Off the Beaten Path in Spain & Portugal: Marvelous December Tour

Moorish palace Alhambra, Granada, Spain

What to expect on this itinerary

With this 8-day tour of Spain and Portugal, experience a magical December vacation without the crowds of tourists. From the intricate beauty of Granada’s marvelous Alhambra to the unique canals that run through Aveiro, the Iberian Peninsula is full of off-the-beaten-path treasures that are waiting to be discovered. Indulge in a tapas crawl through Madrid, uncover the secrets of Granada’s Alhambra, glide through Portugal’s version of Venice, and visit the wonderful town of Aveiro.

Countries Visited

Portugal, Spain

Places Visited

Madrid, Salamanca, Granada, Aveiro, Lisbon, Sintra

Suggested Duration

8 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Madrid – Exclusive Tapas Crawl

You will arrive at Madrid’s international airport, where your private driver will greet and transfer you to your luxurious accommodation in the heart of the city. Upon your arrival, you will have time to settle in and to explore the area on your own before meeting your guide for your first authentic taste of Madrid. You will be guided on a tapas crawl through the city’s top bars, restaurants, and back-door eateries. During your tour, you will discover the history of Spanish tapas. At the conclusion of your tour, you can have the remainder of the evening to spend at your leisure.

What's Included:

Transfer
Tour
Accommodation
Day 2

Madrid – The City of Salamanca

Day 3

Granada – Explore the Alhambra

Day 4

Granada – Granada’s Christmas Market

Day 5

Aveiro – The City’s Lovely Canals

Day 6

Aveiro – Visit Colorful Costa Nova

Day 7

Lisbon – The Stunning City of Sintra

Day 8

Lisbon – Departure

Trip Highlights

  • Eat your way through Madrid on a tapas crawl to the city’s top bars, restaurants, and back-door eateries
  • Spend the day exploring the nearby city of Salamanca and visit the oldest university in Spain
  • Uncover the ancient secrets of Granada’s Alhambra on a private tour
  • Wander through Granada’s lovely Christmas Market and let the bright lights fill you with holiday cheer
  • Discover Portugal’s version of Venice as you float through the charming canals on traditional boats
  • Traverse the city of Aveiro and experience it’s top destinations, including the seaside neighborhood of Costa Nova
  • Marvel at the old-world charm of Sintra on a half-day excursion from Lisbon
  • Visit Lisbon’s most fascinating markets and immerse yourself in authentic Portuguese culture

Detailed Description

During this 8-day tour of Spain and Portugal, you will bathe in the Arab-style baths of Granada and visit the city’s spectacular Christmas Market. Prepare to be intrigued as you experience the Iberian Peninsula like never before. Your tour will begin in Madrid. Here, you will embark on a tapas crawl through the city’s top tapas bars, restaurants, and back-door eateries.

On a full-day excursion from Madrid, you can explore the ancient city of Salamanca, which is home to the country’s oldest university. Your tour will then continue to the charming city of Granada, where you can experience the best of Andalusia. A private tour of the intricate beauty of the Alhambra will impress you before you explore the delightful Christmas Market in the heart of the city. Attending a flamenco show will be an excellent way to immerse yourself in the region’s culture.

Continuing to Portugal, you will arrive in the city of Aveiro, which is renowned as Portugal’s version of Venice. Here, you can traverse the colorful canals by moliceiro, which are traditional boats that are local to the area. Finally, you will arrive in Lisbon. Here, you will delight in the mild weather of December as you explore the city’s bustling markets and enjoy a half-day excursion to the charming town of Sintra. On this 8-day tour of Spain and Portugal, you will be enchanted by all that these splendid countries have to offer.

Starting Price

$3,200 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

The starting price is based on travel during the low season for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 3-star accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.

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Based on 3439 reviews

Clayton D.
Portugal Trip Review: Douro Wine Region, Algarve Beaches, Benagil Caves, Private Guide, Food Tour, Fado Performance, 10 Nights

The trip was very well organized; Zicasso's travel company listened to our wishes and delivered. We would definitely use you again and would highly recommend. We were very happy with Zicasso's travel designer's communication and quick responses.

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Allison L.
Portugal Tour Review: Douro Valley, Lisbon, Porto, Evora, Algarve, Braga, Guimaraes, Pena Palace, Pastry Experience, Food Market, Tile Workshop, Winemaking, 12-Day Trip

My husband and I traveled with our two adult children for 12 days through Portugal. Our trip was absolutely amazing, with every transfer, lodging, and tour detail seemingly tailored especially for us. Zicasso's travel expert was so wonderful to talk with as he planned our trip; he asked great questions to understand what kind of travelers we are and our interests. Our itinerary was perfect as we reviewed it prior to our trip, but as we experienced every transfer guide, tour specialist, and lodging, we could not have asked for a better experience. "Mahalo nui" (thank you so much) for helping us to experience your beautiful country and your even more beautiful and kind people. We can't wait for our trip back.

I wanted to make a special note of recognition about our transfer drivers/guides: they were absolutely amazing; so experienced and warm. We all enjoyed learning from them about Portugal and just felt so very well taken care of as they seamlessly transported us through your beautiful country and made sure we knew where to go and where to meet later. One of our drivers walked us through a local pastry shop to see the pastries being made; without him, we would have surely missed that experience. In Douro, another driver recommended a "locals" restaurant down the hill from our hotel. The owner was so kind he arranged for our server to drive us up the steep and winding hill to our hotel! These "special" experiences so reminded us of our beautiful Hawai'i and the spirit of "aloha" we felt so strongly in Portugal! At our departure, another driver walked us with our luggage into the airport departure terminal and showed us where to go (it was so much larger than any terminal we had been in). We would surely have been lost without his expert guidance.

Your tour guide selections were all simply amazing. We felt each guide's love ("aloha" for us) and attachment to each place we visited. We cannot thank you enough for all your work in planning so that we could truly enjoy and now have lasting memories until we return again.

With much "aloha" and gratitude, our "'ohana."

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Peter G.
Spain Tour Review: Baths, Flamenco, Guitar Concert, 10-Day Trip

I dealt with our travel agent to plan our trip for two couples. I knew roughly the locations we wanted to visit, but with her suggestions and recommendations, our visit to several cities in Spain was enhanced and made the trip even more memorable.

Needless to say, all guides and drivers were punctual and the guides were very knowledgeable and flexible to our needs. I would highly recommend Zicasso's travel company.

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Derek L.
Portugal Vacation Review: Benagil Caves, Hiking, Boat Tour, 1-Week

My wife and I recently returned from our trip to Portugal, booked with Zicasso's tour operator, and let me say, we could not have been happier. She helped us create an ideal trip in a little over a month, since we decided to book a relatively last-minute getaway.

Our travel expert was a pleasure to work with. We told her what we were looking for and she put together a fantastic itinerary for us. We were beyond happy with the hotels she suggested and booked, as well as every excursion, including private hikes and boat tours. Every part of the trip was well coordinated, including all the private transfers and guides, who were all exceptional themselves. She even met us at the airport when we arrived and even saw us off at the end of our trip, helping guide us around the airport to make that as efficient as possible.

Even on the days we had to ourselves without any planned excursions, she still put together a tentative itinerary, including suggestions of what to explore based on the location we were at.

Our travel expert was very responsive throughout our planning and you can tell she really cares about making her clients' experience the best it can possibly be. We cannot say enough good things about this company and therefore, highly recommend them if you are looking to travel to Portugal. Thank you again!

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Robert P.
Spain Tour Review: Barcelona, Scenic Drives, 1-Week Trip

The trip was wonderful. Our driver and tour guides were pleasant, helpful, and knowledgeable.

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Amanda B.
Portugal Trip Review: Douro River Valley, Grape Stomping, Dining Experiences, 10 Days

The trip was well planned by Zicasso's tour company, with only one scheduling snafu. The hotels were nice. The travel agents were very communicative and helpful.

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

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