countryside and scenery as we arrive at Quinta dos Vales ~ a winery and farm experience not to be missed. After a wine tasting, tour of the farm, and lunch, we drive about 25 minutes to our hotel in Lagos. Here you will be able to walk on the beach, after we check into the Cascade Resort hotel, which sits on a cliff looking over the beautiful pristine beaches and swimming pool. This afternoon is the time to relax and stroll the beaches on your own. The beaches are only a 5 minute walk or you can relax poolside. It's one of the prettiest beaches in Praia de Dona Ana. This property is selected for its location away from town on the beautiful coast. Tonight, enjoy a welcome dinner at the resort restaurant, which is known for its menu and chef. INCLUDED DINNER TONIGHT Walking Level: Light, Leisurely Pace: Volume: Light DELUXE HOTEL:
Cascade
Resort
Seville
After freshening up we'll meet our local guide, who will accompany us to relive the drama of Carmen as we explore this historical city. Seville’s city tour embraces its ancient Roman history, conquest by the Moors and contribution to the discover of the New World. Like all old cities built haphazardly over the centuries, walking around Seville is a dream, and most probably one of Europe's most beautiful places. Its alleys twist and turn, and sometimes the tiny courtyards feature an orange or a lime tree bursting with vivid color. As we pick through the narrow lanes of the charming city, we’ll view Columbus’ tomb in the Cathedral, the world’s largest Gothic edifice. Then we're on to Alcázar, the longest inhabited royal palace in Europe and a marvel of Moorish-style architecture.The variety of small palaces that make it up is amazing. The stucco work and the Mudejar ceilings are simply beautiful. The tiles on the walls are some of the most beautiful tiles ever made in Spain or anywhere. The huge gardens are marvelous and a joy to discover. Then on to its
Giralda
Bell
Tower
was
once
the
minaret
of
a
12th-century
mosque. Tonight, enjoy our "Welcome to Spain" dinner. There are really few places in the world that can compare with Spain on food. It’s fresh, healthy, and with it’s plethora of artistic chefs, is the epicenter of new cuisine right now. There
is
an
infinite
variety
of
Spanish
wines;
the
wines
from
the
Rioja
region,
the
wines
from
Ribera
del
Duero,
the
cava
from
Catalunya,
and
the
sherries
from
Jerez
de
la
Frontera,
and
the
sweet
muscatel
from
Malaga. INCLUDED REGIONAL WINES WITH DINNER TONIGHT ~ Free-choice dining means you select what you'd like from the menu ~ the Tour Captain is available to help you interpret the menu. Your Tour Captain Host will provide the appetizers featuring regional cuisine and will select your vino for the evening ~ a variety of red and white wine from the region! Walking Level: Moderate, Leisurely Pace; Volume: Moderate to Ample DELUXE HOTEL: Gran
Melia
Colon
Andalucian,
Jerez
de
la
Frontera After breakfast, we’re on the road again heading deeper into the Andalucian Region of Spain, towards the Mediterranean Sea and the beautiful city of Jerez De La Frontera. Famous as the Capital of Sherry production as well as its Dancing Carthusian Horses, we’ll take time today to sample both of these fine Andalucian traditions. Afterwards, we’ll venture back to Seville so that you can have time on your own for additional sightseeing or shopping. Tonight you might consider experiencing Tapas for dinner along with a taste of the local wines. Tapa - the word for 'cover,' comes from the practice of placing a lid over a glass of wine or sherry to keep out the flies - and adding olives or cheese on the lid as a complement to the wine. Tapas means a variety of appetizers or snacks. The serving of these small plates is designed to encourage conversation. In Spain, dinner is usually served between 9 and 11 p.m., leaving significant time between work and dinner. Therefore, Spaniards often eat tapas in the time between finishing work and having dinner. OPTIONAL DINING TONIGHT: Consider joining your Tour Captain for a unique tapas dinner tonight. Walking Level: Light to Moderate, Leisurely Pace, Volume: Moderate DELUXE HOTEL: Gran
Melia
Colon
Granada & Ronda Today, we’ll take the road less traveled, making our way to Granada. Here, the Islamic past feels recent with a growing North African population. Our route today will take us through Ronda, the birthplace of modern bullfighting and one of the last beacons of the Muslim world. This fairytale setting dating back to Roman times, has attracted the likes of Ernest Hemingway, who based “For Whom the Bell Tolls” on this city, as well as Orson Wells, who’s ashes are buried on a bull farm just outside of town. The interior of Andalucía is responsible for many of the memorable images we have of Spain. Hemingway called Ronda the most romantic town of Spain. Its location above the surrounding countryside above steep cliffs is dramatic. We will travel through the sun-baked watershed of the Rio Guadalquivar Basin, the same river that Columbus and Magellan sailed from. The rolling hills are punctuated by old farming estates. Some have viewing towers, and others are even outlined in tiles or mosaics in the colors of ochre, blue and brick red. Ronda sights include Three Bridges, Plaza de Toros, spiritual home of Bullfighting. We’ll
arrive
into
Granada
mid-afternoon,
plenty
of
time
to
check
into
our
fantastic
5
star
Hotel
Palacio
de
Santa
Paula,
catch
our
breath
and
venture
out
for
a
quick
walkabout
before
dinner. INCLUDED WELCOME DINNER Walking
Level:
Light,
Leisurely
Pace;
Volume:
Light
The
Alhambra,
Flamenco
Show
Another
hearty
breakfast
awaits
us
this
morning
as
we
fuel
our
bodies
for
another
action
packed
day.
We start with a look around town town
culminating
in
the
magnificent
fortress
that
crowns
the
city,
The
Alhambra, where we'll meet our local guide. We’ll
tour
the
Palace,
the
massive
grounds
and
the
spectacular
water
gardens
of
the
Generalife,
used
in
the
1300’s
as
the
Sultans
vacation
retreat.
From
it
you’ll
get
great
views
of
the
Old
Quarter
and
Sacromonte,
a
mountain
occupied
by
Gypsy
cave
dwellers. INCLUDED DINNER & FLAMENCO SHOW TONIGHT Walking Level: Moderate, Leisurely Pace; Volume: Ample Tonight we’ll take in the passion and seduction of the art-form known as the Flamenco. A show is Included with our dinner. Flamenco is an art form that was born, and thrives, here in Spain. Spanish flamenco is the best because Spaniards start dancing when they can barely walk, and they dance everyday. The stomping of the feet, the twirling of the body, and the drama of the music are simply part of their culture. DELUXE
HOTEL: AC
Palacio
de
Santa
Paula
Cordoba Cordoba is an unhurried city, known for its abundant courtyards (or patios as they are called locally), flowers dangling from balconies, narrow winding streets, and is our destination for the day. After checking in to our city center hotel, Hotel Hospes Palacio del Bailio, we’ll take to the streets for a Orientation Walkabout with a visit to the Mezquita before setting you free to experience this beautiful city at your own pace. This will allow a little free time to shop, stroll and relax before we head to Madrid for our big finish. OPTIONAL DINNER ~ Consider joining your Tour Captain for a great optional dinner in Cordoba. Optional Excursions: Cooking lesson DELUXE
HOTEL: Hotel Hospes Palacio del Bailio
Madrid Today,
after
breakfast,
we
will
experience
the
Spanish
Rail
system
with
first
class
passage
from
Cordoba
to
Madrid.
On
the
way,
we’ll
travel
through
miles
of
cork
oaks,
olive
groves
and
saffron
crocuses,
which
have
been
harvested
here
since
the
age
of
the
Moors.
Cervantes
traveled
through
this
area
around
the
time
the
capital
of
Spain
was
in
transition
from
Toledo
to
Madrid,
and
wrote
about
it
through
the
adventures
of
Don
Quixote.
The
famous
windmills
were
actually
presses
that
flatten
the
olives
for
olive
oil. The capital of Spain since 1561, Madrid is a modern city with an old heart. On this tour, we’ll enjoy Puerta del Sol, The Parliament, Cibeles Fountain, Calle Alcal, and Paseo de Catellana. Later,
we
will
check-in
to
our hotel and
settle
in
for
the
remainder
of
our
time
in
Spain.
There
should
be
time
for
you
to
relax,
if
you
wish,
or
head
out
with
camera
in
hand
for
more
sightseeing
before
dinner
this
evening. INCLUDED
DINNER
TONIGHT DELUXE HOTEL: AC Palacio del Retiro
Toledo A
hearty
breakfast
awaits
you
this
morning
as
does
a
day
full
of
adventure.
INCLUDED FAREWELL DINNER TONIGHT INCLUDED DELUXE HOTEL: AC Palacio del Retiro
Departure Day Inquire about departure transfers. Catch your flight home from Madrid or Extend Your Adventure. Until we meet again, may your days be full of discovery and your nights full of good friends. Or are you extending to the exciting city of Barcelona? or some other exotic destination...inquire with reservations for details. ### END of TOUR ###
And if you have been to Spain before and maybe want something a little different, you have the opportunity of choosing to go as a “first-timer” (there are many sites you could see a hundred times and still find something new!) or adding on whichever tours and attractions are to your liking and interest, essentially building your own trip (simply call us at 1 (877) 865-6711 for a custom quote).
That
all
sounds
great!
But… You may also be thinking, “But traveling to a foreign country can be intimidating-where to stay? What to see? Where to eat?” This is where I come in! I take care of all the details, so you can simply focus on enjoying what little time you have over there. QueensLander Tours is dedicated to making each trip you take with us the best you’ll ever experience. Your time is precious-you want to see as much as you can while you’re there. Your money is precious-you want to make every dollar count…Every detail is taken care of so that the only thing you have to worry about is what to pack. By now, you’re probably wondering, “But how much does all of this cost?” Good question. But first, let’s consider just the cost of a good hotel. Frommer’s 2009 Guidebook on Italy suggests several “moderately priced” hotels, all of which average around $350 a night (most a lot more) . Even an “inexpensive” hotel averages over $250 per night. Even then, the prices vary widely, depending on where in the city you want to stay. For our “First-Timer’s,” all-inclusive package, what we’re offering are first-class accommodations in the heart of each city, easily accessible to the very places you want to see, plus several meals, transportation, guided tours and the peace of mind knowing that it’s all taken care of for you. That’s little more than you’d spend on just “moderate” accommodations! In addition, if you have traveled in Spain before and maybe want to be a little more independent, we have an additional option we call our “returning traveler” option. You’ll still get the same first-class customer service and first-class accommodations from us, but you’ll have the freedom of spending your days as you wish, with the option of adding on only those tours/meals/etc. that you are interested in, as these are not included but are all available as “optional” tours. Whether you want to go as a “first-timer” and let us worry about all the details or you want to be a little more independent and essentially “build your own trip” (while knowing all the major stuff is taken care of), we have the perfect trip for you. Call us-we can’t wait to talk to you! (1+877-865-6711) Sincerely,
Mark
Story
-
You
can
ask
me
any
question
about
Spain
and
Portugal,
this
tour
or
any
vacation
you're
planning
to
take
to
Italy
by
calling
or
email:
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Follow
us
on:
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©2010 Queenslander International llc. All Rights Reserved. |
This
is
the
published
date
of
departure. Yes,
we
can
arrange
your
air
travel
from
the
QueensLander
air
department.
We'll
work
with
you
to
get
the
absolutely
lowest-fare
available
based
on
your
travel
preferences.
We
utilize
both
our
own
air
department
and
online
agencies
to
find
the
best
rate.
At
the
end
of
the
Spain
&
Portugal
Tour
you
should
set
your
flight
to
return
from
Madrid.
Or
if
you
are
extending
to
other
destinations
in
Europe,
inquire
with
reservations
on
what
city
from
which
you
should
return.
We
then
make
our
way
into
the
misty
Serra
mountains
for
a
visit
to
the
enchanting
city
of
Sintra,
home
to
ancient
castles,
fairytale
palaces
and
verdant
gardens.
We’ll
spend
much
of
our
day
uncovering
the
secrets
this
mysterious
city
has
to
offer,
with
time
to
browse
the
boutiques,
handicrafts
and
antiques
stores.
After
lunch,
we’ll
take
in
the
beautiful
wells,
gardens
and
grottos
of
the
Royal
Palace
of
Sintra
and
La
Quinta
da
Regaleira,
a
UNESCO
world
heritage
site.
We'll depart after breakfast bound for Seville
as
we
cross
into
Spain
and
begin
our
exploration
of
this
wonderfully
colorful
country.
We
should
arrive
mid-day. We will have time for lunch and then
check-in
to
our hotel.
Something
for
everyone…Whether
you’re
a
“first-timer”
to
Spain
and
Portugal
or
have
visited
many
times,
we
invite
you
to
join
us
for
this
exciting
tour
program.
For
one
set
price,
you’ll
be
staying
in
first-class
accommodations
in
each
city
and
have
the
experience
of
local,
English-speaking
tour
guides.
You’ll
have
a
chance
to
visit
all
the
major,
“must-see”
sites,
plus
enough
free
time
on
your
own
to
visit
the
places
that
really
matter
to
you…or,
you
can
simply
enjoy
that
time
relishing
your
first
taste
of
Spanish
tapas
-it’s
entirely
up
to
you.
Also
included
are
in-depth
tours
in
each
city,
group
transportation
in
an
air-conditioned
motor
coach,
admission
and
entrance
fees
for
each
stop
on
our
tours,
breakfast
each
morning
and
five
all-inclusive
dinners
with
wine!
